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Prince Charles reveals he was run over by a bus while cycling in Cambridge

Incident happened when heir to the throne was an undergraduate at Trinity College five decades ago

Prince Charles has revealed he was run over by a bus while cycling in Cambridge.

The incident took place outside the Fitzwilliam Museum when the heir to the throne was studying in the city from 1967 to 1970.

The 68-year-old made the revelation yesterday during a visit to the museum, which is celebrating its bicentenary this year, reports bt.com.

“Quite how I survived being run over by a bus when I was on a bicycle just outside here I don't know," he said.

"But it was a very special experience ... as most of you probably know," he added – a reference, we hope, to his time studying in Cambridge, rather than his encounter with the bus, although anyone who cycles in the city is likely to have a story involving one passing them too closely.

The prince graduated from Trinity College, Cambridge, with a 2.2 in history. He switched to the subject after initially studying archaeology and physical and social anthropology.

During his second year, he spent a term studying Welsh history and language at University College of Wales, Aberystwyth, ahead of his investiture as Prince of Wales at Caernarfon Castle in July 1969.

The prince’s father, the Duke of Edinburgh, has also been in the news because of cycling this week – on Monday, the 95-year-old officially opened folding bike manufacturer Brompton’s new factory in Greenford, West London.

Here’s a video of cyclists in Cambridge from a few years before Prince Charles’s time there – not much has changed, although it’s no longer compulsory to wear a gown while riding.

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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9 comments

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handlebarcam | 8 years ago
0 likes

No, he was protected by riding with hair made wet using water containing an infinitesimally diluted quality of polystyrene. (Charley Boy is a proponent of homeopathy.)

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Team EPO | 8 years ago
1 like

Luckily his ears acted as an airbag

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dottigirl | 8 years ago
0 likes

Just think if he'd done some awareness campaigning for cycling 50 years ago...

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OldRidgeback | 8 years ago
0 likes

The fatality rate for cyclists in the UK/year was higher 50 years ago than now.

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STiG911 | 8 years ago
0 likes

I think the question we're all looking for is - and what?

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flathunt | 8 years ago
5 likes

Probably another SMODSO

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Hipshot | 8 years ago
0 likes

Some sweet skitching action in that clip.

 

Like a Lucas Brunelle video with Mortar Boards. 

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Leviathan | 8 years ago
0 likes

One doesn't cycle any more?

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Canyon48 | 8 years ago
1 like

This news story reminds me of GCN's tenuously linked celebrity cycling stories XD

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