The Royal Mews, Buckingham Palace (Coaches, etc)

Sauzav · #1 09-29-2007, 07:19 PM

I just found some pics of the new Australian coach to be presented to Her Majesty sometime in the coming months.
It will be a belated 80th birthday gift...

The State Coach Britannia

THE STATE COACH BRITANNIA

Madame Royale · #2 09-29-2007, 08:52 PM

The coach is exquisite. Sure to be one of, if not the finest in the fleet!

A belated birthday gidt from Australia? And a most impressive birthday gift at that.

wbenson · #3 09-29-2007, 11:37 PM

I hope it will be ready in time for HM to take to Parliament in November.

joye · #4 11-14-2007, 10:28 PM

In the Royal mews are housed the royal coaches.
We all know The State Gold Coach, used only 3 time in QEII's reign.
The Irish State Coach, used for State Opening of Parliament.
Q. Alexandra's coach, used to carry "The Crown" to Opening of Parliament.
The Scottish State Coach.
The Australian State Coach, 1988 gift.
The new Brittannia Coach, still under construction.
The Glass coach takes royal brides to their weddings.
The State Landau brings back the royal wedding couple to Buck. Palace.
The Ivory Phaeton is used for the Birthday Parade.
The Ambassadors coach aka The Semi State Coach?? brings ambassadors to present their credentials.
The Royal Messenger Coach delivers between Buck/Pal and Clarence House and has a single horse.

These are the coaches/landaus I have been able to discover.
Are there other? What are they called?
What do they look Like? photos.

What do others know about this seldom spoken of topic?

RoyalProtocol · #5 11-15-2007, 09:09 AM

A link to the Royal website page on carriages, I have a book at home and will post some details later:

The Monarchy Today > Ceremony and symbol > Transport > Carriages

blondie28 · #6 11-15-2007, 09:27 AM

I think they'll user the Brittania for future royal weddings, maybe.

Mark O · #7 07-20-2008, 01:32 PM

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j1...und/B27278.jpg

Hello everyone!.......would anyone know on which one of the Queen's Estates she used to drive a Vauxhall Cresta on (the same model as in the pic, but painted Black, or possibly Claret)

I assume it's no longer used, but it is not housed in the Sandringham motor museum, I would have thought it unlikely it would have been scrapped.......any ideas?

No1_Saint · #8 01-05-2009, 01:51 AM

Has this been delivered yet?

Mermaid1962 · #9 01-28-2009, 10:54 PM

If Buckingham Palace was open to the public during the non-summer months, wouldn't this mean that there'd have to be more money put into heating it and electricity for lighting? Or are the public rooms heated whether or not the Queen is there?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elise27

Anyway back on the subject of the queen and DOE I do believe that the queen should open BP more often to the public during the year, when she is not there like in december and january and perhaps even some weekends when she is away at windsor. Its a demand that is to be expected if she is asking for all this money to fix the palace, besides its a good way for her to raise money. Then again maybe the queen has good reasons for not wanting to open the place that is her home for most days of the year more often.

muriel · #10 01-29-2009, 05:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mermaid1962

If Buckingham Palace was open to the public during the non-summer months, wouldn't this mean that there'd have to be more money put into heating it and electricity for lighting? Or are the public rooms heated whether or not the Queen is there?

I suspect the public rooms are cleaned and heated / air conditioned all year, irrespective of whether the Queen is there or not. Lets not forget, BP houses a vast number of offices, which are open all year.

MARG · #11 01-29-2009, 05:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by muriel

I suspect the public rooms are cleaned and heated / air conditioned all year, irrespective of whether the Queen is there or not. Lets not forget, BP houses a vast number of offices, which are open all year.

Let's also not forget the priceless works of art, furniture, tapestries, rugs, silk wall coverings, etc. They would all need to be maintained or "the moth and dust doth corrupt" and then no one would pay to visit a decaying ancestral pile!

It wouldn't be any picnic for office workers, their computers or the state-of-the-art security system either.

GillW · #12 01-29-2009, 05:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by muriel

I suspect the public rooms are cleaned and heated / air conditioned all year, irrespective of whether the Queen is there or not. Lets not forget, BP houses a vast number of offices, which are open all year.

