Princess Beatrice’s BMW: more car-centric BBC London News

BBC London News takes the view that the killing of London cyclists and the risible penalties given to their killers is not newsworthy, has never been newsworthy and will never be newsworthy. And now here’s one of today’s top stories from BBC London News:

Princess Beatrice has escaped unhurt after a car crash near Buckingham Palace in central London.

The 22-year-old was driving her BMW when it was involved in a collision involving a bus and a coach at Hyde Park Corner on Monday.

A Scotland Yard spokesman said no-one was injured and no police action was necessary.

To lose a second expensive BMW in this way must be deeply unpsetting, since

The car was a replacement for a similar model given as a 17th birthday gift by her father Prince Andrew, the Duke of York.

The original was stolen in broad daylight when it was left unlocked with the keys in the ignition while the princess and her minder went shopping in Kensington in January last year.

This is why it is so important that the Metropolitan Police to devote the time of its officers to hanging around in car parks handing out leaflets reminding drivers to lock their cars and not leave things like laptops lying on the back seat. Because even a top police bodyguard can lack this kind of sophisticated awareness.

Princess Beatrice lives in Kensingston but she needs a BMW to go shopping in Kensington. And in a sense every driver in London is an honorary Princess, since the entire transport infrastructure of Greater London is built around prioritising those who choose to drive their cars short distances and then need to park somewhere.

Mercifully the horror of being car-less was only momentary, since

A back-up car took her to Goldsmiths College in south-east London where she is studying.