There's a very good reason for it!
Here’s Why the Royal Family Usually Doesn’t Wear Seat Belts
Published on Apr. 23, 2025
For members of the British royal family, safety is a priority at all times. You’ll hardly ever see them walking around without at least one protection officer in tow, and even if you don’t spot any, they’re probably there, just in plainclothes. And when traveling, two heirs (e.g., Prince William and his son Prince George) are not allowed to sit on the same plane—this is to make sure the monarchy continues in case there’s a crash. Which makes it all the more surprising that there seems to be one loophole in these strict protocols: seat belts. When the royals are out and about for official engagements, you often won’t see various senior members of the family buckled up.
Hold on, now—aren’t seat belts an essential safety precaution? And isn’t this a terrible example to set for British citizens? We asked Dai Davies, the former head of royal protection at Scotland Yard, to explain this seemingly strange breach of safety protocol. Read on for the details and the surprising reason the royals often forgo seat belts.
Get Reader’s Digest’s Read Up newsletter for more royals, humor, cleaning, travel, tech and fun facts all week long.
Why don’t members of the royal family wear seat belts?
First, it’s important to note that they do sometimes wear seat belts—just not always. And the answer to the question above really depends on the specific circumstance. Here are a few of the potential reasons, according to Davies:
Their vehicle is the only one on the road
This would be the case for events like King Charles’s coronation, Trooping the Colour and other high-profile events like state banquets. “It’s all about assessing the location, the journey and the risk factors,” says Davies, who was in charge of keeping the British royal family safe in the 1990s. “For ceremonial duties, when they go short distances at a slow pace and the roads are blocked off, you’ll often see them not wearing seat belts. It’s because if there are no other vehicles involved, there is no or very little risk of a traffic incident.”
You can get them out quickly in case of a threat
Obviously, traffic isn’t the only concern when it comes to the royals. After all, the British king, queen and other senior members of the family are among the most high-profile people in the world, which means they could have a target on their backs. So despite all the security measures in place, it’s impossible to completely rule out something unexpected to happen. “When there’s potential for a perceived threat, they may well not wear seat belts, particularly if they’re in their finery,” Davies explains. This is because it’s much easier and faster to get them out of the car and to safety when they don’t have to fumble with seat belts and bulky apparel.
They are on their own estates
Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, in particular, were photographed countless times driving around without wearing seat belts, but usually these pictures were taken on their own royal estates. “Like you and me, they can do whatever they want to on their own lands. So if they decide to not wear a seat belt, it’s their choice,” says Davies.
They don’t want to ruin their outfits
British security expert Michael Chandler adds another potential reason why members of the royal family go seat-belt-free: concerns about their outfits. “With men, for example, a seat belt can crease shirts, and so that might also be a factor,” he told the Daily Mail. The same likely applies to the women, who wouldn’t want their gowns crumpled for the big event—or even for the pictures snapped by the press.
Davies, however, says that he would have urged the royals to put thoughts about unflattering pictures to the very back of their minds. “It should always be about security,” he stresses. “When you’re at the pearly gates and God is waiting for you, I’m sure he wouldn’t talk about your outfit—he’d say, ‘I wish you would have worn a seat belt.'”
But is this dangerous in other ways?
Yes and no. While, of course, driving without a seat belt is generally a bad idea—as Davies says, it’s just “common sense” to buckle up—the royal family generally goes belt-free only when there’s little or no risk at all. So while it seems OK at the above-mentioned state occasions, it certainly wouldn’t be if they were driving fast on a busy highway. “Each journey should be assessed,” Davies says. “If there’s no danger, they may well not wear a seat belt, but in most instances I would be saying, ‘Wear your seat belt.'”
After all, the royals haven’t been spared from car accidents. For instance, when Prince Philip was 97, he was involved in a crash near Sandringham. And while he was not injured, two women in the other car had to be taken to hospital. And, of course, Princess Diana lost her life in a car crash.
Do the royals ever wear seat belts in the car?
