Customised Land Rover used by Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip in Australia on her first tour as monarch is set to fetch £120,000 at auction
- The 4×4 was one of six created especially for the royal couple to use
- Tour of Australia lasted two months and was part of wider Commonwealth tour
- READ MORE: Proof Andrew was Queen’s favourite? After a seven month Commonwealth tour, Charles had to wait to greet her
An incredibly rare customised Land Rover used by the late Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip has emerged for sale almost 70 years later.
The 4×4 was one of six created especially for the royal couple to use while on the Australia leg of their inaugural Commonwealth tour in 1954.
Of the six built, only two have survived – this one and another held at a British motor museum.
This model has now been put up for auction by a private collector of early Land Rover models with Bonhams and is expected to fetch £120,000.
The car has a specially designed rear tub with seating and leaning bars for when the royals were standing to wave to the crowds.
The new Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip embarked on their tour of the Commonwealth in late 1953, after the Queen’s accession to the throne in 1952. Above: The royal couple in the same Land Rover as they arrive at Parliament House in Hobart, Tasmania, in 1954
An incredibly rare customised Land Rover used by the late Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip has emerged for sale almost 70 years later. The 4×4 was one of six created especially for the royal couple to use while on their Commonwealth tour in Australia in 1954
It also has a bespoke rear door with a step to make it easier and more dignified for them to enter and exit.
Inside it has a comfortable bench seat, door cards and even a clock.
The car, which is claret with a blue interior, was restored between 2015 and 2018 and is in excellent condition.
It has won multiple awards at various Land Rover shows and was awarded best vehicle in its class at the Goodwood Festival of Speed this year.
The new Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip embarked on their tour of the Commonwealth in late 1953, after the Queen’s accession to the throne in 1952 following the death of her father, King George VI.
It was the longest Commonwealth tour she ever took, lasting seven months and covering 44,000 miles.
It began in Bermuda before the Queen headed to Jamaica, Fiji, Tonga, and New Zealand, where Her Majesty spent Christmas.
The royal party left the country until the end of January and arrived in Australia on February 3.
Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh waving from the back of their Land Rover to a group of youngsters, as they arrive at the Children’s Display at Bundaberg, Australia, March 19th, 1954
The Australian leg of the tour lasted 58 days, during which they visited 57 different towns and cities
The car, which is claret with a blue interior, was restored between 2015 and 2018 and is in excellent condition
It has won multiple awards at various Land Rover shows and was awarded best vehicle in its class at the Goodwood Festival of Speed this year
The Australian leg of the tour lasted 58 days, during which they visited 57 different towns and cities.
They undertook numerous engagements across Australia and used a variety of vehicles including Rolls-Royces, Humber Imperials and Land Rovers.
After leaving Australia, they traveled to the Cocos Islands and then visited Sri Lanka (which was then known as Ceylon).
In late April they moved on to Aden in Yemen and spent the final days of the month in Uganda before touring Malta in early May and wrapping up the overall schedule with a stop in Gibraltar.
The Queen is seen inspecting a guard of honour in Hobart, Tasmania, during her tour of Australia on February 20, 1954
Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh wearing formal dress as they leave Parliament House during their Royal Tour of Australia
The Queen and Prince Philip wave to a crowd in Carrington Park, New South Wales, on February 15, 1954
The car will be sold by Bonhams at the Goodwood Revival sale in Chichester on September 9
The car is one of several that were used on the tour of Australia by the Queen and Prince Philip
The car remained in Australia for most of its life and was restored there before being taken to the UK
The car has an open back with padded arm rests which the Queen and Prince Philip used when waving to crowds
Tim Schofield from Bonhams said: ‘This is not the first time Bonhams have sold royal Land Rovers, but this one is particularly special because it’s an early series I Land Rover and was used on the Queen and Prince Philip’s coronation tour.
‘It was one of several cars used on that tour but we think we have found photos of this particular one being used in front of tens of thousands of people.
‘It’s also quite interesting because it has developments that were not introduced as standard until later cars – such as the sills to conceal the exhaust and fuel tank.
‘The pads in the back – one is quite tall so was for Prince Philip and one is shorter for the Queen.
‘It remained in Australia for the majority of its life. It was restored there in 2015-2018 then bought by the vendor and repatriated to the UK.’
The car will be sold by Bonhams at the Goodwood Revival sale in Chichester on September 9.
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