State and royal cars of the United Kingdom

riding in her 2002 Bentley State Limousine in 2015. All the state and 'semi-state' vehicles are painted with a distinctive dual-toned colour scheme (or livery), which dates from the reign of King Edward VII: below the beltline, they are painted in Royal Claret (a deep wine colour 'that out of the sunlight looks almost black'), and the sovereign's standard signified which car was to be saluted. Since the 1950s the monarch's cars have been provided with back-lit shields which are illuminated at night. Other Coats of Arms and flags are used, depending on the purpose and context of the journey. Some senior members of the Royal Family display their shields; otherwise, a red shield with a crown is displayed if the car is carrying 'another Member of the Royal Family or someone representing the [sovereign]', or is part of a royal procession. The monarch is always driven by the Head, Deputy Head or Assistant Head Chauffeur; several 'first chauffeurs' are responsible for driving other members of the Royal Family, and general duties are undertaken by the 'second chauffeurs'. The chauffeurs are also responsible for day-to-day care and maintenance of the motor vehicles. ==State and royal cars in the 20th century==

, bought by Queen Alexandra in 1901 for use on the Sandringham estate. The history of royal motor cars in Britain goes back to the very beginning of the last century. At that time the Daimler Motor Company had recently established itself as Britain's first automotive manufacturer. The Daimler era For the first half of the 20th century, Daimlers were invariably chosen as the monarch's state cars (and the company also built vehicles for several other members of the Royal Family). During that period, royal cars were coachbuilt and, as far as the monarch's cars were concerned, Hooper & Co. were almost invariably employed (they already held royal warrants for carriage building dating from as early as 1830). His wife Queen Mary was never known to drive herself. By the start of the First World War a number of conventions had emerged with regard to royal cars, several of which remain in place, including: • the use of 'claret' livery for the royal cars • the painting of a royal crest or badge on two or more door panels • the use of a distinctive personal 'mascot' on the radiator cap (beginning with a figure of Britannia, given to George V on the occasion of his coronation) • from 1911 the display of the royal arms on a shield and/or flag to improve recognition • increased headroom (George V stipulated 60 inches from floor to ceiling), to make access easier for those wearing headwear (specifically 'a field marshal's hat with plume') • the provision of interior electric lighting • the convention that vehicles used personally by the monarch carried no registration plates (this latter exception did not extend to all vehicles owned by the monarch, only to those used by him personally). it had coachwork by Barker & Co., was painted in royal claret and upholstered with waterproof blue leather. In October 1930, in the midst of the Great Depression, it was announced that the King and Queen had placed an order for no fewer than five new Double-Six Daimlers as part of their desire 'to stimulate British industry, which is passing through difficult times' and to 'help unemployment during the winter months'. Delivered six months later were three 40-50 hp limousines (two to replace the 1924 No.1 and No.2 State Cars, one for the use of the Queen) and two 30-40 hp 'enclosed limousines', one for the King, the other (painted green) for the Queen. All five were fitted with Daimler's cutting-edge new fluid flywheel transmission system; the following year the two 1924 Shooting Brakes were retrofitted with the same assemblies. In 1934 one of the new limousines was used for the first time to convey the monarch to the State Opening of Parliament, excessive fog preventing the customary use of the Gold State Coach on this occasion. George V was succeeded by his eldest son, who assumed the regnal name Edward VIII. Edward VIII Edward, as Prince of Wales, had driven a variety of cars, from Rolls-Royce Phantoms to a streamlined Burney. As well as inheriting his father's Silver Jubilee Car, which retained its position as No.1 State Limousine, he introduced a Humber Pullman into the Royal Mews. He also took delivery of a new 32 hp -litre Daimler Straight-Eight limousine, to serve as his No.2 State Car; (it was bought in part-exchange for the late King's 1931 30-40 hp limousine). In addition, two Household cars and a Leyland Lioness lorry were retained. For private use he owned