Gold coach

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Several monarchs have used golden coaches. These horse-drawn coaches were made of wood and covered with gold leaf, a solid golden coach would be very expensive and so heavy that it would be a practical impossibility.

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Although a gilded coach with or without painted panels was a sign of high social and governmental status, the position of the occupants of the coach determines the number of horses that draw the vehicle. Monarchs have the right to be drawn by eight horses. A prince of the blood royal uses six horses, a nobleman four.

Golden coaches in use today

The British Gold state coach Le Royal Mews de Londres-007.JPG
The British Gold state coach
The Dutch Gold state coach Gouden Koets Prinsjesdag 2011.jpg
The Dutch Gold state coach
The Russian Gold state coach in miniature Faberge egg Rome 05.JPG
The Russian Gold state coach in miniature

Golden coaches in museums

Several coaches of former monarchies are stored or exhibited in European or Asian museums.

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References

  1. Description of carriages (including the Gold State Coach) at Royal.gov.uk Retrieved 5 July 2014 Archived 5 June 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  2. Laparlière, Maurice (2010-09-17). "Dutch royal extravagance: the queen in the golden coach". Radio Netherlands Worldwide. Archived from the original on 2012-02-27. Retrieved 2011-04-17.
  3. Danish Royal Collection. Retrieved 5 July 2014.
  4. Dronningen afsluttede tre dages nytårskur under øget politiopbud TV 2
  5. Archived 2014-07-14 at the Wayback Machine Roulez carrosses! Retrieved 5 July 2014
  6. Kugler, Georg The Golden Carriage of Prince Joseph Wenzel von Liechtenstein MetPublications (1985)