Motoring with the Monarchy

It won’t surprise you to know that the UK has an entire fleet of royal cars, which are usually housed at the Royal Mews in Buckingham Palace unless stationed at other royal residences when required.

However, did you know that King Charles III owns a vintage Aston Martin which runs on cheese? Now you do!

Before we go into that, it’s important to understand that there are various categories which all vehicles encompassed by the Crown’s umbrella are separated into.

The most important of these is State Cars, which are used for public engagements and on ceremonial occasions by the monarch or visiting heads of state. There are currently five of these: two Bentleys and three Rolls-Royces. Almost as important are the Royal Review Vehicles, which are modified cars designed for use at official parades and ceremonies, currently consisting of two Range Rovers. The prestige of these cars are noticeable by two important distinctions.

Firstly, by their dual-toned exterior: the lower sections are painted in Royal Claret (a deep maroon), while the upper sections are painted Masons Black. Secondly, they don’t require registration plates, the only vehicles in the UK granted this exception alongside the State Hearse, first used last year for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

The third and final class is the Semi-State Cars, which do have plates and are used for less formal situations and general support. These currently consist of a pair of 2012 Jaguar XJ Limousines and three 1992 Daimler DS420 Limousines. Of course, there is a whole array of other vehicles, used for security convoys, logistics, transporting larger numbers and a plethora of other reasons, which are used as and when needed.

Of course, whilst these cars are used for public events and pageantry, it’s the royal family’s private collection which turns most heads. No nation with the UK’s historical background and global diplomatic reach could fail to have built up quite the showcase, especially considering its figureheads have long been petrolheads themselves!

Indeed, the first royal motorist was King Edward VII, who in June 1900 (whilst still Prince of Wales), took delivery of his first car, a 6bhp Daimler Mail Phaeton. The future king continued to be an enthusiastic promoter of ‘horseless carriages’, and following his accession to the throne in 1901 he awarded Daimler, Britain’s first automotive manufacturer, his royal warrant.

The Royal Mews, previously used explicitly for horses and carriages, was converted into a garage for the motor cars and Edward ordered another new Daimler: a 22bhp ‘touring carriage’ to be used for travelling in both in the UK and mainland Europe.

The first time a motor car was used by the King for an official engagement was on October 19, 1904, when he was driven to and from Woolwich Garrison in a 36bhp Daimler with a limousine body.

This passion continues until this day. Whilst it was no secret that Queen Elizabeth II’s greatest love was horses, she shared almost as much affection for electrical transport too. She was an enthusiastic motorist, particularly when ferrying visiting dignitaries across the moors of Balmoral in her Land Rover. She was an army ambulance driver in WWII and was also more than familiar with what goes on under the bonnet, having trained as a mechanic aged 18. Right up until her death and throughout her 70-year reign, the Queen was seen behind the wheel almost as much as she was in the back seat.

Shortly after her accession in 1952, the royal warrant was stripped from Daimler and given to Rolls-Royce. No one knows the exact reasons why, but the most likely reason is a Rolls-Royce factory visit undertaken by the Queen and Prince Philip, where the latter became particularly enamoured with a new experimental vehicle that was being created. It was duly delivered to the couple a year later and instantly became their preferred vehicle for royal obligations.

Despite the wealth of choice available to Her Majesty throughout her reign, it’s often said her favourite car was a 1961 Vauxhall Cresta PA Friary Estate. It had particular quirks to suit her outdoorsy lifestyle, with bespoke modifications including fishing rod holders built into the roof, a dog guard for her corgis and a gun rack, as well as custom Imperial Green paintwork. It remains in the royal garage at Sandringham today, the same estate where she could often be seen driving a young Prince Charles around.

This same Charles is the biggest petrolhead in the family… or should that be biofuelhead?

The climate-conscious king has retrofitted many of the Royal Family’s cars to run on environmentally-friendly fuels almost as a passion project.

With more than 100 cars said to be in his private collection, it’s impossible to list them all and indeed half of them undoubtedly remain top secret. However, he does have some absolute crackers tucked away.

Take for example his 1970 Aston Martin DB6 MkII Volante, given to him as a gift by his mother for his 21st birthday. In 2008, as much as he loved driving this vintage sports car, he wanted to do so guilt-free. Fortunately, he was approached by engineers at Aston Martin who claimed they could make it run on white wine and a cheese by-product called whey thrown into the mix, named E85. Despite concerns it would ruin the car, Charles discovered it ran better than ever and once exclaimed that his car “smells delicious as you’re driving along.”

That’s not the only epic snippet of trivia about this beautiful beast. HRH hired Thruxton circuit and the services of two-time Formula One world champion Graham Hill to help him get to grips with the 148mph machine and the monarch also stuck a fake red ‘eject’ button on the dashboard, a la James Bond, designed to make his passengers nervous. Another of King Charles’ favourites is a 1989 Aston Martin V8 Vantage Volante, actually given as a gift from Bahrain’s late Emir, Shaikh Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa, to which he added a manual gearbox and Balmoral Green paintwork, making it much the same as the one James Bond drove in 1987’s The Living Daylights.