two Buicks and he also brought in a pair of Ford 'station vans'. One of the 1931 40-50 hp limousines was transferred to Queen Mary, along with one of the 1924 Shooting Brakes (which was registered CYF 663); other vehicles were disposed of. Before the outbreak of war, in February 1939, the King took delivery of another -litre Straight-Eight landaulette; at His Majesty's own suggestion it had been fitted with a triplex glass roof panel to enable the King and Queen to be more clearly seen (an innovation which became standard on subsequent state cars). The 1937 landaulette was then given over to the Queen's use (though it was not separately registered). The following month a black Daimler DB18 -litre Coupe was acquired, for the King's personal use. Also in 1939, arrangements were made for the King's Lanchester landaulette and limousine to be replaced; both were exchanged for new models (which were again badged as Lanchesters, painted black like their predecessors and given number plates). By the time the second Lanchester was delivered the war was well underway, and the Palace made it clear that no further cars were to be commissioned while the conflict endured. In September 1940, a number of cars were damaged during an air raid, when an anti-aircraft shell landed near the garage at the Mews. In 1941 it was decided by the War Office to provide the King with a pair of armoured Daimler limousines; the specially-constructed bodies were, as ever, built by Hooper. They remained the property of the War Office, and were registered as such. it was duly re-registered (as NLT 6), decorated with her royal monogram, and served as her 'No.2 Royal Landaulette' through the rest of the decade. In the mid-1950s, potential state cars were built speculatively: one by Rolls-Royce (a 1954 Hooper-bodied Phantom IV landaulette) and two by Daimler (1955 Hooper-bodied DK 400s: one limousine, one landaulette). Each company discreetly made it known that these vehicles were being kept available for the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh to use at any time; indeed, in 1955 the Phantom IV landaulette was pressed into service on no less an occasion than the State Opening of Parliament, when it conveyed the Queen and the Duke to the Palace of Westminster and back (the customary carriage procession having been cancelled due to a rail strike). They were also provided with power steering, and with full air conditioning systems, which led to their supplanting the landaulette as vehicles of choice for overseas tours (though the cars' dimensions were such that their bumpers had to be demounted whenever they were embarked aboard Britannia). As such, one or other of the Phantom Vs travelled with the Queen to Italy in 1961, and to Australia and Fiji in 1963. For the last four decades of the twentieth century the State Cars were all Rolls-Royce Phantoms. In 1962 the Queen Mother likewise purchased a Rolls-Royce Phantom V (a landaulette in the royal colours) to serve as her No.1 official car (registered NLT 6, later NLT 1), which she continued to use until she died in 2002. and remains part of the working fleet In 1987, a second Phantom VI state limousine was purchased (a standard model to serve as No.4 State Car). Since then the company has provided many different vehicles for royal use, both private and official. In 1953 a Series I Land Rover, custom designed with a rear platform for standing passengers, was acquired. Painted in royal claret, it was designated 'State I' and served as the first in a succession of State Royal Review Vehicles. It was used extensively during the six-month Coronation Tour of the Commonwealth, undertaken by Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh that same year. A Series II Land Rover, built to a similar specification, was then acquired in 1958 (and designated 'State II' Royal Review Vehicle). When not required for use these vehicles were kept at Rover's Solihull plant, along with another Series I (built for the Commonwealth Tour, but painted blue) which had the designation 'State III'. In 1974 a bespoke Range Rover took over as 'State I', and the 1953 Land Rover was redesignated as 'State IV'. Like all state vehicles for the use of the monarch, the State Royal Review Vehicles were not required to be registered and so do not have number plates. and registered (as NGN 1 and NGN 2). Later, the Crown Equerry mooted that these might be very suitable, 'especially if painted in the Royal colours', to be used as 'second cars' on official occasions, 'to carry those in waiting on Her Majesty' (a task usually undertaken at that time by a second State car). Replacement