The Duke of Edinburgh spent more than a decade of his life designing the Land Rover bearing his coffin
The Defender TD5 130 has taken Prince Philip from the State Entrance of Windsor Castle, where he was resting, to the West Staircase of St George's Chapel where the ceremony took place.
The Duke of Edinburgh has reflected in his funeral his wishes that his coffin be transferred in a Land Rover brand military vehicle that he himself was commissioned to design. The Defender TD5 130, built by hand in the firm's factory in the town of Solihull, is one of the most luxurious versions of the automobile brand that presents numerous variations: an extra-long wheelbase, reinforced frame, large windows, ventilation in the ceiling, LED lighting and a host of other details that the Duke of Edinburgh fell in love with. The production of the vehicle especially for him lasted a total of 16 years; The Queen's husband commissioned it in 2003 and throughout the process he was personally in charge of reviewing its evolution.
He himself decided to do a military green repaint and open the back to ensure his coffin was secure. The last adjustment was made in 2019, shortly before it was delivered to you. "We are deeply privileged to have enjoyed a very long and happy association with the Duke of Edinburgh for many decades. We are also honored that the Land Rover that the Duke designed is used at the funeral on Saturday. The Duke was a great champion of design, engineering and technology ", explained the executive director of the brand, Thierry Bollore, who also highlighted" the impressive knowledge and deep interest in the design, engineering and manufacture of vehicles ".
Felipe of Edinburgh was a great fan of vehicles, he felt a great passion for the automobile firm that has been in charge of carrying his coffin along the path that separates the State Entrance of Windsor Castle, where it rested, up to the West Stairs of the Chapel of San Jorge where the funeral ceremony has been carried out. Specifically, the model chosen by the husband of Queen Elizabeth II looks very similar to a 4x4, thus complying with the indications that his funeral had a military personality.
A highly regarded brand in the Royal Family
The Royal Family's relationship with Land Rover dates back almost 70 years when the father of Queen Elizabeth II, George VI, received the brand's 100th model as a gift in 1948. The King, in addition, granted in 1951 a royal authorization to the British brand for which they became official suppliers of the Royal Household. Throughout her 94 years, the monarch could have had up to 30 different Land Rover models, the first she received in 1953 and it was a Series 1, much simpler and more austere. More recently, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have driven a Land Rover on the occasions they have traveled from the hospital to their Kensington Palace residence after giving birth to Princes Louise, Charlotte and George. In 2016, the queen and the Duke of Edinburgh took a tour through the streets of Windsor in a very special Range Rover: burgundy, tailor-made and convertible. From there they greeted the thousands of attendees who gathered to see the royal marriage and wish Prince Felipe a happy 90th birthday. The British car brand has, in fact, a list with the members of the Royal Family who have owned or own a model of the brand and it is the Head of State who heads it.
The last tribute
On the occasion of the loss of the Duke of Edinburgh on April 9, Land Rover wanted to send a message of support and affection to the British Royal Family, with whom it shares this close bond. "We at Jaguar Land Rover are deeply saddened by the passing of His Royal Highness Prince Philip. Our thoughts and condolences go out to Her Majesty, the Queen, and to the Royal Family at this time. Her Royal Highness has dedicated his life to public service and made a significant contribution to British manufacturing, engineering and design, "the statement read, making evident the deep affection they feel for the figure of the Duke of Edinburgh. Also, Buckingham Palace confirmed, hours later, the special tribute that would take place on the day of his funeral. "The coffin of the Royal Highness of him will be transported in a specially designed Land Rover, in which the Duke participated in the design, flanked by bearers of military coffins," they explained to which they added what would be the route of the hearse.
Links with the Army
The car brand also has a strong connection to the British Army as it used large 4x4 vehicles of the Defender model. In fact, a large number of cars were manufactured and designed exclusively for the UK Ministry of Defense to be used in warfare. Especially for World War II in which the trucks were very useful in long-range special missions. Both King George VI and the Duke of Edinburgh have long and successful military careers that link them closely with the British Army. The late husband of Queen Elizabeth II was a lieutenant in the British Royal Navy, becoming the youngest officer in the officer corps to achieve a similar rank. It was at the Royal Naval University where the Duke met her future wife since he was in charge of taking care of her and her sister during the King's official visit to the academy. During his career he participated in different naval battles such as that of Crete, in 1941, or that of Cape Matapán, in the same year, so it is not surprising that he already made use of some of the Land Rover vehicles to move on land.
One of his last wishes
Prince Philip was driving a car of the British brand when he had a traffic accident in 2019 in Sandringham. The Duke crashed his Land Rover SUV into another vehicle with two women and a nine-month-old baby. Despite the fact that the car that Isabel II's husband was driving was badly damaged, he managed to escape unscathed. His passion for this brand has been demonstrated since he received the first model in 1953 as he has not stopped wearing the brand's vehicles since then. In fact, he himself joked with the Queen by telling her that she would transform one of her favorite prototypes into her own hearse. Something that has finally come true.
