16 minute read
ROYAL ROLLS ROYCES
AFFAIRS OF STATE
Rolls-Royce and Bentley are synonymous with Royal transport during the reign of Elizabeth II. With this year marking the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, we look back at her State Cars, and how Rolls-Royce and Bentley came to attract such special patronage
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WORDS: RICHARD GUNN PHOTOS: KELSEY ARCHIVE/ RICHARD GUNN
It’s 70 years since Britain gained a new Queen, with the accession of Elizabeth II to the throne in 1952. As the monarch who has presided over the UK’s modern era, cars as a means of regal transport have played a far greater role in her reign than with any of her predecessors. And the marques most associated with Elizabeth and others in her family are Rolls-Royce and, more recently, Bentley - something that had undoubtedly done the image of the two companies as paradigms of British prestige, luxury and craftsmanship absolutely no harm whatsoever. But how did the long-standing association begin? Originally, Royal patronage was reserved for some of their rivals instead.
Although the automobile was born during the late-Victorian era, there is no record of Queen Victoria ever having been amused by one. It was with her son, Edward, Prince of Wales - later to become Edward VII upon the death of his mother in 1901 - that the Royal interest in motoring began. He was far more fascinated by all things mechanical and technical and although his reign spanned less than a decade, it marked a significant spread in the use of machinery throughout the nation. Edward first encountered a car during 1896 while visiting the Exhibition of Motors in Kensington, London, but it was only when that most famous of aristocratic motoring enthusiasts, Lord Montagu of Beaulieu, took him out for a drive in his Daimler 12hp during 1899 that Edward’s spark was ignited. He ordered a Daimler of his own the following year, which was followed by a succession of other models from the firm. They were soon adopted as the official State Cars.
Rolls-Royce and Bentley didn’t even exist at this point - Henry Royce was still tinkering with the machines of others to try and improve them, while Walter Owen Bentley was still receiving his education in Bristol, ahead of a teenage apprenticeship with the Great Northern Railway in Yorkshire. However, one feature that would become a fixture on later Royal Rolls-Royces and Bentleys was established by Edward; the livery of Royal Claret, which first appeared on a 1902 Hooper-bodied Daimler. He later added black trim and a vermilion coachline - all aspects that remain on State Cars today.
Nevertheless, when Rolls-Royces did start to appear, the noble connections of the Honourable Charles Rolls were able to get the marque noticed in the right circles. A very early photo from 1904 - the year of the first Rolls-Royce-badged car - showed the Duke of Connaught, the third son
Lord Montagu with Edward, Prince of Wales, in 1899. It was this encounter that prompted the Prince to buy his own Daimler, thus ensuring they later became State Cars Before Rolls-Royce, State Cars were the domain of Daimler such as this 1923 King George V car
of Victoria, in a 10hp model. RollsRoyce’s regal associations had begun.
However, not even the 1906 introduction of the 40/50 - the Silver Ghost model, which soon became regarded as ‘the best car in the world’ - could shift the Royal allegiance from Daimlers as State Cars, even if the Ghost did turn the heads of other monarchs oversees. The official affection for Daimlers continued through the reigns of George V (1910-36) and Edward VIII (1936). However, it seems that, while abroad on duties during the First World War, Rolls-Royce staff cars were used by both men. One story tells that Edward narrowly escaped death in one during September 1917; having just got out for an inspection, a shell landed nearby and shrapnel killed the chauffeur, still at the wheel.
1904 photo of The Duke of Connaught, the third son of Victoria, in a RR 10hp with CS Rolls
FROM GHOST TO PHANTOM
Edward, as Prince of Wales, ordered a Silver Ghost in 1919, which was fitted a semi-enclosed cabriolet body from Barker. This was the first of the marque to be personally bought by a high-ranking Royal. A second swiftly followed, this time with closed Barker bodywork. More Ghosts and 20hps followed throughout the 1920s including a second-hand 1910 Ghost that was rebodied as a shooting brake for use during game parties on the Balmoral estate. When Rolls-Royce replaced the Ghost with the Phantom I in 1925, the Prince of Wales was a keen early customer. He had two Phantom Is and two Phantom IIs, with his last arriving in 1929. After that he became more distracted by things originating from the USA such as Buicks and Mrs Wallis Simpson.
