Inside the Majesty of the Gold State Coach: How a 260-Year-Old Carriage, Built from the Relics of Britain’s Greatest Landmarks, Still Defines Royal Power Today
The Gold State Coach – a four-ton royal carriage with more than 260 years of history – is once again capturing public imagination at The Royal Mews. Last seen on 6 May 2023, it carried King Charles III and Queen Camilla from their coronation at Westminster Abbey back to Buckingham Palace. With this journey, His Majesty became the seventh sovereign to travel in the coach on coronation day, joining a lineage of monarchs who have marked history within its golden frame.
Designed by Sir William Chambers and adorned with panels painted by Florentine artist Giovanni Battista Cipriani, the coach is not only an artistic masterpiece but also a vessel of history. Its craftsmanship incorporates fragments from over 100 historic British sites: the seat handrails are from the Royal Yacht Britannia, the window frames and interior panels contain pieces from Caernarfon Castle, Canterbury Cathedral, The Mary Rose – Henry VIII’s flagship – as well as 10 Downing Street, and even the Antarctic bases of Captain Scott and Sir Ernest Shackleton.
Measuring 7.3 metres long, 2.5 metres high, and 3.9 metres wide, the coach is drawn by eight Windsor Grey horses, each pair guided by a postilion, while grooms walk alongside. At the rear, a brakeman ensures safety, applying the brake an astonishing 27 metres before stopping – a necessity given the immense weight of the coach. Even the mechanics of its angled wheels reflect engineering precision, built to bear the strain of royal grandeur.
More than just a mode of transport, the Gold State Coach stands as a living emblem of monarchy – uniting artistry, history, and symbolism. Every time it rolls through the streets of London, it evokes centuries of tradition, reminding the world that the legacy of the Crown is as enduring as the golden carriage itself.