The shocking reason royal family members are exempt from wearing seatbelts

If you’ve ever noticed Prince William, Princess Kate, or other members of the Royal Family riding in cars without seatbelts, you’re not alone — and there’s a surprising explanation behind it.

British security expert Michael Chandler recently told The Daily Mail that it’s not about flouting the rules — but rather a mix of security strategy, practicality, and protocol.

Chandler explained that royals sometimes go belt-free because of "security considerations." In the event of a potential threat, protection officers need to extract them quickly from vehicles — and seatbelts can slow that down.

"There's concerns about extracting a principal from a vehicle as quickly as possible,” Chandler said.

“There’ll be a risk assessment, the outcome of which will determine whether or not there needs to be extra precautions. If they’re in and out of a vehicle, royals will be less inclined to fit their seatbelt every time,” Chandler said.

“They do actually wear seatbelts, probably much more than people realize," Chandler noted.

For King Charles, seatbelt laws simply don’t apply. Thanks to sovereign immunity dating back to the 1689 Bill of Rights, the monarch is legally above prosecution. The Crown Proceedings Act of 1947 later allowed legal action against Crown departments — but explicitly excluded the monarch.

But for other royals, security trumps law.

“It doesn't legally exempt them if they're not traveling for a ceremonial duty,” Chandler said. “But they're unlikely to be arrested when it was a decision made by someone who's looking after them.”

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