The Duke of Norfolk, the aristocrat who organized Queen Elizabeth II's funeral, appeared on Monday (September 26th) to try to avoid a license suspension with an unusual argument: he needs his car to prepare for the coronation of the King Charles III.
Edward Fitzalan-Howard pleaded guilty in court in London on Monday to using his mobile phone and running a red light while driving on April 7.
The Duke of Norfolk, the highest-ranking Englishman who also holds the title of Earl Marshal, has already had two speeding tickets in 2019 and faces a driving ban.
Read alsoWill Charles III wear the same crown as his mother?
But Natasha Dardashti, the 65-year-old Duke's lawyer, said she would ask the judge not to enforce the ban because of her role in the new king's coronation ceremony, which is due to take place next year .
The Duke of Norfolk is indeed responsible for organizing state and royal funerals, as well as the coronations of monarchs at Westminster Abbey.
"Strange situation"
"
It is an extremely special situation, where his grace, the Duke of Norfolk (...) is now the person who is responsible for the coronation
" of King Charles III, she pleaded.
The lawyer asked that the details of the argument be kept private due to potential national security concerns.
“
Given that this is such a strange situation, and that his grace has such a special and important role in this national coronation of a new king, I will ask the Court to sit behind closed doors
,” said Natasha Dardashti.
Read alsoCharles III, the man who wanted to be king
Edward Fitzalan-Howard was responsible for organizing Elizabeth II's funeral for which 2,000 people, including foreign heads of state and members of royal families, gathered at Westminster Abbey in London on September 19.
The Duke of Norfolk had spent twenty years organizing this ceremony.