Equipment
RHD. 3909/175hp, hub caps and trim rings, fender skirts, dual wing mirrors, fog lights, sliding division window, air conditioning with front and rear controls, BMIHT certificate.
Condition
Ordered by the Crown Agents in preparation for Queen Elizabeth II’s arrival in Jamaica in 1966. Remained in Jamaica after her visit with Governor Sir Clifford Campbell to be used as his official state limousine. Later restored. Some light scratches on the chrome as well as some blemishes on the brightwork/body trim. Good older paint with a few scratches, some blisters above the radiator, and some mild scrapes around the door edges since they aren’t perfect fly aligned. Good interior wood and lightly worn upholstery. Maybe not quite fit for a queen today, but still a nifty and restored Icee of royal history.
Market commentary
The royals have been in a lot of cars in both the front seat and the rear, so ex-royal cars aren't an irregular sight at auction, especially in the UK. There's typically a premium for a House of Windsor connection but, like the majority of ex-celebrity collector cars, it isn't huge. Surprisingly, though, this was an exception where that connection helped the car sell very well. Even being a rare, restored coachbuilt limousine, a Vanden Plas Princess isn't typically a $100,000 car, but the queen of England's car isn't typical, either.