{{Short description|Funeral vehicle used by the British Royal family}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2022}} [[File:Queen Elizabeth II Coffin Arrives Buckingham Place.jpg|thumb|The state hearse carrying the coffin of Elizabeth II arriving at Buckingham Palace.]] The '''state hearse''' is a vehicle of the Royal Mews used for funerals of the British royal family. Based on a Jaguar XJ model, it was designed by the Royal Household and Jaguar Land Rover with the input of and approval from Elizabeth II and converted by UK-Based coachbuilder Wilcox Limousines.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gastelu |first=Gary |date=2022-09-13 |title=Queen Elizabeth II's hearse is a Jaguar like her mother's |url=https://www.foxnews.com/auto/queen-elizabeth-iis-state-hearse-jaguar-mothers |access-date=2025-06-04 |website=Fox News |language=en-US}}</ref> It was first used on 13 September 2022 to transport Queen Elizabeth II's coffin from RAF Northolt to London ahead of her lying-in-state.
== Design == The state hearse was designed by Jaguar Land Rover in collaboration with the Royal Household. The hearse is based on a Jaguar XJ (X351) saloon.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Scott |first=Victoria |date=19 September 2022 |title=Queen Elizabeth II's Final Hearse Is a Jaguar XF She Designed |url=https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/queen-elizabeth-iis-final-hearse-is-a-jaguar-xf-she-designed/ar-AA120iAK |access-date=23 September 2022 |work=The Drive |via=MSN}}</ref><ref name=stuff>{{cite news |last1=O'Carroll |first1=Damien |title=The Queen chose her final car personally |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/motoring/129877397/the-queen-chose-her-final-car-personally |access-date=15 September 2022 |work=Stuff |date=14 September 2022 |language=en |archive-date=14 September 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220914105954/https://www.stuff.co.nz/motoring/129877397/the-queen-chose-her-final-car-personally |url-status=live }}</ref> Its conversion from the standard model was made by Wilcox Limousines.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Gastelu |first1=Gary |title=Queen Elizabeth II's hearse is a Jaguar like her mother's |url=https://www.foxnews.com/auto/queen-elizabeth-iis-state-hearse-jaguar-mothers |access-date=15 September 2022 |work=Fox News |date=13 September 2022 |archive-date=14 September 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220914171228/https://www.foxnews.com/auto/queen-elizabeth-iis-state-hearse-jaguar-mothers |url-status=live }}</ref>
The hearse has large side and back windows and a glass roof to maximise the coffin's visibility to onlookers.<ref name=itv/> It also features three internal spotlights along one side of the roof to illuminate the coffin, which is on a raised platform.<ref name=slash/><ref name=indy>{{cite news |title=Bespoke state hearse for Queen who was consulted on the design |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/philip-elizabeth-ii-buckingham-palace-people-london-bridge-b2166595.html |access-date=15 September 2022 |work=The Independent |date=13 September 2022 |language=en |archive-date=15 September 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220915083403/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/philip-elizabeth-ii-buckingham-palace-people-london-bridge-b2166595.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The design of the car is unique.<ref name=slash/> The roof pillars are thinner than in a standard model and the roof is higher.<ref name=slash>{{cite news |last1=Sarwar |first1=Nadeem |title=The Queen Helped Design This Unique Hearse For Her Final Trip To Buckingham Palace |url=https://www.slashgear.com/1006830/the-queen-helped-design-this-unique-hearse-for-her-final-trip-to-buckingham-palace/ |access-date=15 September 2022 |work=SlashGear.com |date=13 September 2022 |archive-date=15 September 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220915145559/https://www.slashgear.com/1006830/the-queen-helped-design-this-unique-hearse-for-her-final-trip-to-buckingham-palace/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
The hearse has royal claret coloured paint with red pinstripe details, which matches other vehicles operated by the Royal Mews.<ref name=slash/> As a state vehicle it has no registration plates. Jaguar's "grinner" badge of a jaguar's face is on the front grill and their "leaper" badge of a jumping animal on the rear panel.<ref name=week/> Each side featured below the window the Queen's personal royal cypher, an elegant "E" standing for just "Elizabeth" surmounted by St Edward's Crown, instead of her cypher as Queen, "EIIR" (Elizabeth II Regina).<ref>{{cite web |title=In Full: Queen’s coffin taken to Buckingham Palace |url=https://www.youtube.com/embed/E6Jcznknx80?si=PRmUTYkbMCMAcjtc&start=342 |website=YouTube |publisher=Sky News |access-date=16 August 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Eklund |first1=Zahra |title=Queen helped design State Hearse so Brits could have clear view of her on final journey |url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/royals/queen-helped-design-state-hearse-27984203 |website=The Mirror |publisher=The Mirror |access-date=16 August 2025 |date=13 September 2022 |quote=Her Majesty's personal Royal Cypher is also featured on the vehicle}}</ref><ref name=itv/>
