King Charles III’s famous Gold State Coach has sparked debate online after royal fans noticed the centuries-old carriage appeared to be showing its age in newly released images.
The iconic coach, which featured prominently during Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee Pageant and King Charles III’s Coronation in 2023, is currently on display at the Royal Mews, the working stables of Buckingham Palace.
On Friday, the Royal Collection Trust shared both an archival and modern-day image of the historic carriage on social media, writing: “Did you vote for the Gold State Coach yesterday? It won, but it was pretty close between the two options.
“The Gold State Coach is over 260 years old and has been used at every coronation since 1831.”
Many royal fans marvelled at the extraordinary craftsmanship of the coach, which was designed by William Chambers and built by Samuel Butler in 1762.
“260 years old. It’s beautiful,” one fan wrote while another added: “An absolute masterpiece of constructed art.”
“So ornate and beautiful,” a third commented, while a fourth described it as “absolutely phenomenal.”
But others couldn’t help but focus on the coach’s ageing interior, with several suggesting it was due for a refresh.
“Clearly needs some TLC inside,” one person said. Another joked: “Too many royal backsides have been seated in this coach. Inside is looking very scruffy. Maybe time for a refurb.”
“Imagine the smell inside,” a third wrote, while another questioned: “How will you know when it is time to retire it?”
Despite the comments, the Gold State Coach remains one of Britain’s most treasured royal artefacts.
It is the third-oldest surviving ceremonial coach in the UK, with only the Speaker of the House of Commons’ Coach, built in 1698, and the Lord Mayor of London’s Coach, built in 1758, predating it.
While many assume it is made from solid gold, the carriage is actually constructed from giltwood- timber covered with a thin layer of gold leaf- and finished with luxurious velvet and satin upholstery.
Its exterior is adorned with elaborate painted panels depicting Roman gods and goddesses, while gilded sculptures decorate the roof and body.
Three cherubs representing England, Scotland and Ireland sit atop the coach, with large triton figures positioned above each wheel.
Measuring 7.5 metres long and 3.6 metres high, the enormous coach weighs around four tonnes and requires eight horses to pull it.
Due to its immense weight and age, it only ever travels at walking pace.
The Gold State Coach should not be confused with the Australian-made Diamond Jubilee State Coach, built by Sydney-based master craftsman Jim Frecklington, which carried King Charles during part of his Coronation procession.
Widely regarded as “the world’s last royal coachmaker”, the 77-year-old has built two state coaches for the British Royal Family during his more than 50-year career.
He first completed the Australia State Coach in 1988 before creating the Diamond Jubilee State Coach for the late Queen Elizabeth II in 2014.
“No-one had made a carriage for the British Royal Family in over 120 years before I came along, so the art of making these vehicles has been lost,” Frecklington told the ABC at the time.
His coronation coach contains more than 100 historic artefacts embedded into its bodywork, including timber from Henry VIII’s warship the Mary Rose, a musket ball from the Battle of Waterloo and fragments from Sir Isaac Newton’s apple tree.
The handrails were crafted from decking salvaged from the Royal Yacht Britannia, while the door handles, created by a specialist jeweller in New Zealand, are individually set with 24 diamonds and 130 sapphires.
“When I build coaches, it takes time- years,” Frecklington told Mosman Collective in May 2023.
“The crown on the roof I built using timber from Lord Nelson’s ship, ‘Victory’, and timber from the Tower of London has been inlaid within the structure,” Mr Frecklington said.
“There is timber from Westminster Abbey from 960 AD, as well as from many of the great cathedrals Salisbury, Durham, and Canterbury.”
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.skynews.com.au ’
