The Gold State Coach used by the British Royal Family stored in The Royal Mews


The Gold State Coach is an enclosed, eight-horse-drawn carriage used by the British royal family. Commissioned in 1760 by Francis Rawdon-Hastings, 1st Marquess of Hastings for King George III, and designed by Sir William Chambers, it was built in the London workshops of Samuel Butler. It was commissioned for £7,562 (£ million = US$ million in 2022, adjusted for inflation). It was built for George III's coronation in 1761, but was not ready in time; it was completed in 1762. This coach has been used at the coronation of every British monarch since William IV. The coach's great age, weight, and lack of manoeuvrability have limited its use to grand state occasions such as coronations and the jubilees of a monarch. Until the Second World War, the coach was the monarch's usual transport to and from Parliament at the State Opening. Over 260 years old, it is made of wood covered in gold leaf. The interior is lined with velvet and silk. It is 29 feet long, almost 12 foot tall, and weighs 4 tons.


Size: 6064px × 4040px
Location: The Royal Mews, Buckingham Palace Rd, London, SW1W 0QH, England, UK
Photo credit: © John Bingham / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: No

Keywords: 1762, buckingham, carriage, coach, gold, gold-leaf, horse-drawn, joseph, london, mews, monarchy, palace, royal, royalty, sculpture, sir, state, uk, wilton