pairs of Princess limousines were subsequently acquired, in 1958 and 1964; or as 'secondary vehicles', when they would convey accompanying members of the Royal Household following behind a State Car. a second DS420 was purchased in 1987, whereupon the two Princess limousines were retired. The following year a third Daimler DS420 was added to the fleet; this car remained in royal use into the 21st century, along with two more DS420s dating from 1992 (and initially registered NGN1 and NGN2), which were among the last of these limousines to be manufactured. During the 1980s and 90s these Daimler limousines were regularly used by younger members of the Royal Family for their public engagements. ==State and royal cars in the 21st century==

In 1998, Rolls-Royce Motors was sold by its then owner Vickers plc to the Volkswagen Group; however, it transpired that the sale did not include rights to the Rolls-Royce name and logo (which were owned by the aerospace company Rolls-Royce plc, and could only be used under licence). Rights to the name and logo were subsequently acquired by BMW (who set up their own entirely separate company to manufacture cars under the Rolls-Royce brand); while Volkswagen (having renamed its subsidiary Bentley) went on to use the acquired expertise of the Rolls-Royce factory at Crewe to build cars of the Bentley marque. The Bentley era in 2002. In 2002, the Queen acquired a new pair of state cars: two armoured Bentley State Limousines. The first was presented to her by 'a consortium of British based automotive manufacturing and service companies' as a gift to mark her Golden Jubilee that year, and became her new Number 1 State Car; the second was purchased at the same time, to serve as her Number 2 car. These custom-built vehicles were based on the Bentley Arnage floorplan, with a twin-turbocharged 6.75 litre V8 engine producing and of torque, giving a maximum speed of . The state limousines are longer than a standard Bentley Arnage, taller and wider. They are equipped with broad rear-hinged doors that open almost 90 degrees; they also have opaque rear window panels that can be installed for increased privacy when required, or else removed to allow improved visibility when the occupant is attending a public event. Charles III , during a State Visit to Germany in 2023. As of 2025, the two 2002 Bentleys continue to serve as state cars, along with three Rolls-Royce Phantom limousines: the Rolls-Royce Phantom IV which was purchased by Princess Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh in 1950 (becoming a state car upon her accession to the throne two years later), the 1978 Rolls-Royce Phantom VI (the 'Silver Jubilee car') and the 1987 Rolls-Royce Phantom VI. The day after his accession, King Charles III and Queen Camilla arrived at Buckingham Palace in the 1978 Rolls-Royce Phantom VI state limousine; in the days that followed, they used the 1950 Rolls-Royce Phantom IV state limousine in London and the 1978 Phantom VI in Edinburgh and Cardiff (each sporting the mascots previously used by his mother, along with the sovereign's shield and standard). On the day of his mother's funeral all five state cars were used, as well as the new state hearse (which conveyed the coffin from Wellington Arch to Windsor Castle). As Prince of Wales, Charles often used a claret and black 1962 Rolls-Royce Phantom V Landaulette (registration plate NLT 1) on formal occasions, which he had inherited from his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother; (he later had it converted with a fixed roof in place of the former open top). The car was often paired with the late Queen Mother's Britannia mascot (which had formerly adorned the state cars of both King George VI and George V). Other official vehicles The State Review Vehicle is a bespoke 2015 Range Rover Hybrid used for parades and other official rides. This was the last in a series of Royal Review Vehicles built during the reign of Elizabeth II by Land Rover; it replaced a 2002 model, (though both vehicles were used together as part of the Queen's 90th birthday celebrations in 2016). The official fleet was augmented in 2012 by two stretched Jaguar XJ formal limousines (with number plates NGN 1 and NGN 2), acquired in 2012 and used as support vehicles; they are painted in claret and black and have fittings for a mascot, roof flag and shield. The three Daimler DS420 limousines (acquired in 1988 and 1992) also continued to be used on formal occasions; all three were used to convey the bridesmaids and pages at Royal Wedding in 2018. travelling in a 2022 Range Rover (MYT 2), behind the King in his 2002 State Bentley (Edinburgh 2023). In 2022, three new Range Rovers were added to the official fleet with number plates MYT 1, MYT 2, and MYT 3. Like the other official cars, they are painted in claret and black and decorated with the royal crest, with fittings for a flag and illuminated crest on the roof, plus a bonnet mascot. As of 2025, a number of vehicles for Royal Household use are provided by Mercedes-Benz UK Ltd. ==Retired state vehicles on public display==

