Prince Philip’s personalised Land Rover hearse is unveiled

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The Duke, who died last Friday aged 99, spent 16 years ordering and refining modifications to his Land Rover Defender TD5 130 chassis cab vehicle – unveiled ahead of his funeral on Saturday. Philip started the project in 2003 – and finished it in 2019, aged 98.

Thierry Bollore, Jaguar Land Rover’s CEO, hailed Philip’s “impressive knowledge and deep interest in vehicle design, engineering and manufacturing.”

“We are deeply privileged to have enjoyed a very long and happy association with the Duke of Edinburgh over many decades,” he said.

“The Duke was a tremendous champion for design, engineering and technology.

“During his visits to our sites, he engaged with hundreds of employees and demonstrated his impressive knowledge and deep interest in vehicle design, engineering and manufacturing.”

Philip requested the hearse be repainted in Dark Bronze Green, a colour normally used for military vehicles and designed with special “stops” to keep the coffin in place.

The hearse, made at Land Rover’s factory in Solihull, will lead a slow procession from the state entrance of Windsor castle to the west steps of St George’s Chapel.

Pallbearers will flank the Duke’s hearse in honour of his close ties to the military.

The vehicle will be closely followed by the Duke’s eldest son, Prince Charles, and other senior members of the Royal Family.

The Duke drove Land Rover vehicles throughout his life and granted his Royal Warrant to the company more than 40 years ago.

Original plans for Prince Philip’s funeral would have seen the vehicle transport the Duke to Windsor from the Wellington Arch in London, a journey spanning 22 miles.

The plans were ditched however, in order to fall in line with Government guidance surrounding the Coronavirus pandemic.

Mr Bollore added: “We are honoured that the Land Rover which the duke designed will be used at the funeral on Saturday.

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“The Duke was a truly remarkable man and will be greatly missed.”

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