LONDON - Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was hit with a fine for parking illegally during a visit to London - despite protests from her security team.
Clinton was collecting an award for international diplomacy at Chatham House, in the upscale district of Mayfair, when a warden put an £80 (about $127) parking ticket on the silver Mercedes she was using, the local council said.
Westminster City Council said the former first lady had been in the £3.50-an-hour metered parking spot for 45 minutes without paying.
"Despite our traffic marshal being questioned by the secret service for just doing his job, he was in the right," said councillor Daniel Astaire, the council's cabinet member for business.
"The former US Secretary of State was parked for nearly 45 minutes without paying. I’m sure she will understand that we have to be fair to everyone, regardless of their status on the world stage."
He added: "For future reference, Mrs. Clinton can now also download a parking app for her iPhone which will tell her in real time where a parking space is in the City of Westminster."
The episode was witnessed by photographer Greg Brennan, whose pictures were published by U.K. newspaper, the Daily Mail.
He told the newspaper he saw one member of Clinton’s entourage angrily waving his arms and flashing his badge in an attempt to get the ticket rescinded, but with no luck.
The penalty is reduced to £40 (about $63) if paid within 14 days.
Federal law requires the Secret Service to watch over ex-presidents and first ladies.
The 65-year-old former first lady and husband Bill Clinton have a net worth which some estimate to be in excess of $200 million.
A spokesperson for Clinton did not immediately respond to request for comment.
Diplomats have racked up more than £70 million in unpaid fees in London, including the congestion toll that motorists must pay for entering central parts of the city at peak times.
Some £7.5 million of these fees are owed by U.S. representatives, but Clinton is not immune to such penalties as she no longer holds an official government position.