Although other members of the Royal family acquired Rolls-Royces, Daimlers remained steadfastly in charge of State duties. But after George VI’s death in 1952, the crown passed to his eldest daughter, Elizabeth. It was the start of a new Elizabethan era but, for Daimler, it also marked the beginning of the end of its era as official Royal transport. The 1950s proved controversial for the company, during which it was overseen by Sir Bernard Docker and his wife, Norah. Both were known for being flamboyant, extravagant and attentionseeking, which didn’t exactly meet with the approval of those at Buckingham
Queen in 1950 Phantom » The 1950 RR Phantom IV
Palace. In addition, Daimler’s new limousine for 1954, the Regina - Latin for ‘Queen’, clearly indicating its eyes on the Royal prize - was poorly received, even after its DK400 revamp in 1955. By then, Daimler was also in financial trouble, so much so that it had to be rescued by Jaguar in 1961. This contrasted with Rolls-Royce enjoying a high profile and prosperous period.
It’s widely felt that it was Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, who steered the Royal family away from Daimler to Rolls-Royce. During 1948, the Duke visited Rolls-Royce’s fresh new factory in Crewe and there spied an experimental 5.7-litre B80 straight-eight engined Bentley, Although codenamed ‘Comet’ by the factory, it was more colloquially known as the ‘Scalded Cat’ because of its blistering performance. Philip asked if he could borrow it and, naturally, Rolls-Royce said yes - for when you’re the husband of the future Queen, getting others to agree to your whims is surprisingly easy. He then ordered his own version, albeit in Rolls-Royce form, with the B80 engine and a limousine body by H J Mulliner. This was the first Phantom IV and originally intended to be the sole example - although, eventually, 17 more would be built for Royalty and Heads of State up until 1956. Such was the secrecy surrounding the Duke’s Phantom that, while being
The 1950 Phantom IV
built at Crewe, all the indications were that it was intended for the Maharajah of Nabha. It seems Rolls-Royce was very aware that it was about to step firmly on Daimler’s toes and didn’t want word »
Rolls-Royce Phantom IV 7-Seater Limousine delivered to then HRH The Princess Elizabeth, The Duchess of Edinburgh in July 1950 on its first Maunday money State Car duty in April 1952 When carrying the Queen, the State Cars temporarily lose their Spirit of Ecstasy mascot and instead have one portraying St George slaying a dragon affixed
1954 Phantom IV landaulette, sold by Bonhams in 2018 for £800,000
to get out until the coup was complete.
It took two years to complete the Phantom, which featured design input from the Duke, who wanted to drive it as well as be chauffeured in it. Thus steps were taken to accommodate his tall frame up front, with adjustable bucket seats, armrests and raked steering. It was Princess Elizabeth who specified it should be Valentine Green though. Other features included a blue roof light, three heaters, a powerful Radiomobile 4020 radio, electric windows, division glass, rear window blind and aerial, plus magazine, stationery and vanity cabinets. There was also a compass, something else no doubt specially picked by Philip, then a first lieutenant in the Royal Navy.
The Phantom was delivered in July 1950 and registered LGO 10. It was used as the couple’s private car up until February 1952 when Elizabeth became Queen. Although there were four existing Daimler State Cars, the Phantom was dispatched to Hooper to be repainted in the official livery of Royal Claret and black with heraldic coat of arms, retrimming of the front compartment in dark blue cloth, and »
Royal crest on 1954 Phantom IV
1954 Phantom IV blue light on top of windscreen, a feature of State Cars for night identification Front cabin of 1954 Phantom IV
RR Phantom IV of 1954, showing occasional rear seats, sold by Bonhams in 2018 Detail of 1954 Phantom IV - showing claret, black and vermillion colour scheme
Interior of 1954 Phantom IV
Rolls-Royce cars of H.M. Queen Elizabeth ii at the Royal Mews
The Queen in one of the 1960-61 Canberra Cars
removal of the numberplates. In April 1952, the first Rolls-Royce State Car undertook its inaugural duty; taking the Queen to Westminster Abbey to distribute Maundy money to the elderly. It soon became the favourite majestic carriage of choice, with one of the Daimlers given to the Queen Mother did the same, constructing a Hooperbodied Phantom IV landaulette in 1954. Not only was this used for the State Opening of Parliament in 1955 but it also went abroad in 1956 and 1957 on the Royal Yacht Britannia, having been designed to (just) fit the garage facilities on board the ship. In 1959, the landaulette was purchased for State Car use. The Daimlers were not; instead the three surviving fluted bonnet cars were sold off and orders placed for two new Phantom Vs. The decades of Daimler had passed, now it was Rolls-Royce’s turn to shine.
