By Kelechi Deca
As a former mechanic and driver during the 2nd World War, the Queen loves cars and stopped driving on public roads at the age of 93, and I think she could be described as a petrol head in her own right because she loved cars.
On the choice of vehicle that would serve as a hearse when she dies, the Queen is said to have held consultations with Jaguar Land Rover on the details of the hearse for her last journey.
She instructed that the modified Jaguar Land Rover should have very wide windows on its sides without obstruction and also a wide back to allow the public a clear view of her coffin.
She equally instructed that the top should have a straight wide see-through glass roof and three spotlights inside illuminating the coffin. To achieve that, the roof was made with thinner pillars compared to the standard models and a higher roof.
The hearse she insisted should be in Royal Claret, a color used for official Royal and State vehicles also features the Queen’s Personal Royal Cypher on the sides of the car.
The hearse was based on the platform of the 2010 Jaguar XJ Saloon car and was modified by Wilcox Limousines in Wigan.
It is powered by a 5.0L, 510 horsepower, 461lb-ft DOHC supercharged 32-valve V-8 engine with a 6-speed automatic.
When it was in use by the Queen, the iconic Spirit of Ecstasy hood ornament was replaced by a silver-plated bronze model of St George slaying the dragon.
It could be recalled that the Queen Mother was also carried by a 2002 Jaguar hearse while the Queen’s husband, The Duke of Edinburgh, who died aged 99 last year, also designed his own custom-built Land Rover hearse for his funeral in April 2021.
