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The new state coach for the Royal Family, which was
completed in 2010 by coachbuilder W.J. Frecklington, was
originally a birthday present for The Queen’s 80th birthday.
However, various delays have meant it has not yet been used.
Frecklington decided to create a coach which emulates British
history and The Royal Family by using a variety of different images
and materials relating to British icons, landmarks, artifacts and
military ships. The coach encapsulates an array of British events,
military victories, famous faces, and objects, with some of the
materials relating to more than 30 monarchs of England, Scotland
and Ireland.
Timber segments were used from numerous cathedrals, palaces and
castles from across Britain to manufacture the coach. These include
sections from St Paul’s Cathedral, Westminster Abbey, Edinburgh
Castle, Hampton Court and Canterbury Cathedral. Parts from Henry
VIII’s the Mary Rose and the Elizabethan ship,
the Mayflower, were also used, alongside timber
from Lord Nelson’s HMS Victory so to create
the crown which sits on top of the roof of the coach.
Materials were also donated by the Scottish Government, who
contributed with material from the Stone of Scone, whereas the
Canadian Government gave a segment from the 1845 Franklin
expedition. Elements from the first counterweight from Big Ben, a
Dambusters Lancaster, a Battle of Britain Spitfire and parts from a
musketball from the Battle of Waterloo were also included.
A number of British icons also appear on the coach, including
components relating to William Shakespeare, Charles Darwin, Sir
Issac Newton and Edward Jenner, just to name a few. Digitised
copies of the Domesday Book and the Magna Carta have also been
incorporated.
The two handles on the doors of the coach have been individually
adorned with 130 sapphires and 24 diamonds, while the handmade
lamps were made from Edinburgh Crystal which appear on all four
corners of the coach.
The coach was built by the same company that made the Australia
State Coach, commonly used by The Queen at the State Opening of
Parliament. Just like its Australian counterpart, the State Coach
Britannia has electric windows, heating and hydraulic
stabilisers.
Photo credit: Grahamedown]]>
Clearly austerity is a myth.