The 1954 State landaulette, known as ‘Jubilee’, featured a manuallyoperated folding rear section, although much else on it was electric. It also had a new Royal crest above the windscreen, for which Lucas provided internal lighting facilitated by two copper strips. Stylistically though, the Phantom IV was very similar in design to the Daimlers that Hooper had provided previous bodies for.
and the remaining three gradually seeing much less use. Rolls-Royce must have been delighted, Daimler less so. It even built two DK400s, one a limousine, the other in landaulette, in 1955, making it clear that they were for Royal use whenever needed. The offer wasn’t taken up. Rolls-Royce also
The view from inside the Perspex dome of one of the 1960 or 1961 'Canberra' Phantom Vs.
STATES OF THE SIXTIES
For the two new virtually identical V8-engined Phantom Vs, delivered in 1960 and 1961, Rolls-Royce kept
1978 RR Phantom VI 1978 Phantom VI. In profile, the extra height of the roof is particularly noticeable
the whole construction job in-house, with its own coachbuilder, Park Ward, being responsible for the coachwork. Again, there was considerable secrecy surrounding the cars; they were both codenamed ‘Canberra’ to give the impression that they were intended for Australia rather than the Royal Mews in central London. Among the novel features were Perspex rear domes to allow occupants to be seen on tours, although they could also be covered when privacy was required. The bumpers were easily removable, so the cars - longer than their predecessors - could fit in Britannia’s garage. Air conditioning was installed, which no doubt proved very useful when the cars visited Italy in 1961 and Australia and Fiji in 1963. The combination of hot sunlight and a vast amount of Perspex might otherwise have made things very uncomfortable.
The four Rolls-Royces were the only State Cars up until 1978, and their lives during this time weren’t without incident. One of the Canberras was damaged in an accident during its 1961 Italian tour, with scraped front wings and a dented boot, while a bottle of beer was thrown at Prince Charles in one during a visit to the north-east of England, which cracked but did not break one of the rear side windows. A more serious incident occurred in 1966 when the Queen was in Belfast and a nine-pound lump of concrete was thrown from a fifth-storey window. It hit and damaged the bonnet, but the car was able to continue. If it had struck the Perspex, it might have been a different matter, and it’s believed that the domes were strengthened soon afterwards. Rather more comic episodes were connected with the eight-day clocks in the rear compartments. If a chauffeur forgot to wind them when the vehicle was next needed for a duty, it would be checked over and the stopped clock noted - meaning it was 'unserviceable' and wouldn't be sent out. Mechanics would be summoned in great haste to sort it out, only to discover that all that needed to be done was wind a clock. Meanwhile, one of the reserve State Cars had been dispatched instead...