The Royal Car Collection at Sandringham A few ex-royal cars were retained by Daimler, rather than being sold on. After the Second World War the company had thoughts of setting up a museum and King George VI loaned another car with this purpose in mind (his father's 1914 Brougham, which was residing in a garage at York Cottage, Sandringham). The museum did not come to fruition, and in 1965 Daimler offered to return the car and to present three more to the King (including Edward VII's 1900 mail phaeton); these went on to form the basis of a motor museum, initially based at Buckingham Palace and then at Sandringham House. Other museums In the early 20th century, it became established practice for old royal cars to be taken in part-exchange, either by the manufacturer or by Stratton-Instone, when a new car was delivered. Before these were sold on, they were routinely re-registered, repainted and had their royal insignia removed. for a time they were kept on public display (the Phantom IV at the Sir Henry Royce Memorial Foundation, Paulerspury, the Phantom V in the garage of HM Yacht Britannia), but both cars were auctioned off by the company in 2018. The Historic Vehicle Collection of the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust includes three former State Royal Review Vehicles: the 1953 and 1958 Land Rovers and the 1974 Range Rover; the collection also includes (or has on loan) a number of other cars currently or previously owned by the Queen or members of the Royal Family. The Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust collection includes several vehicles which were formerly owned by Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother (she had requested that her last Daimler limousine should be returned to the company after her death, along with her Jaguar XJ12). Cars from the collection are regularly displayed at Gaydon and at the Coventry Transport Museum. == Personal vehicles of the King and senior members of the Royal Family ==

Present Prior to his accession, the King made use of 'a Jaguar XJ and a range of new low and zero emissions vehicles'. He owns an Aston Martin DB6 Volante, converted to run on E85 fuel partially made from wine wastage and a by-product of cheese-making. For some engagements a Bentley (owned by the Metropolitan Police) is employed for security reasons. The Queen still uses an Audi A8L vehicle, as she did before her husband's accession, for her solo official engagements outside of London Past Charles III The current king's first car was an MGC GT, which he drove from January 1968; this was followed by a 1970 Aston Martin DB6 Mk II Volante, given to him by his mother as a 21st birthday present. He later drove a V8 Vantage Volante from 1987 to 1995 (a gift from the Emir of Bahrain), and then leased a Virage Volante until 2007. Elizabeth II saloon, on loan to the British Motor Museum, Gaydon. In 1944, King George VI bought his daughter Princess Elizabeth a Daimler DB 18 saloon for her 18th birthday; she learned to drive in this car, which had the number plate JGY 280. since 1961, the Queen had owned a series of Vauxhall estate cars (as of 2016 Vauxhall was one of four carmakers, along with Bentley, Jaguar Land Rover and Volkswagen, to hold the Queen's Royal Warrant for supplying motor vehicles). During the 1960s and early 1970s, the Queen owned a series of Rover 3 Litre and 3.5 Litre saloons. and a Jaguar X-Type estate in November, 2021. Latterly, she was often driven to engagements in a hybrid-electric Range Rover, and used a similar vehicle (in place of the usual state coach) to travel to and from the Palace of Westminster for the State Opening of Parliament in 2021 (which took place with reduced ceremonials due to COVID-19). Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh At the time of his marriage, the Duke of Edinburgh owned an MG TC Midget. (while official royal vehicles are painted 'claret and black', the personal vehicles of the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh have almost always been 'Edinburgh green', the family livery colour which they adopted at the time of their marriage in 1948). He later took the car with him on board Britannia for his 1956-57 royal tour of the Commonwealth. In 1961 he replaced this car with an Alvis TD 21 Drop Head Coupé, which is today preserved in the motor museum at Sandringham; the Duke likewise transferred the registration number from the old car to the new (and would use the same number plate on several subsequent cars). In the mid-1970s he began to use a Range Rover as his principal private car. For journeys in Central London he acquired a Bedford CF Lucas electric vehicle in 1980, itself replaced in 1999 by an LPG-fuelled model (which, like its predecessor, was registered OXR 3); this was in regular use until 2017, whereupon it was donated to the Sandringham motor museum. Latterly, the Duke of Edinburgh was known to drive a Land Rover Freelander (OXR 1) and a Land Rover Discovery (OXR 2), both in the characteristic Edinburgh green colour scheme. Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother Following her daughter's accession, the Queen Mother inherited her late husband's personal car (a 1950 Daimler 2½ Litre Sports Coupé). In 1955 she bought a Hooper-bodied Daimler DK400 limousine (registered NLT 1) which she retained until 1974. Designed for her personal use, it was finished in non-royal colours and had no provision for a shield, flag or blue lamp; on its radiator grille it usually carried one of the lion mascots previously used on her husband's Lanchester cars. when it was replaced with a Vanden Plas-styled long-wheelbase XJ12 model (again registered NLT 7), which she kept until she died. Princess Margaret One of Princess Margaret's favourite cars was a 1980 Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith II, which she owned for 22 years until her death. It replaced a 1975 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow built much to the same specifications. Both were finished in Cardinal Red with a black Everflex covered roof, complete with standard pennant and Royal Crest mountings. Unique to these cars was a matte rosewood dash and door cappings in black nuala leather, specifically requested by her then husband, the photographer Antony Armstrong-Jones, to reduce the reflection of flashes by paparazzi and portray its very public occupants in a poor light. The rear bench seat was also raised a couple centimeters to allow its occupants to be better seen by the public. Both the Wraith and the Shadow carried the registration number '3 GXM'. Previously, Margaret owned one of the 18 Rolls-Royce Phantom IVs built, chassis 4BP7, delivered in 1954 and fitted out by H.J. Mulliner. It had a slightly higher and more elongated wing line than her sister's Phantom, and featured an automatic transmission, rare for the era on what was normally a chauffeur driven car, but specially ordered with an adjustable driver's seat so Margaret could drive herself if warranted. Like her sister, she swapped out the traditional "Spirit of Ecstasy" with another custom Edward Seago design, hers a winged Pegasus rather than the Queen's "St George Slaying the Dragon". In 1967, the Phantom IV was part-exchanged (and sold after to a Private owner) for a new Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow Long Wheel Base (built on the experimental chassis LRH 2542). This car was finished in Velvet green and carried specific interior accoutrements including AC and Stereo ordered by the Princess along with the Special Blue light on the roof. The new car was taken to Princesse's liking so much so that 4 more cars were ordered consecutively, replacing one another. The replacement to the first Silver Shadow followed in December 1971, when the new car Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow LWB finished in Regal Red with a black vinyl roof was completed and delivered to the Princess Margaret's Private Secretary. This car (Chasis LRH 10823) had similar fittings to its predecessor and no division between driver and passengers. This was the first car registered with number plate '3 GXM' that was carried over to the subsequent Rolls-Royce vehicles owned by the Princess. In total, Margaret owned 6 cars from Rolls-Royce during her lifetime, including a Silver Cloud II and 2 more Silver Shadows. After her separation from Charles, Diana tried out a Jaguar XJS and a Mercedes SL before borrowing a friend's Audi Cabriolet, which soon became the model she was most identified with. Her green 1994 Cabriolet was referred to as “possibly the most photographed car of the summer of 1994”; she and the car were frequent photographed all over London, often with the young princes in tow. She is said to have inspired many of the 'Sloane Ranger set' to emulate her choice in cars. ==See also==