In his life, Prince Philip enjoyed getting behind the wheel of a Land Rover and taking the rough British vehicles out for a ride.
Now he will be brought to his funeral in a special Land Rover hearse he helped design.
Instead of the traditional black, the coffin of the Duke of Edinburgh will go to the St. George’s Chapel is transported in a vehicle painted in the shadows, called Buckingham Palace dark bronze green.
It is the same color that the British army uses for many of its Land Rovers and on which the prince, who gave up his naval career after his wife ascended the throne, insisted on it as part of the design.
“We are deeply privileged to have enjoyed a very long and happy association with The Duke of Edinburgh over many decades,” said Thierry Bolloré, CEO of Jaguar Land Rover, in a statement issued by the palace. “We are also honored that the Land Rover designed by the Duke will be used during the funeral on Saturday.”
Philip began consulting with Land Rover engineers about 18 years before he died on April 9 at the age of 99, the palace said.
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The rear of the vehicle, which was built in 2003 on a Defender TD5 chassis at the Land Rover factory in Solihull, north-west London, has been adapted to make it look more like a bakkie carrying Philip’s coffin. and ‘was designed and customized for the Duke specification,’ ‘the palace said.
Further adjustments, which apparently include rubber handles designed to hold the coffin in place, have been made until 2019, the palace said.
Bolloré referred to Philip’s lifelong interest in technology and how it can change people’s lives.
“The Duke was a tremendous campaigner for design, engineering and technology,” he said. “During his visits to our sites, he spoke to hundreds of employees and demonstrated his impressive knowledge and deep interest in vehicle design, engineering and manufacturing.”
Philip had a keen interest in cars, especially British-made cars, such as the Land Rover, which received its personal approval letter, or ‘Royal Warrant’, 40 years ago. He also visited Jaguar Land Rover’s manufacturing facilities several times and accompanied Queen Elizabeth II in 2014 when she formally opened the company’s new engine facility in Wolverhampton.
As a newlywed, Philip prefers British sports cars and falls in love with the Range Rover when it was first introduced in the 1970s, according to Car and Driver magazine.
That love affair lasted the rest of his life.
In 2016, when then-President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama arrived by helicopter at Windsor Castle for lunch with the Queen, Philip surprised reporters by jumping behind the wheel of a Range Rover and insisting on America’s first couple and the queen to the castle. It was only about 400 meters drive, but Philip was then 94.
Philip reluctantly surrendered his driver’s license just two years ago after he was involved in a car accident that left the woman behind the wheel of the other vehicle, a Kia, with a broken arm.
The prince, who was not injured in the wreckage, was driving a Land Rover.