For her Silver Jubilee in 1977, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) decided to present the Queen with a new car, a Silver Shadow, for personal use. However, the Queen suggested a new State Car instead, rather than one that would be largely out of the public eye. That meant a Phantom - twice the cost of a Shadow. It’s believed that Crewe absorbed »
Above: The Queen's second RR Phantom VI - in 1987 - was a more standard car like this one, albeit with a glass roof panel and enlarged rear quarterlights added
Lady Norfolk, the last Rolls-Royce Phantom State Car - a VI - of 1987
Queen in Berlin, 2015 in 2002 Bentley State Car
THE STATE ROLLS-ROYCES AND BENTLEYS
Rolls-Royce Phantom IV with H J Mulliner limousine coachwork Rolls-Royce Phantom IV with Hooper landaulette coachwork Rolls-Royce Phantom V with Park Ward limousine coachwork Rolls-Royce Phantom V with Park Ward limousine coachwork Rolls-Royce Phantom VI with Mulliner Park Ward coachwork Rolls-Royce Phantom VI with Mulliner Park Ward coachwork Bentley State Limousine with Mulliner coachwork Bentley State Limousine with Mulliner coachwork 1950-date 1954-1987 1960-2002 1961-2002 1978-date 1987-date 2002-date 2002-date some of the costs for what would become the fifth State Rolls-Royce - a Phantom VI. The codename ‘Oil Barrel’ was picked this time, presumably in the hope that it would convince people into thinking it was destined for a Middle East sheik. Like its predecessors, it had a Perspex rear section, as well as front and rear radio cassette players and a small tape recorder for dictation purposes. The intention was for the car to be delivered during the Jubilee year, but this was Britain in the 1970s; industrial action delayed its arrival in the Royal Mews until spring 1978.
In 1980, while in Italy, an unusual incident occurred. The car was in a high-speed police convoy to pick up the Queen from an airport near Rome to meet the Pope when its dome lifted off and shattered, only just missing one of its Alfa Romeo escorts. It turned out that the chauffeur had opened his window at around 100mph, and the resultant change in air pressure had blown the Perspex panel out of its channels. After that, the order went out not to drive the Perspex-topped Phantoms too fast without their metal covers in place.
It was the 1978 Phantom VI that was infamously attacked by protesters in Regent Street during December 2010 while taking the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall to the Royal Variety performance at the London Palladium. The couple were unharmed, but one of the car’s windows was smashed and white paint thrown over it.
Another Phantom VI joined the fleet during 1987, as it was deemed that the Prince of Wales’ own long-wheelbase Bentley Turbo R wasn’t always appropriate for his increasing number of duties. In addition, the older cars were becoming more difficult and expensive to maintain. Although this new Phantom, codenamed ‘Lady Norfolk’, came with a metal roof rather than Perspex dome, it had enlarged rear quarterlights as well as a glass roof panel, all of which could be covered up for discretion. The arrival of the new State Car allowed its 1954 ancestor to be retired to the motor museum at Sandringham.
In 1998, Rolls-Royce and Bentley split
acrimoniously as we’ve covered several times in RR&BD, with Volkswagen taking over Bentley and BMW grabbing the rights to the Rolls-Royce branding from under VW’s nose. However, VW must have got some measure of satisfaction by having Bentley do what Rolls-Royce itself had done to Daimler 50 years previously: usurping it as State Car supplier. For her 2002 Golden Jubilee, the Queen received a Bentley State Limousine as a present from a consortium of British automotive firms. It was complemented by a second example soon afterwards, albeit bought rather than gifted. The 400bhp cars were based on Bentley Arnages, though with modified bodywork by Mulliner to include rear-hinged doors for the passenger compartment. While Bentley has remained coy about some aspects for security reasons, it is known that both cars are armourplated, with Kevlar-reinforced tyres and a blast-proof and gas-tight cabin. With the arrival of the two Bentleys, the 1960 and 1961 Phantom IVs were withdrawn from service, one going to Sandringham, the other being housed in the special garage of Britannia on display in Leith, Edinburgh.
It’s now 20 years since the Royal Mews last received any new State Cars; the longest interval between vehicles of Elizabeth II’s reign or, indeed, any 20th century British monarch. While the fastidiously-maintained Bentleys are probably good for many decades yet, and the 1950 Phantom IV is such a favourite that its retirement is almost unthinkable, it’s possible that the 1978 and 1987 Phantom VIs could well be superseded before too long. And if that happens, what might their successors be? Will Rolls-Royce wrestle the Royal warrant back from Bentley or could we see another company step in to, quite literally, steal the crown? ■
Both Bentley State Limos on the Long Walk, Windsor, in 2008
The Queen withe the Bentley State Limo
Bentley State Limo Interior
