The Duchess of Cambridge, who at the time was only Prince William’s girlfriend, was seen behind the wheel of her Audi A3 on a country lane. She was pictured holding her mobile phone to her ear as she drove near her family's Berkshire home. Since 2017, the fixed penalty for being caught using a handheld phone is £200 fine and six points on your licence but, at the time, the office would have carried a fine of £60 with no points penalty. Related articles How the Queen intervened to stop PRIVATE pictures of Kate Middleton Kate Middleton SHOCK: How ANGRY William had to protect 'harassed' Kate However, if someone had been injured, Kate could have faced a jail term up to two years. A bystander told The Sun that the Duchess was also “going quite quickly” and that you could clearly see she was on the phone. Roger Vincent, spokesman for the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents said at the time: "Using a mobile phone while driving is extremely dangerous and has cost numerous lives. "Drivers are four times more likely to crash if they are on their mobiles. "People get sucked more and more into conversations and less on what is going on around them on the road." Kate Middleton was photographed breaking the law in 2008 (Image: GETTY) If someone had been injured, Kate could have faced a jail term up to two years (Image: GETTY) Mr Vincent added: "Even though you think you are in control, you are not going to be able to react as quickly to the unexpected. “We would urge Kate Middleton, and others, to realise the misery that is caused. “It's extremely sad, not matter who it is, that people are not getting the message." Last January, Prince Philip was involved in a car crash, in which he flipped his Range Rover and collided with a Kia, injuring its passenger. The driver and her nine-month-old infant were said to be shaken but uninjured in the crash, which has sparked debate about the royal family’s driving habits. Last January, Prince Philip was involved in a car crash (Image: GETTY) Just days later, the Queen was pictured not wearing a seatbelt both as a driver and passenger in cars. On podcast “On Heir”, royal experts Omid Scobie and Emily Andrews claimed the royals are in a “in a different world” when it comes to safety. Ms Andrews said: “It just plays into this narrative of them and us. “The royals, the poshos, a bit out of touch. “And us the plebeians, who have to comply with the law.” Mr Scobie agreed: “This incident was a reminder that actually, they’re in a totally different world.” Prince Philip, 97, voluntarily gave up his driving licence shortly after the incident.All rights reserved for this news site express.co.uk and under his responsibility