There is a mount for a mascot at the front of the bonnet; when used to carry the coffin of the late Queen Elizabeth II in 2022, it displayed her silver-plated bronze mascot depicting Saint George slaying the dragon on 13 September,<ref name=week>{{cite news |last1=George |first1=Mathew T |title=Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip trusted the same carmaker for their final journeys |url=https://www.theweek.in/news/world/2022/09/14/queen-elizabeth-ii-and-prince-philip-trusted-the-same-carmaker-for-their-final-journeys.html |access-date=15 September 2022 |work=The Week |date=14 September 2022 |language=en |archive-date=15 September 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220915202021/https://www.theweek.in/news/world/2022/09/14/queen-elizabeth-ii-and-prince-philip-trusted-the-same-carmaker-for-their-final-journeys.html |url-status=live }}</ref> and her parents' mascot (depicting Britannia atop a globe) on 19 September.<ref>{{cite web |title=The State Hearse carrying the coffin of Queen Elizabeth, draped in the Royal Standard with the Imperial State Crown and the Sovereign's Orb and Sceptre, drives along Albert Road as it arrives in Windsor for the Ceremonial Procession through Windsor Castle to a Committal Service at St George's Chapel. Picture date: Monday September 19, 2022. |url=https://www.alamy.com/the-state-hearse-carrying-the-coffin-of-queen-elizabeth-draped-in-the-royal-standard-with-the-imperial-state-crown-and-the-sovereigns-orb-and-sceptre-drives-along-albert-road-as-it-arrives-in-windsor-for-the-ceremonial-procession-through-windsor-castle-to-a-committal-service-at-st-georges-chapel-picture-date-monday-september-19-2022-image483007679.html |website=alamy |access-date=24 June 2025}}</ref>
Queen Elizabeth II approved the final plans for the design of the hearse.<ref name=national>{{cite news |last1=Duncan |first1=Gillian |title=Queen helped to design hearse that drove her coffin to Buckingham Palace |url=https://www.thenationalnews.com/world/uk-news/2022/09/14/queen-helped-to-design-hearse-that-drove-her-coffin-to-buckingham-palace/ |access-date=15 September 2022 |work=The National |date=14 September 2022 |archive-date=15 September 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220915145552/https://www.thenationalnews.com/world/uk-news/2022/09/14/queen-helped-to-design-hearse-that-drove-her-coffin-to-buckingham-palace/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
Since the funeral of Katharine, Duchess of Kent in 2025, the cypher has been replaced by the heraldic badge of the royal family.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Coughlan |first1=Sean |title=Duchess of Kent's coffin brought to cathedral ahead of funeral |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c7016kn9rdwo |website=BBC |publisher=BBC |access-date=15 September 2025 |page=Embedded video}}</ref>
== Use == The state hearse was first used on 13 September 2022 to transport the coffin of Elizabeth II from RAF Northolt to Buckingham Palace.<ref name=national/> It was then used on 19 September 2022 to transport the coffin from London's Wellington Arch to St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle for her committal service.<ref name=itv>{{cite news |title=Jaguar Land Rover hearse approved by the late Queen Elizabeth II |url=https://www.itv.com/news/central/2022-09-13/the-queen-consulted-designers-on-bespoke-new-state-hearse-used-to-carry-her |access-date=15 September 2022 |work=ITV News |date=14 September 2022 |language=en |archive-date=15 September 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220915092611/https://www.itv.com/news/central/2022-09-13/the-queen-consulted-designers-on-bespoke-new-state-hearse-used-to-carry-her |url-status=live }}</ref>
It was used again on 15 and 16 September 2025 to transport the coffin of Katharine, Duchess of Kent from Kensington Palace to Westminster Cathedral, the day ahead of the Requiem Mass<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c7016kn9rdwo.amp|title=Duchess of Kent's coffin brought to cathedral ahead of funeral|work=bbc.com|date=15 September 2025}}</ref> and from Westminster Cathedral to the Royal Burial Ground, Frogmore, after the Requiem Mass.
== Predecessors == Previous royal hearses have included a Jaguar XJ used for the funeral of Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother and a custom built open top Land Rover Defender for the funeral of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.<ref name=stuff/>
==See also== * Ceremonial and state funerals in the United Kingdom * Funeral directors to the Royal Household
== References == {{reflist}}
Category:Hearses Category:Road transport of heads of state Category:Royal vehicles Category:Jaguar Land Rover Category:State funerals in the United Kingdom Category:Vehicles introduced in 2022 Category:Death and state funeral of Elizabeth II