Prince Charles Drives London Train: Mind the Gap?

Royal visits a Bombardier factory in Derby to help boost the British manufacturing industry

By Alexis L. Loinaz Feb 24, 2012 10:00 PMTags
Prince CharlesArthur Edwards / Getty Images

He's off the rails!

We knew that Prince Charles would be a driving force in moving the monarchy forward and helping steer his people toward new frontiers. But this is taking things a little too literally, doncha think?

The Prince of Wales was snapped today grabbing the controls of a London Underground train and zipping the behemoth along.

Sure, there are constant rumblings that times have been tough for the monarchy and that it's slowly losing its hold, but has it really come to this, blokes?

Relax, relax: HRH is still high and mighty, and Prince William and Kate Middleton won't be choo-chooing their way to commoner status.

Charles was just test-driving it as part of a visit to a Bombardier train factory in Derby to help boost the British manufacturing industry.

According to reports, he spent an hour touring the site and meeting with employees.

When he finally took the driver's seat (supervised, of course), he brought the train's speed up to 45 miles per hour.

Easy there, you royal speed devil!