5 Times the Royal Family Got Into Serious Trouble With the Law

Royal life may come with many perks, but it does not equate to being above the law. Several members of the royal family have had their fair share of trouble with the law over the years, facing police investigations, court battles, and legal penalties. Some cases were surprisingly serious, while others involved offences you probably would not expect a royal to be caught up in.

The Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor saga is perhaps the most well-known. The former Prince found himself at the centre of an unprecedented legal storm in February 2026 when he was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office over allegations that he shared sensitive government information with Jeffrey Epstein while serving as a trade envoy. He was questioned under caution for almost 11 hours before being released under investigation without charge. Police also searched properties linked to him, including his former home, Royal Lodge. Mountbatten-Windsor has denied wrongdoing and is now taking legal action against Thames Valley Police, seeking to challenge the warrants used for those searches.

Princess Anne made royal history in 2002, but hardly in the way anyone would want. Her bull terrier, Dotty, attacked two young boys in Windsor Great Park during a walk, leaving one with bite wounds and the other with scratches. Anne later admitted in court that she had been responsible for the dog being dangerously out of control in a public place. She was fined around $600 and ordered to pay compensation and costs. The Guardian reported that it made her the first modern royal to receive a criminal conviction. The following year, another of her bull terriers, Florence, attacked Queen Elizabeth II’s corgi Pharos, who was later put down because of his injuries. Since the incident happened on private royal rounds, the issue was handled outside of court.

Princess Anne has had more than one run-in with the speed limit. In 1990, she was fined after admitting to two speeding offences in Gloucestershire and was banned from driving for a month. She was back in court a decade later in 2021, after being caught doing 93mph in a 70mph zone while driving her Bentley. Anne said she mistakenly believed the police car behind her was providing a royal escort. As per The Guardian, she pleaded guilty and was fined $500, with five points added to her licence.

Prince Philip faced a police investigation after his Land Rover crashed into a Kia near Sandringham in January 2019, injuring two women while a baby in the car escaped unharmed. He later apologized to one of the women, saying the low winter sun may have affected his view. According to The Guardian, after he was photographed driving without a seatbelt days later, police spoke to him, and he eventually surrendered his licence. The CPS later decided not to prosecute him.

Zara Tindall lost her driving licence in 2020 after picking up enough points for a six-month ban. She had been caught doing 91mph in a 70mph zone in Gloucestershire the year before, adding four points to the nine already on her licence. Zara pleaded guilty and was fined $800, along with costs and a victim surcharge. And in a funny family coincidence, she was caught on the same stretch of road where her mother had been caught speeding years earlier.