Peer who organized Queen’s funeral banned for cell phone use

• Peer was given a six-month driving penalty for using his phone while driving.
• Edward Fitzalan-Howard was pulled over by police.
• He was seen using his phone behind the wheel of his BMW.

A senior peer responsible for planning the Queen’s funeral was given a six-month driving penalty for using his phone while driving.

The Earl Marshal, the 65-year-old Duke of Norfolk, argued in court that he shouldn’t be subjected to a ban since he needed it to plan King Charles III’s coronation.

A lawyer for the duke, who is thought to be worth £100 million and is descended from Queen Elizabeth I, told justices on Monday that losing his license would cause him “extraordinary difficulty.”

The Oxford-educated father of five, who is also in charge of planning the State Opening of Parliament, admitted guilt in Battersea, southwest London, before Lavender Hill Magistrates’ Court to using his cellphone while driving.

The duke, officially known as Edward Fitzalan-Howard, was pulled over by police on April 7 after he was seen using his phone behind the wheel of his BMW.

The offence carries a mandatory six-point endorsement, but he already had nine penalty points from prior speeding infractions on his license.

Bench Chair Judith Way, who was passing judgement, stated: “We accept that this is a special case because of the defendant’s position in society, particularly in regard to the King’s coronation.

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