Royal Transport: Land, Sea and Air


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I just was wondring when the royals are on the road in traffic do they have all the streets blocks and stop for them? just wondering today i was stuck more than 2 hours because the president was passing through, i could not belive the police and security operation they closed all the freeways, streets, it was crazy, if you were on the west side of the freeway you couldn't go to the east side and viceverse, a police told me exit in the next street and wait there around 45 minutes to an hour until they open the streets again, it was a really nightmare all the cars, trafic,etc..... and very anoying.... it was a rush hour completely anoying:bang:
So I was thinking do the royals in Europe do the same? have the city stop for them everytime they step outside their castle?

Not in Scandinavia. Except on special and grand occasions in connection with their duties. - In those cases other prominent guests also get a police escort, which will ensure a clear passage.
And that is for security and practical reasons. - A car stopping at at a red light is vulnerable. But mainly it is to ensure a smooth running of an event. I.e. to ensure that guests and royals arrive on time and don't get stuck somewhere. (They will usually also get a police escort for the last couple of kilometres to an event, however. It would look a bit silly if the monarch's car is stopping for red light 100 meters away from the red carpet, with VIP's flowergirls, band and the whole show waiting.)
On a day to day basis, they get no priority.
 
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In one of the TV portraits of queen Margrethe for her 40th jubilee, she even mentioned a visit to Thailand (I believe it was) when all traffic was stopped to let the royal entourage get through.
She came across as not being completely comfortable with that - and said something like it was probably good that something like that did not happen back in her own country.
 
When there is a planned visit by royals to a specific area in the UK certain areas are shut off. Prince Charles visited Wakefield and Barnsley this week and a friend of mine complained when travelling to university via train that the services had been postponed due to a 'possible' visit from the Prince. There are obviously safety precautions that lead to the shutting of roads. But in my experience it only happens for huge events.
 
I understand it make sense that the shutt of several streets for a big event like a wedding or the 40 jjubilee of the queen, and i expect a lot of people would like to go and look theevent, everybody knows .... but for everyday it isrediculus, thepresident will behere for 3 days so in this 3 daysall thetraffic will be crazy, mind you i knew today becasue of the tv news at what time he was going to pass so i took different route to take my daughter to school but took 20 minutes extra than normal, still annoying...........
i am glad ti listen the comment of queen Margrethe, she seems asensitive womn with the foot on earth!
 
All the roadblocks and other shutdowns are for security reasons. It would be a nightmare if a royal was in a traffic jam because security would have to watching everyone around. With a traffic shutdown, they have more control over the situation.

Another thing that I think no one mentions is that if people knew that Queen Elizabeth or Princess Charles or Prince Williams was going to be on such and such road at a certain time, there would be people trying to position themselves on the road to get a look at them or try to take pictures of them. A security nightmare or massive traffic jam could result. This also could cause an accident (someone not paying attention to their driving.).
 
Are there any photos of Princess Mathilde driving herself? There are quite a few of Queen Paola driving over the years, most recently in a white Fiat 500. I'm sure Mathilde drives also.
 
Mathilde looks like a typical american suburban mom carpooling her kids to soccer practice, too funny!
 
Royal Travel: How many monarchs have an Air Force One/private plane?

I find it intriguing that the British Royal Family doesn't have the UK equivalent of the United States' Air Force One, a Boeing 747 used by the President. I see that the Royal Family flies commercially, but does Queen Elizabeth just fly commercially as well? Wouldn't the Royal Family travel with a large entourage of bodyguards and other assistants, making commercial air travel difficult to manage?

How do other European monarchs travel; do any of them have their own planes?
 
For long flights QEII generally charters a commercial airliner. Inside the UK there are private aircraft which can be used if necessary. When visiting Canada The Canadian government sends a private aircraft to transport her. Usually it is used by the PM and Governor General.
Albert of Monaco has his own private jet.
 
