With the Coronation of King Charles III now almost upon us, the world is preparing to officially welcome the arrival of a new King. The pomp and circumstance on the big day is sure to impress, with pageantry aplenty involving horses, carriages and – above all – cars. The occasion naturally presented Classic Car Buyer with an opportunity to delve into the various royal classics from today and years gone by; ranging from those cars used for formal state occasions to the more mundane transport employed by the royals, and their extended family, in everyday life. From bespoke Bentleys to stunning sports cars, hatchbacks to estates, the royal household has a rich history with classic and modern classic cars – as we will discover.
THE LATE QUEEN’S DAIMLERS
Prior to the coronation of Queen II, Daimler had held the royal warrant for motor vehicles, and it’s believed that the late Queen took delivery of her first Daimler saloon, a Series 3 Daimler Double Six, in October 1984. That car – B432 VYO – was intended for use by Her Majesty as her personal car; transport for local engagements and those where she didn’t wish to have a high profile. Replaced in 1991, it continued to serve as part of the royal fleet for several years until it was returned to Jaguar with 29,000 miles recorded. It was sold in 2009 by Bonhams for £12,363.
A second Daimler Double Six S3 – J52 PWK – was used by HRH between 1991 and 1995. It was purchased in 2008 by its current owner, with its history not known until a Heritage Certificate was applied for –a welcome surprise for its new owner! At the time it wore a different registration mark, but the DVLA was able to reunite the car with its original plate having sought permission from the palace itself. This car was driven by our very own Paul Wager in 2013 for sister title, Classic Car Mart.
A Daimler Six LWB followed – N52 VKV, finished in Edinburgh Green, this time not a Double Six, but a Daimler Six saloon based on the then-new LWB X300 bodyshell. Little seems to be known about this car; only a couple of photographs stand as evidence of what happened to it after its royal role. Records show it has not been scrapped, exported, or had a registration change, but the number plate is not recognised by the DVLA for tax or MoT purposes, either, and it shows as having zero previous owners. It is therefore a reasonable assumption to suggest that it remains with the Royal Family.
A Daimler V8, registration S916 OGW, came next, but, again, little is known about it. Sold by the Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust, there is speculation that the car might previously have worn the registration S34 MNV, as photographs exist of the former monarch with a Daimler of this registration. Once again, it was the entry-level engine specified with the long wheelbase shell. The car was sold by Bonhams as part of a large sale of Jaguar collection cars in 2009, when it was acquired by royal memorabilia collector and former racing driver, Peter Ratcliffe, for £13,225. In 2010, he sold the car to a Japanese collector, and its whereabouts have not been known since.
Peter Ratcliffe was also responsible for the sale of another of Her Majesty’s former Daimlers – a 2001 Super V8 – Y694 CDU – which was sold by Jaguar at the same Bonhams sale in 2009 for £14,375. Once again, the colour was a dark green, and several photographs exist of Queen Elizabeth II driving this car during her four years of ownership. Ratcliffe advertised the car for sale in 2013, and it was eventually auctioned by Historics. This car is known to have been fitted with personal extras on behalf of Her Majesty; ranging from padded inserts for the rear door pockets to