Of course, you’re unlikely to see the King driving around London in these. In fact, these days he almost exclusively uses an all-electric Jaguar I-Pace bought in 2019, thanks to its emission-free running helping to reduce air pollution in the capital.

Electric vehicles will no doubt be the way forward for the green-thinking monarchy, especially with Charles at the helm, but let’s hope he brings out some of the rare vintage for truly special occasions.

In 1900, Rolls-Royce co-founder, Charles Rolls, prophesied an electric future for the motor car. His words were: “The electric car is perfectly noiseless and clean. There is no smell or vibration. They should become very useful when fixed charging stations can be arranged.” Now, more than 120 years later, the prophecy of its founding father has been fulfilled, spearheaded by Rolls-Royce CEO Torsten MüllerÖtvös’ promise to bring a fully-electric RollsRoyce to market within the current decade. Spectre is the most powerful Rolls-Royce ever. The next generation of the iconic brand sets a new precedent with the creation of an entirely original class of motor car, the Ultra-Luxury Electric Super Coupé. A spiritual successor to the Phantom Coupé, Spectre is an emblem of artisanship in perfect harmony with electric technology, its visionary design reinvents timeless iconography.

Taking design inspiration from many sources including contemporary luxury yacht concepts, as the streamlined Spirit of Ecstasy leads Spectre forward with command and poise, this electric masterpiece acknowledges its forebear with its generous proportions and split headlight treatment – a contemporary RollsRoyce design tenet. Spectre’s uncompromising character is articulated through lines of sculptural purity. The fender line evokes dynamism, while the waft line sharply tapers at the front creating the illusion of motion even when the car is still.

Stepping into Spectre also evokes feelings of wonder. Engulfed in supple and inviting leather, the interior draws inspiration from the timeless mystique of the night sky. With an intricate show of shooting stars, the Starlight Headliner is spellbinding whilst the Illuminated Fascia mesmerises with over 5,500 stars. Additionally, for the first time on a series production Rolls-Royce, Starlight Doors incorporating 4,796 softly illuminated ‘stars’ are available. Each ‘star’ is positioned by hand, creating a subtle sense of motion within Spectre’s cabin.

Furthermore, Spectre is equipped with a completely redesigned digital architecture of luxury named SPIRIT, presented in quintessential Rolls-Royce style. SPIRIT sets a new precedent for how technology and luxury are married with automotive excellence, not only managing the motor car’s functions, but also seamlessly integrating into the Whispers application, allowing clients to interact with their car remotely, and receive live information curated by the marque’s luxury intelligence specialists.

The proportional demands of Spectre’s scale required Rolls-Royce to embolden its wheel strategy. Spectre is the first production twodoor coupé to be equipped with 23-inch wheels in almost one hundred years.

Built on Rolls-Royce’s Architecture of Luxury, which was conceived from the very start with electric drive in mind, Spectre is the most powerful and most aerodynamic Rolls-Royce ever created, with every line of its body sculpted for ultimate grace and performance.

The Architecture of Luxury has been perfectly tailored to integrate Rolls-Royce’s electric powertrain into Spectre, enabling ideal battery placement within the floor plan. The mechanical setup and planar suspension has been honed over countless hours of specialised testing and ensures a truly optimal ride quality. Furthermore, Spectre is the most connected Rolls-Royce the marque has ever conceived. With 141,200 ender-receiver functions, 7km of cabling and over 25,000 sub-functions, Spectre is able to process complex data and exchange information with unparalleled levels of detail, refinement and effortlessness, whilst ensuring continuity of the Rolls-Royce experience. This ensures Spectre is without any doubt a RollsRoyce first and an electric car second. Spectre offers over 10 driver assistance systems – each a manifestation of this advanced intelligence –that accommodate the driver for a smooth and safe journey.

For inquiries, contact Rolls-Royce Bahrain Brand Manager Fawzi Osta on 33 610-111.

AUBH Ghabga

American University of Bahrain (AUBH) hosted a Ghabga, during which Dr Bradley J. Cook, AUBH President, announced that the University received the official US accreditation through the WASC Senior College and University Commission, making AUBH among only a handful of other universities accredited by this world-renowned commission in the GCC and MENA region. The announcement was made in the presence of HE Dr Shaikha Rana bint Isa bin Duaij Al Khalifa, Secretary General of the Higher Education Council, David Brownstein, Deputy Chief of Mission at the US Embassy, members of AUBH’s Board of Governors, Dr Jeff Zabudsky, AUBH Provost, William D. Hurt, AUBH COO, and a number of government officials, educational leaders, faculty and staff.

Four Seasons Iftar

Four Seasons Hotel Bahrain Bay celebrated the Holy Month with an iftar.