The late Queen Elizabeth II always had a love for cars, which can most likely be traced back to World War II when she was a member of the Women's Auxiliary Service and also became involved as a mechanic.
From these early beginnings her love for cars, and in particular the classics started to grow. Being the Queen, she was allowed to drive without a license, which on occasion she would do but usually in the confines of private estates such as Balmoral.
Her collection of cars is believed to have cost £14 million and comprised of such classics as Bentleys, Jaguars, a one-of-a-kind Rolls-Royce, a Daimler Super V8 LWB, and the ever-popular Land Rover Defender, that she would often be seen in during countryside retreats.
Here we take a look at a selection of ten cars that were owned by Her Majesty over the years, in no particular order of ownership or value – and there are many more that we could also list.
First up is a Land Rover Range Rover Hybrid Landaulet. This vehicle was produced for the Queen by Land Rover, who provided 4 cars for the royal family since the first Land Rover Series 1 in 1953. This Hybrid was designed to replace the official Range Rover that was previously being used.
The 1953 Land Rover Series 1 was a particular favourite of the Queen and was at the forefront of design and performance back in the early 50s. When she was out driving, it was often a Land rover that the Queen would be seen in.
A 1930 Citroen C4 is one of the older models in the collection and was produced to replace the Type A and family cars. Produced between 1928 and 1932, the C4 is a rare model to find today despite 121,000 being manufactured and was one of the most successful cars built after World War I.
The 2002 Bentley State Limousine is very special as only 2 were produced, with both belonging to the royal family. It was commissioned by the Queen to mark her Golden Jubilee in 2002. With its 6.75-litre V8 engine, it was a modification of the Arnage R.
Daimler has figured prominently in the collection over the years with a 1929 Daimler Double Six being another of the older classics in the line-up. With a powerful yet smooth engine, this Daimler has become very collectible. The one belonging to the Queen is now in the possession of the Royal Museum, as are many of the vehicles that belonged to the Queen.
A 1970 Daimler Vanden Plas is another in the collection, one of three owned by the Queen which she commissioned with special features such as no chrome around the doors. Only 351 were produced, making them very rare indeed.
A 1966 Aston Martin DB6 also appears in the collection and was driven by the now King Charles III back in the 1960s, and must surely have been driven privately by the Queen too at some point. The DB6 was the longest-running in production from Aston Martin with 1,788 units produced from 1965 to 1971.
A 2016 Bentley Bentayga was one of the more recent vehicles acquired by Her Majesty, a rare car indeed with the very first one produced being delivered to the Queen herself. This SUV is currently the fastest in the world and has a luxurious interior, with the Queen's also specially customized.
We will complete our list with a couple of the Rolls-Royce models that are in the collection. The 1924 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost is one of the world's rarest vehicles, one sold at auction for over $7.1 million back in 2012, and the late Queen had one in her collection purely as a collectible. It was referred to as the best car in the world by Rolls-Royce when it was being produced.
Completing our list is a 1961 Rolls-Royce Phantom V, and with only 516 produced, it is very collectible. Produced between 1959 and 1968, many are owned by royal families and governments across the globe. With a 4-speed automatic transmission and a V9 twin-carburettor engine, the Phantom V was officially retired from the Queen's fleet back in 2002.
So there we have quite a collection, with many others that we could have listed. The late Queen was a true lover of automobiles and in particular, the classics, showcasing some of the most prestigious cars that Britain had to offer.