Just because various rooms are not open to the public at that period does not mean they are not in use. There are investitures and many other events several times a week. The building is not closed down just because the public are not queuing to enter - it's closed to the public BECAUSE it is a working building and in use all year round. It has opened in recent years for the months when HM moves to Scotland for the summer.

GillW · #13 01-29-2009, 06:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elise27

......

Anyway back on the subject of the queen and DOE I do believe that the queen should open BP more often to the public during the year, when she is not there like in december and january and perhaps even some weekends when she is away at windsor. Its a demand that is to be expected if she is asking for all this money to fix the palace, besides its a good way for her to raise money. Then again maybe the queen has good reasons for not wanting to open the place that is her home for most days of the year more often.

It would hugely expensive (probably self-defeatingly so) to open the Palace for a couple of days at a weekend. They don't just open the doors & let people in....There is a massive amount of work, as the "normal" carpets throughout, for instance are all meticulously covered over with durable protective replacements (still luxurious - you'd never spot it if you didn't know) furniture is re-arranged to allow the crowds access, and I'm sure there is much more that is not obvious to the eye.

You can't just hang a sign, take the money & carry on as normal...the logistics are huge in transforming the normal working palace into it's showpiece version. Plus, of course, the summer opening is always accompanied by a special exhibition of some kind, which would then occupy rooms in normal use, such as those where receptions and investitures are held - and it's those changes of exhibition which attract the repeat visits from we Brits & others with regular opportunities to visit....and take months of planning.....

Menarue · #14 02-03-2009, 06:08 AM

I have just read that in these times of recession the Government of Australia has given the Queen a new golden coach, I really can´t help but think she has far more coaches than she can use in the Royal Mews.
IMHO what a ridiculous present!

Gold inlaid carriage which may carry Prince William to wedding completed for the Queen - Telegraph

RoyalProtocol · #15 02-03-2009, 07:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Menarue

I have just read that in these times of recession the Government of Australia has given the Queen a new golden coach, I really can´t help but think she has far more coaches than she can use in the Royal Mews.
IMHO what a ridiculous present!

Gold inlaid carriage which may carry Prince William to wedding completed for the Queen - Telegraph

Regardless of The Global Economic Downturn it is a lovely carriage, though it does somewhat resemble the Australian state coach.

MARG · #16 02-03-2009, 07:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Menarue

I have just read that in these times of recession the Government of Australia has given the Queen a new golden coach . . . Gold inlaid carriage which may carry Prince William to wedding completed for the Queen - Telegraph

As the article states, it has taken more than 2 years to build and, I should imagine it took quite some time planning before that.

This time last year no-one was even thinking about a recession, let alone a global meltdown.

What were they supposed to do? Spend the money, have it built and then store it in a garage until the economy is on the upswing again? The news of it's existence has been in the public domain for quite a while, if I am not mistaken.

Skydragon · #17 02-03-2009, 08:08 AM

Fantastic coach AND it has independent hydraulic suspension units, no getting seasick in this one!

Thank you Australia.

angieuk · #18 02-03-2009, 08:25 AM

http://theinternetforum.net/royalforum/index.php/topic,39490.new.html#new

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/theroyalfamily/4435913/Gold-inlaid-carriage-which-may-carry-Prince-William-to-wedding-completed-for-the-Queen.html

Menarue · #19 02-03-2009, 08:57 AM

Perhaps it would have been better to just buy them a gold bicycle, no seasickness there and although it would be a ridiculous cost to make it would be much much cheaper than another gold coach.....if they were thinking of weddings it could be made for two, that was definitely good enough for Daisy.

Warren · #20 02-03-2009, 09:24 AM

The actual cost of the new carriage is unknown. It has largely been financed by its builder, Jim Frecklington of Sydney, assisted by corporate, public and visitor donations.
What is known is that the Australian Government allocated A$250,000 in May 2007 with the promise of a further A$100,000 to help with freighting the carriage (which weighs just under three tons) to London. The carriage has taken over four years to build.

The Telegraph estimate of £620,000 is equivalent to A$1.4m, US$883,000, Euro€686,000.

Mt Frecklington also built the other modern royal carriage, the Australian State Coach, in the mid 1980s. I saw this coach up close when it was on display before being shipped to London and apart from the craftmanship and exquisite detail, the overriding impression was the sheer size. These things are huge.