The Queen’s final years of Queen’s concern were reflected in Prince Philip’s ‘awkward” apology.

Prince Philip left the public with one of his last messages. It was an apology following a car accident in 2019.

The Duke of Edinburgh, then 97, was pulling off a side road in Norfolk near Sandringham, when he saw the sun and blamed it for his mishap.

Emma Fairweather, the injured passenger in Philip’s Kia, was later named the late Duke “highly insensitive and inconsiderate”, when speaking to ITV’s This Morning.

After Philip was seen behind the wheel of a replacement Land Rover Freelander less than 48 hours after the accident, her comments were made.

Philip wrote a letter dated January 21 apologizing to Ms Fairweather for the incident that became a major media story.

Although the letter was intended to be private, the victim presented the letter to Sunday Mirror and the victim was able to make public his apology.

Philip wrote this letter to you: “I would like you to know how very sorry I am for my part in the accident at the Babingley crossroads. I have been across that crossing any number of times and I know very well the amount of traffic that uses that main road.

“It was a bright sunny day and at about three in the afternoon, the sun was low over the Wash. In other words, the sun was shining over the main road. In normal conditions I would have no difficulty in seeing traffic coming from the Dersingham direction, but I can only imagine that I failed to see the car coming, and I am very contrite about the consequences.”

He also said that he was “shaken”Following the incident, he said that he was “greatly relieved that none of you were seriously injured.”

Philip kept repeating that he was “deeply sorry”After hearing that Ms Fairweather had broken her arm, I wished her well. “speedy recovery from a very distressing experience.”

Ian Lloyd, a royal author who wrote The Duke: 100 chapters in the Life and Death of Prince Philip, claims that the late Duke fulfilled his duty by writing the letter. His concern was for the Queen, as well as the monarchy.

“This was a really awkward incident at the end of a long and eventful life for the Duke, “ said Mr Lloyd.

“His number one concern was always for the Queen and the monarchy and when the fallout from the crash escalated into a major news story after he was photographed driving a replacement vehicle a day or so later, he realised damage limitation was called for and wrote a letter to the passenger in the crash.

“Many thought the letter was surprisingly friendly and contrite considering his reputation for brusqueness but he was always able to express himself well on paper – we only have to think of the letters to Diana at the time of her split with Charles. They were, by all accounts, friendly, caring and full of sound advice.”

Mr Lloyd believes the letter was a demonstration to Philip’s belief in “fairness” as the incident prompted him to recall a moment from the late Duke’s childhood when he tied with another boy during a sporting competition.

Lloyd also added: “I think even at a young age he had a sense of fairness. Researching my book on him I came across a story of him at prep school coming joint first in a high jump competition. The other boy, John Wynne, pushed him forward to collect the cup but when Philip returned with it he gave it to Wynne, saying ‘That’s yours.’

“So after the crash he not only apologised for what he did but claimed responsibility, explained his actions in leaving the scene and admitted he was contrite. All of which helped diffuse the situation.”

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Philip, who was 99 years old, died on April 9th. He left a legacy of helping thousands of people with his Duke of Edinburgh Award as well as being president and patron of The World Wildlife Fund.

He also helped to unify the Royal family and the commonwealth by making hundreds of trips to more than 67 Commonwealth countries. Some of these countries had never seen a royal before.