The royal family and their classic cars
23rd March, 2021
It’s no secret that the world is obsessed with the British royal family. We can’t get enough of talking about what they do, what they wear and where they go. But for classic car enthusiasts, it’s the royal family’s car collection that sparks the most interest.
The royals are renowned for their love of cars and have driven a whole host of beautiful vehicles over the years. Thanks to the Netflix series, The Crown, we’ve been reminded of this fleet of majestic motors.
It was during the Second World War when the Queen first learned to drive. Aged 18 years, the then-Princess Elizabeth trained as a driver and mechanic for the Women’s Auxiliary Territorial Service and soon earned a reputation of not being afraid to get her hands dirty.
Not that she needed to take a driving test to get behind the wheel. The Queen doesn’t need a driving licence in order to drive on the public highway. A fact that seems more absurd given that driving licences are issued in her name.
But we’re getting side-tracked; back to the classic cars. The Queen has been spotted behind the wheel of all sorts of vehicles – from her beloved Land Rover Defenders to a Jaguar Daimler V8 Super LWB. According to online car dealer Car Keys, her collection of cars is reported to be worth £10 million.
Every member of the royal family seems more attached to some motors than others. Here’s a rundown of some of the most iconic and magnificent cars driven by the monarch and her family that will be classics forever more. Remember, if you fancy yourself in one of these royal motors, Lancaster can find you the classic car insurance to match.
The Queen
Bentley State Limousine
The state fleet consists of three Rolls-Royces, three Daimlers, and two Bentleys, which are kept in the Royal Mews at Buckingham Palace. One of those Bentleys came in the form of a gift to mark the 50th anniversary of her accession to the throne in 2002. This State Limousine is based on the Arnage but has been customised with a Queen in mind. It comes with an extended wheelbase for more legroom and a wider body to ensure complete comfort for its passengers. Bentley even went as far as to position the rear seat based on a person the same height as the Queen.
The Bentley has plenty of windows, enabling onlookers to get the best view of the monarch, but it also puts safety first. The vehicle is armoured, blast-resistant, and has reinforced tyres. Plus, with a powerful 400bhp 6.75-litre V8 engine, it can reach a top speed of 130mph. When the Queen is in the car, the ‘Flying B’ is replaced with a silver model of St George slaying the dragon.
Jaguar Daimler V8 Super LWB
When the Queen is seen in the Bentley, she is usually being chauffeured. But there are some cars she much prefers driving herself. One of those is the Jaguar Daimler V8 Super LWB that she used as her personal car for about three years.
As you would expect of a royal motor, the car was different to other Daimler V8 Supers that rolled off the production line. The queen requested customisations including a slide-out section in the centre armrest to keep her handbag, and modified air vents so air didn’t blast directly into her face. It also features an array of tech, including blue flashing strobe lights for use during a motorcade and a radio in the boot used to directly contact the Home Office and Downing Street.
When the royal Racing Green Daimler went to auction in 2013, it had just over 15,000 miles on the clock (thanks to the one careful lady owner). According to Historics Auctioneers, it sold for £45,360 – not a bad price considering its previous owner.
Vauxhall Cresta PA Friary Estate
The Vauxhall Cresta was produced between 1954 and 1972. Drawing inspiration from American cars with its wrap-around windows and tailfins, the Queen made sure her Cresta PA was perfectly suited to a royal life outdoors. Her 1961 model included fishing rod holders built into the roof, a gun rack, and a dog guard to keep the corgis confined to the boot area. It also had custom Imperial Green paintwork.
It is thought that the Vauxhall Cresta was the Queen’s favourite car for many years at Sandringham. Today, the car is part of the Royal Car Collection at the Sandringham Exhibition and Transport Museum. The Estate version of these cars is particularly rare, with fewer than 40 believed to be in existence.
Land Rover Defender
The Queen likes her cars, and another firm favourite is the Land Rover Defender. She has owned more Defenders than any other car – an unofficial count puts the figure at around 30.
In 2002, Land Rover built her a custom Defender, which it sold to Sandringham. The monarchy usually only leases its cars, before giving them back after a couple of years, so this one had to stand out from the crowd. It was upholstered with custom green leather and came with heated seats, electric windows, and raised suspension to make off-road driving a little easier.
When this 2002 edition of the Defender, with its 4.2-litre V8 engine came up for auction in 2014, it sold for £30,240. Specialist auctioneers Brooklands said the car was most likely used for hunting parties as they found shotgun cartridges in the glovebox.
Prince Charles
Aston Martin Volante DB6
What else would a car-loving mother give her son for his birthday other than an Aston Martin Volante DB6? That’s certainly the case when your heir to the throne and your mum is the reigning monarch. The Queen bought Prince Charles this peach of a classic car as a 21st birthday present and he’s driven it ever since.
Charles clearly adores his DB6. This is the one car he’s held onto for all these years. He keeps the car at Highgrove and puts about 300 miles on the clock every year. In 2011, he lent it to Prince William when he married Kate to drive his new wife away from Buckingham Palace. Prince Charles later revealed that with the excitement of the wedding, his son had forgotten to take the handbrake off. There are some times in life when it’s good to have comprehensive classic car insurance, and Prince Charles doesn’t appear to have lent his DB6 to William since!
