The Royal Family has always lived a life of luxury, but I wanted to find out how the illustrious monstrosity of the Gold State Coach came to be. And why have most monarchs complained about riding in it?
Like many others throughout the pandemic, I’ve taken a liking to The Crown, with the fourth season airing on Netflix late last year. During season one, the newly crowned Queen Elizabeth II has her coronation and, like several monarchs before her, rode in the extravagant Gold State Coach.
The Royal Family has always lived a life of luxury, but I wanted to find out how this illustrious monstrosity came to be. And why have most monarchs complained about riding in it?
The Gold State Coach is an enclosed, horse-drawn carriage used by the British Royal Family on special occasions, such as coronations, royal weddings and jubilees. It was commissioned in 1760 by King George III for a total of £7,562 (around two million USD in 2018). The carriage was completed in 1762 and was built in London by Samuel Butler. Its current home is at the Royal Mews of Buckingham Palace, on view for the public.
The coach is filled with incredibly intricate details, reflecting England’s overwhelming control over the world at the time it was built. Eight panels painted by Giovanni Battista Cipriani depict allegorical scenes of Britain’s power. The roof consists of three cherubs that represent the union between England, Ireland and Scotland.
The sculptor Sir Joseph Wilton is the one that really turned this coach into a sort of lavish chariot, to also go along with the theme of Britain’s power. Other imperial symbols such as Britain’s maritime dominance and their victory in the Seven Years’ War with France are represented throughout the marvellous sculpture work. Some additional luxuries include the interior lined with velvet and satin. The braces are covered with Morocco leather and decorated with gilt buckles.
Naturally, to move something this big, it must be pulled by a team of eight Windsor Grey horses, which dawn the Red Morocco harness. Windsor Grey horses are used to draw carriages that The Queen and other members of the Royal Family travel. They’re given this name because they were kept at Windsor during the Victorian Era, where they drew the private carriages of the Royal Family.
Even a group of horses this size can only pull the coach at a walking pace, with the gilded brakes operated by the grooms. The Gold State Coach is managed by four postilions, nine walking grooms, six footmen, and four Yeoman of the Guard, which are carrying their long partisans. Eight of the grooms walk beside the horses while one walks behind the coach.
Many monarchs have complained about how uncomfortable the carriage really is. King William IV said being driven in the Gold State Coach was similar to “tossing in a rough sea.” Queen Victoria rarely ever rode around in the coach, complaining of the “distressing oscillation.” King George IV once said his ride from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey for his coronation was “one of the most uncomfortable rides I have ever had in my life.” He even went as far as to bring the coach in to have the iron tires rubberized after World War II to offer a bit more comfort to its passengers.
The current monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, referred to her ride in the coach during her coronation as “horrible” and “not very comfortable.” She chose to forgo the coach for her Diamond Jubilee, instead opting for the more comfortable Diamond Jubilee State Coach, despite using the Gold State Coach for her Silver (1977) and Golden (2002) Jubilees.
Although the Gold State Coach isn’t used as much today as it once was, it remains a remarkable piece of art. For almost 260 years, this coach has been ridden by kings, queens and other members of the Royal Family, along with their fascinating guests to several different events, each more noteworthy than the last.
