Leading the Platinum Jubilee Pageant—the final, and perhaps pinnacle, event of Queen Elizabeth’s history-making Platinum Jubilee—was a hulking, gilded object, spectacular in its grandeur. Crowds cheered and craned to take pictures of their iPhones as it slowly made its way down its wall, drawn by eight horses. The identity of the object was unmistakable: The Gold State Coach.
While today it featured the unexpected touch of a hologram of the Queen from her coronation in 1953, the coach was last in use during 2002’s Golden Jubilee. The Gold State Coach is a majestic and archaic object that’s belonged to the monarchy for over 260 years. (For those who might need a history refresher: three centuries ago, the Windsors—or the current line of royals who all stem directly from Queen Victoria—weren’t even on the throne yet, making this truly a unique passed on piece.)
Commissioned in 1760 for George III, it’s around twenty-six feet long and weighs almost 8,000 pounds. At the front are two tritons, which, at the time, honored several British naval victories, according to the Royal Collection Trust. On the top of the carriage are three cherubs that represent the guardian spirits of England, Scotland, and Ireland. Much of the carriage’s facade is covered in fruits of peace, which at the time, served as a nod to the love of arts and science, as well as painted panels by Giovanni Cipriani. The interior is adorned with velvet and satin.
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