The Duke of Norfolk is to go on trial in August accused of using a mobile phone while driving a BMW.

The incident is alleged to have happened on April 7 on Battersea Park Road in south-west London.

The duke, whose full name is Edward William Fitzalan-Howard, was appointed a Knight Grand Cross of the RVO for services to the monarchy in the honours announced at the beginning of June to coincide with the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.

Under his hereditary title Earl Marshal, the 65-year-old duke is responsible for organising major state events such as coronations and state funerals.

He appeared on a magistrates’ court list in May as Edward William, The Duke of Norfolk with an address at Arundel Castle in West Sussex.

The charge, first reported by the Evening Standard, stated that shortly before 4.15pm on the day in question he drove a BMW “when he was at the time using a hand-held device, other than a two-way radio, which was capable of transmitting and receiving data, whether or not those capabilities were enabled, namely a mobile device”.

The offence falls under the Road Traffic Act 1988 and Schedule 2 of the Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988.

A Bromley Magistrates’ Court official confirmed a summons had been issued for a trial to take place on August 4 at Lavender Hill Magistrates’ Court, listed to last for 90 minutes.