If you happen to be in London between July 11-14, you can have a rare opportunity to admire Her Majesty the Queen’s Bentley State Limousine, which will go on display at the Coronation Festival in Buckingham Palace Gardens.
The unique Bentley, presented to the Queen in 2002 to mark the 50th anniversary of her accession to the throne, will be the highlight of a collection of Bentleys that will be displayed during the celebrations.
“Whilst the State Limousine is known to millions of people across the world, the Coronation Festival will offer a superb opportunity for visitors to take their time to walk around the car and get closer than usually possible. Her Majesty and The Royal Household have kindly made the car available for the occasion,” said Richard Charlesworth, Bentley’s Director of Royal and VIP Relations.
Work on the “Project Diamond” started in 2000 when Bentley’s craftsmen, designers and engineers set off to create a car suitable for every type of Royal occasion.
The State Limousine’s most striking feature is its panoramic glasshouse, aimed at letting people get an unobstructed look of the Queen. Therefore, the unique Bentley is also far taller than other models of the same series.
To get an idea of the level of detail put into the State Limousine, the rear seat position was determined using a model of the same height as the Queen. Another interesting feature is that the doors are hinged at the rear and open through 90 degrees to enable the monarch to almost walk out of the car.
By Dan Mihalascu
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