At today's much awaited coronation, thousands gathered around Trafalgar Square to witness King Charles III and Camilla, queen consort, travel by coach to and from Westminster Abbey as part of the coronation's longstanding tradition known as the procession passing.
On Saturday morning, not one, but two state coaches—the Diamond Jubilee State Coach and the Gold State Coach—were used to transport the king and queen consort from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey and back.
Each carriage has its own history, origin, and meticulous design. Ahead, see everything to know about them.
The Diamond Jubilee State Coach
Relative to the procession's longstanding history in British coronations, the Diamond Jubilee State Coach is quite new. The coach was built by W.J. Frecklington just over a decade ago, and purchased by the Royal Collection Trust as a commemorative gift for Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee in 2012. It was used for the first time on June 4, 2014 during the State Opening of Parliament to transport the queen from Buckingham Palace to the Palace of Westminster.
Drawn by six Windsor Grey Horses, the black and gold-outlined carriage is made predominantly of aluminum and carved from oak.
This May 6, the state coach made its coronation debut, carrying King Charles and Queen Camilla from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey for their crowning.
The Gold State Coach
The historic Gold State Coach has been used at every coronation procession since 1831—most recently at the 1953 Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II (in both directions). Designed by William Chambers and built by Samuel Butler, it dates back to 1760 and is among today's oldest surviving coaches in the U.K.
The carriage, which is drawn by eight horses, features a magnificent gold-coated exterior alongside elaborate paintings of Roman gods and cherubs. Its current estimated worth is 2 million pounds.
Despite its age, the 260-year-old carriage has adopted more modern features since Queen Elizabeth's coronation. It was most recently used in 2022 at the Platinum Jubilee Pageant, featuring a hologram of young Queen Elizabeth through the windows.
At this weekend's coronation, the coach transported King Charles and Queen Camilla during the Coronation Procession, taking them from Westminster Abbey back to Buckingham Palace. The Gold State was followed by other members of the royal family.
