In life, Prince Philip liked to get behind the wheel of a Land Rover and take out the crashed British vehicles to drive.
Now, he will be transported to his funeral on Saturday in a custom Land Rover corpse that he helped design.
Instead of the traditional black, the Duke of Edinburgh’s coffin will be transported to St George’s Chapel in a vehicle painted in a shade that Buckingham Palace called dark bronze green.
It is the same color that the British army uses for many of the Land Rovers and that the prince, who gave up his naval career after his wife ascended the throne, insisted as part of the project.
“We are deeply privileged to enjoy a very long and happy partnership with the Duke of Edinburgh over several decades,” said Thierry Bolloré, executive director of Jaguar Land Rover in a statement released by the palace. “We are also honored that the Land Rover designed by the duke will be used at Saturday’s funeral.”
Philip began consulting with Land Rover engineers about 18 years old before he died on April 9 at the age of 99, the palace said.
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Built in 2003 on a Defender TD5 chassis at the Land Rover plant in Solihull, north-west London, the rear of the vehicle has been modified to make it more like a van capable of carrying Philip’s coffin and “has been designed and customized specification, “the palace said.
Other changes, which would have included rubber handles designed to hold the coffin in place, were made by 2019, the palace said.
Bolloré referred to Philip’s lifelong interest in technology and how it could transform people’s lives.
“The Duke was an extraordinary champion in design, engineering and technology,” he said. “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 had a keen interest in cars, especially those made in the UK, such as the Land Rover, which received its personal seal of approval or the “Royal Mandate” 40 years ago. He also visited the Jaguar Land Rover factories several times and accompanied Queen Elizabeth II in 2014, when he officially opened the company’s new engine plant in Wolverhampton.
As a newlywed, Philip favored British sports cars and fell in love with the Range Rover when it was first introduced in the 1970s, according to Car and Driver magazine.
That love affair lasted the rest of his life.
In 2016, when then-President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama arrived at Windsor Castle by helicopter for lunch with the Queen, Philip caught reporters jumping behind the wheel of a Range Rover and insisting on driving America’s first couple and the Queen to the castle. It was only about 400 meters by car, but Philip was 94 at the time.
Philip reluctantly handed over his driver’s license just two years ago after he was involved in a car accident that left the woman behind the wheel of the other vehicle, a Kia, with a broken arm.
The prince, who was not injured in the wreck, was driving a Land Rover.