In 2008, the famously eco-conscious prince had the Aston Martin converted to run on bioethanol fuel made from cheese and wine. Just to be clear, we’re talking about whey, a cheese by-product and excess produce from winemaking that’s not allowed to be sold on the market but can be sold as environmental fuel.
The car is said to have a red eject button on its dashboard – an addition made by the Prince to keep his passengers on their best behaviour at all times.
Princess Anne
Reliant Scimitar
No prizes for guessing the world’s most famous Scimitar enthusiast. The Princess Royal received her first Scimitar in 1970 for her 20th birthday, a gift from her parents in Air Force Blue. She has subsequently owned a total of eight over the years. Even today, Princess Anne can be seen driving around in a gorgeous Middlebridge Scim. These cars have become so synonymous with Princess Anne that most people can’t look at one without making some reference to the royal.
The Reliant brand is perhaps best-known for its three-wheelers, but that didn’t stop it from also making faster, more sporty models as well. The Scimitar could do 0-60mph in 8.5 seconds and reach speeds of up to 120 mph.
Talking of speed, Princess Anne has reportedly been caught for speeding more times than she (or anyone else) would care to mention. In 1972, legend has it that she was pulled over twice in the same place, by the same police officer for speeding.
Today, prices are increasing for these quirky classics. Make sure you get yours valued by classic car insurance specialists. Lancaster can offer agreed valuations for just £18.
Princess Diana
Ford Escort RS Turbo
Back in the 1980s, Princess Diana drove a Series 1 RS Turbo. Perhaps not the typical classic car associated with the royals, but this modern classic drew plenty of attention nonetheless. And not just because it had Princess Di behind the wheel. Ford only sold the RS Turbo in Diamond White, but this car was black.
Painted black specifically for Diana, this was the only example of a non-white officially built Ford Escort RS Turbo (it had a black paint code on the panel plate and the paperwork).
The customised Escort caused a big stir, but not quite as much as the Mercedes-Benz 500 SL she leased in 1991. A car that isn’t British, your Royal Highness? Pressure from the government and trade unions meant she ended up giving the car back the following year.
Jaguar XJ-SC (1987)
Before she married into royalty, Lady Spencer was perfectly happy to drive around in a Renault 5 and an Austin Mini Metro. She probably would have been content to continue driving either car, but we suspect royal protocol decrees only certain cars are fit for a princess. One of the cars she owned as the Princess of Wales was the V12-powered Jaguar XJ-SC – which she drove between 1987 and 1991.
The XJ-SC was designed as a two-seater, but Diana had hers modified to include rear seats so that there was room in the back for her two young sons. She also had it permanently fitted with a rear hard-top so that William and Harry wouldn’t hit their heads on the targa roof bar by accident.
Duke of Edinburgh
Alvis TD21 Series II Drophead Coupe
When looking for a British car ‘fit for a duke’, the Duke of Edinburgh chose an Alvis. He spotted the motor on a visit to the London Motor show and requested his model had a few modifications, including an upgraded five-speed ZF gearbox.
Powered by a 3.0L straight-six-cylinder OHV engine at 115bhp, the Duke’s 1961 Alvis TD21 DHC SII was quick. It could reach speeds of more than 100mph with ease but wasn’t an overly extravagant vehicle. At the time, Autocar described it as “one of the most enchanting cars imaginable.” Today, the Duke’s car remains on display at Sandringham.
Princess Margaret
Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith II LWB
In 1980, Princess Margaret became the proud owner of a Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith II. With its Cardinal Red paintwork, the car was hand-built to Margaret’s specifications. The interior fittings included changing the position of the upholstery piping so it wouldn’t cause discomfort if the princess wanted to recline her seat. The rear seat was also lowered for extra privacy.
Princess Margaret kept this car longer than she kept any of her other vehicles. The Queen, the Queen Mother, Princess Diana, and Ronald and Nancy Reagan all travelled in the Rolls-Royce over the years. On its last official journey, it was used to drive family members to her funeral at St George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle in 2002.
Classic car insurance: Fit for royalty
Buying a classic is so much more than simply an investment opportunity. Finding the perfect classic car creates huge excitement and can give you a sense of pure joy for many years to come. Your classic car may not be an Aston Martin, or a Jaguar and it might not have been driven by royalty, but it’s yours to cherish and protect.
Protecting your car means finding classic car insurance that is tailored to your vehicle. At Lancaster Insurance, we like to think our classic car insurance is fit for royalty. We have been arranging specialist classic car cover for more than 35 years, providing bespoke policies to protect you and your beloved motor.
Our classic car insurance comes with a range of benefits, including 25% off Car Club memberships, show and rally cover, 90 days EU cover, and access to a 24/7 claims helpline.
With our experience and knowledge of the industry, we can quote for virtually every classic car out there. Get in touch with the team or get an instant quote online today.
Share this story, choose your platform
