A green Land Rover at the Duke of Edinburgh’s funeral is an unusual sight to see and a marked contrast to previous royal funerals. But given the royal family’s loyalty to the UK Land Rover brand and the fact that Prince Philip is a Land Rover Loyalist himself, the Defender’s appearance at this event feels somehow totally appropriate.
The polished sturdy, utilitarian vehicle showcases the duke’s practical nature and his passion for functional design and engineering especially with its heavy-duty wheels and angular structure.
Dead at the age of 99, the Duke spent 16 years – 2003 to 2019 – working and creating the bespoke hearse for his funeral. The model, a « Land Rover Defender TD5 130 », was made at the company’s Solihull factory in 2003, and Prince Philip personally oversaw all modifications, in collaboration with the company, throughout the years.
At the duke’s request, the car was repainted from its original Belize Green color to a Dark Bronze Green, a colour used for many military Land Rovers to honour his service with distinction in the Second World War and his many special associations with all the armed forces.
The duke also designed the open rear section where his coffin will rest with very exact specifications that include the « stops » or « stoppers » – rubber grips on silver metal pins – which perform the crucial task of preventing the coffin from moving
The vehicle has matching green wheel hubs, a black front grille, a single cab and no registration plates.
The decades-long love affair that the Duke and Land Rover enjoy was so strong that two additional Land Rovers were made for « belts and braces » in case a backup was needed.
Land Rover chief executive, Thierry Bollore, had said the company
« Was deeply privileged to have enjoyed a very long and happy association with the Duke of Edinburgh over many decades ».
The Royal Warrant granted by the Duke to the company more than 40 years ago is a testimony to this great relationship.