I find it intriguing that the British Royal Family doesn't have the UK equivalent of the United States' Air Force One, a Boeing 747 used by the President. I see that the Royal Family flies commercially, but does Queen Elizabeth just fly commercially as well? Wouldn't the Royal Family travel with a large entourage of bodyguards and other assistants, making commercial air travel difficult to manage?

How do other European monarchs travel; do any of them have their own planes?

The Danish royal family use commercial flights for longer distances, especially as their is often a pretty big entourage of diplomats, businessmen and journalists.
For shorter distances they (and government members as well) more often than not use a military jet. Challenger-604. http://forsvaret.dk/ftk/publishingimages/ftk/presse%20billeder/challenger.jpg - Gives the pilots some flight hours as well.
Inside the country they use military helicopters, usually EH101 http://forsvaret.dk/FTK/omflyvevåbnet/Factsheets/PublishingImages/EH101 Merlin.JPG and on at least one occasion the smaller but faster Fennec http://forsvaret.dk/FTK/omflyvevåbnet/Factsheets/PublishingImages/AS 550 Fennec.jpg

In Greenland and on the Faroe Islands, navy ships and planes provide practically all transport.
 
The Queen of Australia when travelling domestically within this realm will use one of two (as seen below) specialised RAAF (Royal Australian Air Force) Boeing 737 Business Jets.

800px-RAAF_BBJ_3.jpg


These planes are primarily used by the Governor-General and the Prime Minister, both for domestic and international travel; though they have also seen the likes of a few visiting dignitaries on occasion.
 
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For a royal wedding in England, who is responsible for figuring out which car or carriage will be used by various members of the British Royal Family? :coach:

Iluvbertie, Thank you for the details about the duties of the Earl Marshal.
I did not know the position of the Earl Marshal is hereditary.

In H.R.H. The Man Who Will Be King, Tim Heald and Mayo Mohs wrote:

Charles (The Prince of Wales) kept a blue MGB sportscar the entire time he was at the university, but he was extremely discreet about using it in his first year.
 
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The Earl Marshal has the role of organising all ceremonials. It is an hereditary position held for centuries by the Dukes of Norfolk. He works in conjunction with the Lord Chamberlain I think. The Earl Marshal includes amongst his duties a regular updating of funeral preparations for people like The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh - which is why every so often we get some 'leaked' information on issues like this - maybe accurate or maybe not but the plans are made and the Earl Marshal has them.
 
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I have a couple of questions about Swedish royal cars. Does anyone recall an extended Volvo in the 80's? Is the current Daimler DS420 indeed black, right hand drive or left and does it carry numbers plates? Thanks, I'm a royal transport buff and modeller
 
The fact that it had already been sold, before this sale, says that the BRF realised they didn't need it.

They only have a few processions per year and most of the time only need one or two carriages in those processions.

They simply don't need that many any more.
 
There's a nice list on Wikipedia under the title "Official State Cars"
 
Price Charles appears to acquired a Jaguar I Pace electric car. He used it for 2 engagements earlier this week.
 
I note from press comment and photographs that Harry drove Meghan to Windsor Castle in his Audi etron Electric SUV today. I applaud Harry's use of an electric car, but only wish he would patronise Jaguar Land Rover their excellent Jaguar I-Pace instead.

A little support for British business would go a long way at this time.
 
I mean I agree in principal but JLR is owned by an Indian company and the I Pace is assembled in Austria.
 
I mean I agree in principal but JLR is owned by an Indian company and the I Pace is assembled in Austria.

Its a British brand, and the I-Pace is very key to the longer term survival of the Jaguar brand. It is good to see that Catherine seems to have acquired one as well, perhaps as a replacement to the Jaguar XJ she previously used for public engagements.
 
Its a British brand, and the I-Pace is very key to the longer term survival of the Jaguar brand. It is good to see that Catherine seems to have acquired one as well, perhaps as a replacement to the Jaguar XJ she previously used for public engagements.



I’m well aware it’s a british brand, that’s why I said I agree in principal.
 
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