The spouse of the Monarch of England, Prince Philip, passed away a few days back, and his funeral procession is set for the upcoming Saturday. Merely two months before reaching a century of life, the Duke made preparations in advance. As per the statements from the palace, he actively participated in the design of the unique Land Rover that will transport him to his final resting place at Frogmore Gardens within the confines of Windsor Castle.
The vehicle anticipated to serve as the hearse is reported to be a customized Defender 130 Gun Bus delivered to the palace in 2016; an additional Defender is prepared as a contingency.
Foley Specialist Vehicles/Facebook
“A completely refurbished 130 Defender Gun Bus was just provided to the Duke of Edinburgh for use on one of the Estate,” as mentioned in a Facebook post by Foley Specialist Vehicles back in 2016. “Manufactured as per his preferences in the conventional Deep Bronze Green to match an ‘As New’ standard. Assembled on a galvanized frame and custom-crafted rear structure.”
In use by the British Armed Forces, the Land Rover Defender 130 Gun Bus offers a multitude of applications within the military sector. It represents a sizable vehicle with countless potential adaptations and choices.
YouTube screencap ABC News
The brand Land Rover has maintained a long-standing association with the royal family; Queen Elizabeth’s father George VI was bestowed with the 100th Land Rover in 1948. Interestingly, the Queen has never undergone a driving exam. In fact, she stands as the sole British resident permitted to drive devoid of a license.
In 2016, the Queen and Prince Philip toured through Windsor in a stylish burgundy Range Rover sans a roof, acknowledging the spectators. It isn’t uncommon to witness members of the royal family traveling without seat belts. Prince Philip, for instance, was belt-less in 2019 when he drove a Land Rover LR2 (termed Freelander 2 in the UK) and collided with a Kia, leading to the overturning of his vehicle. Luckily, he emerged unscathed but relinquished his driver’s permit post the incident.
The procession on Saturday will be led by the Grenadier Guards band, and the Land Rover conveying the Duke’s remains will be escorted by pallbearers from the Royal Marines, Regiments, Corps, and Air Stations.
One Land Rover enthusiast to another, Goodbye, sir.
CORRECTION (4/11/21 1:27 PM CT): In a previous version of this article, the father of Queen Elizabeth was incorrectly identified as George IV; in reality, he was George VI.
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