Until the 8th of September the Speaker’s state coach will be on display in Westminster Hall to mark the Coronation of King Charles III. The carriage will be along the guests route to the private hire venues.
This beautiful carriage is a rare example of 17th century coach design and is one of only a handful surviving in Europe from this period. It is thought to have been made for King William III and Queen Mary II in the 1690s. It is the oldest of three great ceremonial coaches in Britain, the others being the Royal Gold State Coach and the Lord Mayor’s Coach.
Around 1700, it is thought that the coach was presented to the Speaker of the House of Commons by Queen Anne. Early records of the coach are scarce, and the first mention is by Speaker Abbott in 1802, who paid his predecessor Speaker Mitford (Lord Redesdale) £1,060 for the State Coach. This beautiful Coach has been in attendance to state celebrations from royal weddings, jubilees and Coronations for over 300 years.
The coach was used to transport the Speaker of the House of Commons to formal state occasions, such as Coronations and Jubilees. The last use of the coach was by Speaker Thomas at the wedding of Prince Charles to Lady Diana Spencer in 1981.
In 2005, Speaker Martin formally decided to retire the coach and protect it as a historic object for future generations. At this time, it was the oldest working State Coach in Europe.
Following centuries of use, a significant amount of work was needed to restore the carriage. From pest treatment to the removing of decades of dirt, layers of overgilding and varnishing, the fine quality of the carvings and the colour and quality of the paintings were revealed. Over 21 months, the State Coach was returned to a magnificent state, to be seen as it had originally been intended over 300 years ago.
For further details of holding a private hire event at the Houses of Parliament please contact: hoceventsteam@parliament.uk