They do, and actually more often than not. “The truth is, while there are a lot of pictures of members of the royal family not wearing seat belts, most of the time they do,” Davies says. If they’re on a highway, driving around quickly or driving themselves in an everyday capacity, they do buckle up.
The younger generation especially seems to lead by example. “Just take Prince William and his family,” says Davies. “They’re always wearing seat belts when they’re taking their children to school.” Or when taking their newborns home for the first time: When Prince George was born, his proud dad put him in a baby seat like a pro (he later confessed he had practiced it with a doll!) before strapping on his own seat belt and driving off.
Other members of the Firm who have been spotted with seat belts include Princess Beatrice and her family when driving to the official royal Christmas dinner, as well as King Charles and Queen Camilla when he took her for a ride in his new electric Audi.
Was Princess Diana wearing a seat belt when she died?
No, she wasn’t—and she most likely would have survived if she had been wearing one. When Princess Diana and her boyfriend Dodi Fayed died in a tragic car crash in Paris on Aug. 31, 1997, the world was quick to blame it on the paparazzi following her until the very end. This, however, only seems to be half the story. According to David Douglas, a former senior officer in the Metropolitan Police, who was involved in the investigations and official report, the pair would have had an 80% survival chance if they’d just buckled up. “It would still have been a terrible accident,” he told Good Morning Britain in 2022. “They would have been badly injured, but it probably would not have been fatal.”
Davies, who was in charge of royal protection in the U.K. at the time, agrees, adding that “there’s a lesson for all of us here.” He also believes that if Diana and Dodi had been with a royal protection officer that night, things might have ended differently: “He would have told them to wear seat belts, and he would have told the driver to slow down.”
“Paparazzi are a pain, but they don’t kill you,” he adds. “I’d hope that people, including the royals, would rethink not wearing seat belts after this, especially on journeys where there’s any risk involved.”
Can the royals be fined for not wearing seat belts?
Technically, yes, but this likely would never happen. From a legal perspective, everyone in the U.K. must wear a seat belt in the car. And if you don’t—and you get caught—you can be fined up to £500 ($660). That being said, there’s one exemption to the rule. “The king can do whatever he likes because he is above the law, and he can’t be prosecuted,” Davies says. “No other royal is exempt.”
However, he can’t remember anyone being prosecuted for a traffic violation other than Princess Ann and Princess Diana. Both women got in trouble with the cops for driving too fast. “In Diana’s case, the protection officer persuaded the traffic officer to give her just a verbal warning,” Davies says.
Potential fine or not, it only seems appropriate for the royals to lead by example, including when it comes to seat belt rules.
About the expert
|
Why trust us
Reader’s Digest has published hundreds of stories on the British royal family, providing a behind-the-scenes look at the fascinating facets of the monarchy. We regularly cover topics including the latest royal news, the history and meaning behind time-honored traditions, and the everyday quirks of everyone’s favorite family members, from Queen Elizabeth’s daily snack to Prince William’s confessions about his home life. We’re committed to producing high-quality content by writers with expertise and experience in their field in consultation with relevant, qualified experts. We rely on reputable primary sources, including government and professional organizations and academic institutions as well as our writers’ personal experiences where appropriate. For this piece, Astrid Hofer tapped her experience as a London-based journalist with more than 20 years of experience covering topics including the British royal family. We verify all facts and data, back them with credible sourcing and revisit them over time to ensure they remain accurate and up to date. Read more about our team, our contributors and our editorial policies.
Sources:
- Dai Davies, former head of Scotland Yard’s Royal Protection Command; phone interview, April 17, 2025
- Daily Mail: “The real reason why royals don’t wear seatbelts revealed”
- Marie Claire: “King Charles, Princess Kate and other royals don’t always wear seatbelts for 3 interesting reasons”
- The Guardian: “Prince Philip involved in car crash near Sandringham estate”
- YouTube: The Wall Street Journal: “Will and Kate leave hospital with new son”
- Express: “Eco warrior King Charles takes Camilla for a spin in brand new £80,000 electric Audi”
- Newsweek: “Diana had 80 percent chance of survival if she wore seat belt—Investigator”
- Gov.uk: “Seat belts: the law”
