Prince Philip has personally apologised to the mother-of-two left injured after his car collided with hers near Queen Elizabeth’s Sandringham estate earlier this month.

The Duke of Edinburgh wrote a letter to Emma Fairweather, who broke her wrist in the accident, saying that he was “deeply sorry” and wished her a “speedy recovery from a very distressing experience”. 

His apology letter which Ms Fairweather called a “nice touch” comes six days after the horrific crash which drew public criticism of the Royal family, particularly over their response to the accident.

“It is a difficult letter to write – to know what would be the right thing to say without making me more upset,” she said.

Prince Phillip, 97, admitted he did not see her car in the “low sun”, in the letter, dated January 21 and published by the Sunday Mirror newspaper.

“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 said.

The 181-word note, dated January 21 was hand-delivered to Emma’s home in Norfolk. Photo: Sunday Mirror 

Prince Philip escaped without injury when the Land Rover he was driving flipped over following a collision with a Kia car carrying Mr Fairweather on January 17 close to the royals’ Sandringham residence in Norfolk, eastern England.

Philip also received a warning from police for driving without a seatbelt two days after the crash.

The driver of the Kia, which was carrying a nine-month-baby, suffered cuts to her knee.

“I would like you to know how very sorry I am for my part in the accident at the Babingley crossroads,” Prince Philip said in the letter.

Prince Philip said he was “somewhat shaken” after the crash and was greatly relieved that there were no serious injuries.

He said he was advised to return to Sandringham by a police officer, and only subsequently learned of Fairweather’s injury.

-with AAP