The coronation ceremony of King Charles III of the United Kingdom will feature the “Diamond Jubilee State Coach”, an aluminium vehicle. The Royal Family has announced that the royal couple will travel in the Diamond Jubilee State Coach from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey.
It was first used for the State Opening of Parliament in 2014 by Queen Elizabeth. It was first used for the State Opening of Parliament in 2014. The carriage is used quite frequently and was been restored by Jim WJ Frecklington.
Frecklington was a royal servant responsible to horses take care after each show. He built the vehicle in his workshop, close to Sydney's North Ocean coast. Originally planned as an 80th birthday gift to Queen Elizabeth II, the carriage construction was delayed for eight years. It ended up being gifted to her for her Diamond Jubilee, in 2012.
Full of symbolism, the carriage is a journey through history. On the roof is a gold-leaf covered oak crown carved from Lord Nelson’s ship, HMS Victory. The interior is made of inlaid pieces of wood and metal from buildings, including the Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, St Paul’s Cathedral, Edinburgh Castle, Balmoral Castle, Hampton Court Palace, and Windsor Castle name a few.
A piece of Florence Nightingale’s dress is part of the carriage as well as Henry VII’s ship, The Mary Rose, Sir Isaac Newton’s apple tree and Sir Edmund Hillary’s Everest ladders. The handrails are from the Royal Yacht Britannia. The government of Scotland donated bits from the Stone of Scone, while Canada contributed material from the 1845 Franklin expedition. There are items connected to 30 kings and queens of England, Ireland and Scotland, as well as notable events in British history.
The use of aluminium has significantly reduced the weight of the carriage to around 3 tonnes, with an estimated length of 5 metres. It takes six strong horses to pull it. Aluminium is present in the bodywork and wheels.
The carriage unites art and new technologies. Six hydraulic stabilisers ensure greater passenger comfort. It is also equipped with air conditioning and electric windows.
When King Charles returns to his homeland after the coronation ceremony, he will use another vehicle, the Gold State Coach, a carriage manufactured in 1762, which is part of royal history. The vehicle is a “witness” to all the coronations held in the palace since William IV.