King and Queen return to Buckingham Palace in the Gold State Coach; how much is it worth?

On May 6, the United Kingdom witnessed the historic coronation of the new British monarchs King Charles III and Queen Camilla. While the UK royal couple used the Dimond Jubilee Coach to enter Westminster Abbey, they sat on the glorious Gold State Coach to head out of the sacred place where the King got coronated. Following the coronation, it was the Gold State Coach that grabbed the most attention of the people making many wonder if the coach is actually made of gold. 

The newly-crowned King and Queen return to Buckingham Palace in the Gold State Coach with other members of the Royal Family, following the #Coronation Service at Westminster Abbey. pic.twitter.com/llqslnARYL

— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily)

According to the Royal Collection Trust, the dazzling coach has been a living part of British history. Before the coronation of the King, the iconic carriage was last featured in the spectacular Platinum Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II. The coach that was taken out for the coronation, usually is on display at the Royal Mews, the working stables of Buckingham Palace. The State Coach also has a lot of significance. The coach has been used at every coronation since 1831. In 1831 William IV was the first monarch to ride a coach for the coronation ceremony. 

Image: AP

Is the royal carriage made of gold?

Given the name of the royal carriage, many wonder if it was actually made of gold, however, this is not the case. The Gold State coach is actually made of giltwood, which comprises a very thin layer of gold leaf over wood. According to the Royal Collection Trust, the interior of the coach is lined and upholstered with velvet and satin and features magnificently painted panels of Roman gods and goddesses. The historic Gold State Coach is the third oldest surviving coach in the United Kingdom. The two older coaches in the country were the Speaker of the House of Common’s Coach the oldest dating from 1698 and the Lord Mayor of London’s Coach was built in 1758.

HM Queen Elizabeth II and HRH The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, en route to the Coronation of Her Majesty, 2 June 1953, Image: Royal Collection Trust

How much is it worth?

According to The Royal Collection Trust, the coach which was made around 1762 cost around  £7,562 at that time. The figure would now equal about a whopping £ 2 million now. Another interesting fact about the coach is that Queen Victoria was not fond of the coach. Following the death of her husband Prince Albert, she never used the State Coach for the State Openings of Parliament. Overall with the Saturday coronation, Charles joins the list of erstwhile monarchs who rode the Gold State Coach.

 Queen Victoria in the Gold State Coach, Image: Royal Collection Trust