Last week, Charles made his first speech from the throne as King of the United Kingdom. He read the King’s Speech in British Government House. But before that happens, he heads to the Houses of Parliament in a special, ultra-modern carriage.
This is not the first time King Charles has used the Diamond Jubilee State Carriage during his reign. He also rode in the carriage when he accompanied Queen Camilla to Westminster Abbey for their coronation.
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Although most carriages are hundreds of years old, this is not the case for the state Diamond Jubilee carriage. In fact: at 11 years old, it is the latest addition to the British wagon lineup.
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The Diamond Jubilee State wagon is built in Australia. The original idea was as a gift for Queen Elizabeth’s 80th birthday in 2006, but that deadline was not met. It was then agreed that the carriage would celebrate the sixtieth (or diamond) anniversary of Queen Elizabeth’s reign in 2012. Hence the name of the carriage.
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The cart was finally ready in 2010, but then the following problem occurred again. The Diamond Jubilee State wagon has yet to be moved from Australia to the UK. Little was agreed on transportation costs. After a lot of behind-the-scenes arrangements, the vehicle finally arrived in the UK in 2014.
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2014: Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip ride the Diamond Jubilee state carriage for the first time.
Appearance from the outside
The Diamond Jubilee State Carriage, unlike the old carriages, is made of aluminium. This makes the carriage sturdier, more comfortable to ride and easier to pull than the wooden horses. The vehicle is five and a half meters long, three meters wide, and weighs about three tons.
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2023: The official Diamond Jubilee carriage departs from Buckingham Palace.
The Diamond Jubilee State Carriage is colored red and brown underneath. The top is black. The carriage is finished in gold. There are wreaths on the left and right indicating the Order of the Garter. The carriage also contains references to the national flowers of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. On the roof of the chariot are four lions guarding the imperial state crown. This crown on the carriage is made from the wood of the famous British warship HMS Victory.
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Lions and the Imperial State Crown on the roof of the State Diamond Jubilee chariot.
Very modern vehicle
Modern transportation has many advantages. For example, the Diamond Jubilee State wagon has air conditioning, so the temperature can be regulated. The carriage also has electric windows that passengers can operate. Even the lighting in the carriage can be adjusted manually, and cameras are placed in the crown on the roof so that the audience can be photographed. As if that wasn’t all, the wagon also has a good suspension system. This makes this vehicle more enjoyable for passengers to ride than the Gold State wagon.
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2023: King Charles and Queen Camilla make their way to the Houses of Parliament.
2014: Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip ride in the official Diamond Jubilee carriage.
Appearance inside
The interior of the carriage contains references to the history of the United Kingdom. For example, there is a 200-year-old bullet from the Battle of Waterloo and much of the timber comes from important buildings, such as 10 Downing Street (home of the British Prime Minister), Caernarvon Castle in Wales, and London’s cathedrals. Durham, Canterbury and Scott’s Hut in Antarctica.
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For animated gifs of the cart, click on the post below.
Photos: Afghan News Agency/Instagram
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