Image: Wikimedia Commons
Image: Wikimedia Commons
Image: Getty Images
Image: Getty Images
With HRH’s Platinum Jubilee weekend and 96th birthday behind us and the United Kingdom’s momentary national flower, the Union Jack bunting, starting to wilt, and the loyal royalists and disgruntled republicans back to reality, the House of Windsor’s chariots once again piqued our interest.
Image: Getty Images
I’m not referring to the eight horse-drawn Gold State Coach commissioned by King George III in 1760 that has mainly been used during coronations since then, but the Aston Martin’s, Bentleys, Daimlers, Lagondas, Land- and Range Rovers, Jaguars and stately Rolls-Royces. Her Majesty once commented on how uncomfortable the Gold State Coach is, so we shall rather focus on a much more comfortable vehicle.
During the recent Platinum Jubilee the Prince of Wales and his erstwhile dolly bird, the beloved Duchess of Cornwell were seen alighting one of only two bespoke claret and black, £10 million Bentley State Limousines, usually Queen Elizbeth II’s official vehicles.
Image: Wikimedia Commons
The Royal State Limousine was designed and coach built by Mulliner in collaboration with the monarch and her late husband, Prince Phillip, for her Golden Jubilee in 2002. The Royals, for instance, opted for lambswool to cover the plush seats that were designed using a model the same size as Her Majesty. It’s 914 mm longer, 254 mm taller and 152 mm wider than the standard Bentley Arnage R that it is based on and features coach (suicide) doors that can open nearly 90 degrees. Crewe’s iconic “flying B” had to make way for HRH’s personal English mascot of St. George slaying the dragon, or proudly sport a lion when she is wafting along on her way to Balmoral Castle in Scotland. She is of course always escorted by enough marked and unmarked blue light Royal Protection Squad and PC Plod’s police vehicles and motorcycle riders to put any South African state capture politician fleet to shame.
Image: Wikimedia Commons
The royal Bentley’s 6,75-litre V8 produces 298 kW and 835 N.m of torque and can, unlike POTUS’s ‘Beast’s’ 100 km/h top speed, reach 209 km/h. These are impressive figures given the fact that the armour-plated, mine-resistant behemoth weighs a fat-shaming 4 tonnes. It also features an NRA-resistant bazooka-proof glasshouse and the cabin can be sealed in case of a Putinian gas attack. Although it rides on Kevlar-clad run-flat tyres it’s every bit as comfortable as can be expected of a Bentley sedan, so one can build some geeswhilst enjoying Elgar’s Pomp and Circumstance on the way to one’s royal engagements. Note that the Royal Standard appears on the Bentley when Ma’am’s in the backseat, so sorry Charles and Camilla, no flag for you. Yet. But remember the royal wave.
Words: Thys de Beer
Keyword: The Royal State Limousine – a Bentley fit for the Queen