Prince Philip's Bespoke Land Rover Hearse Unveiled Ahead Of Funeral

Apr 16, 2021 by apost team

On Friday, April 9, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, passed away at the age of 99 years old. Not long before his death, the Queen's beloved husband was discharged from the hospital after spending several days there due to complications with an infection. Prince Philip's infection was reportedly not due to coronavirus, as he and the Queen were vaccinated in January of this year, according to BBC. Philip's passing ends his reign as the longest-serving royal spouse, having served alongside Queen Elizabeth II for 65 years and having been married to the monarch for 73 years in total.

Now that Prince Philip has passed, the Royal Family has arranged a funeral which is scheduled to take place on Saturday, April 17. One could imagine that is normally a large event with many attendees, but coronavirus only complicates the funeral planning further and limits the number of guests able to attend. Only 30 guests are permitted to attend the funeral in person and citizens are urged to not gather in public for the funeral procession. Instead, television channels such as Sky will be airing the funeral for people to watch. 

As per the Duke of Edinburgh's long-held wishes, a custom-made Land Rover hearse will be carrying his coffin. The modified hearse was designed by Philip himself and was almost 18 years in the making. It will be carrying him from Windsor Castle to St George's Chapel, where the funeral will be taking place. Ahead of the funeral, the Land Rover is currently on display at Windsor Castle. 

The green Land Rover was designed by Philip in coordination with the company according to Royal Central UK. The hearse is made from a Land Rover Defender TD5 130 chassis cab that was created in Land Rover’s factory in Solihull in 2003. Since then, Philip had continued to modify the vehicle as per his wishes and finished creating the Land Rover in 2019 when he was 98 years old. 

Modifications include changing the original Belize Green bodywork to Dark Bronze Green, a color used for many military Land Rovers. Philip served with distinction in the Royal Navy during the Second World War and held special associations with all the armed forces in the UK, which played a large role in his design of the Land Rover hearse. 

He also designed the open-top rear section of the vehicle that was made to his exact specifications. This is where his coffin will rest, and so includes the rubber grips on silver metal pins known as the "stops" or "stoppers" which perform the crucial task of preventing the coffin from moving.

The Daily Mirror reported that Philip once told Queen Elizabeth, "Just stick me in the back of a Land Rover and drive me to Windsor," when discussing his funeral. His long-held wish will surely be realized on his funeral day. The sturdy and polished utilitarian vehicle and its heavy-duty wheels and angular structure are in some ways a showcase for the duke's practical nature and speak volumes about the lifelong passion for engineering and design he nurtured. 

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Thierry Bolloré, Jaguar Land Rover’s Chief Executive said about the special Land Rover, “We are deeply privileged to have enjoyed a very long and happy association with The Duke of Edinburgh over many decades."

He continued, "We are also honoured that the Land Rover which The Duke designed will be used at the funeral on Saturday. The Duke was a tremendous champion for design, engineering and technology. During his visits to our sites, he engaged with hundreds of employees and demonstrated his impressive knowledge and deep interest in vehicle design, engineering and manufacturing. The Duke was a truly remarkable man and will be greatly missed.”

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson also commented on the use of a Land Rover for Philip's funeral, and according to ABC News Australia, said, "That vehicle's unique and idiosyncratic silhouette reminds the world that he was above all a practical man, who could take something very traditional — whether a machine or indeed a great national institution — and find a way by his own ingenuity to improve it, to adapt it for the 20th or the 21st century." 

The news outlet also added that the royal family's relationship with the British-made Land Rovers goes back seven decades to when Elizabeth's father, King George VI, granted a royal warrant to the company as a supplier to the royal family. Philip and Elizabeth have favored the Land Rover all their lives, and Philip reportedly owned, leased or drove one Range Rover of every generation since the vehicle's launch in the 1970s. 

What do you think of the custom-made Land Rover? Tell us your thoughts, and take a moment to let your friends know about Prince Philip's love for engineering and design that has continued to make an impact in the world.