Current:Home > MarketsA look at King Charles III's car collection, valued at $15 million -Infinite Edge Capital
A look at King Charles III's car collection, valued at $15 million
View
Date:2025-04-22 02:54:28
Members of Britain's royal family have been pictured over the years behind the wheel of some of the world's most iconic cars, and the new monarch, King Charles III, is no exception.
Ahead of the king's coronation ceremony on May 6, U.K. car leasing company Nationwide Vehicle Contracts released a list of the rare and classic vehicles owned by the royals — and their estimated value.
"Luxury cars have long been associated with the monarch and King Charles III, in particular, is known for his fondness of motor vehicles," Nationwide's director Keith Hawes told CBS News on Tuesday. "His impressive collection features sentimental value with motors passed down from his late mother, Queen Elizabeth II, to cars bought for him by his parents."
Nationwide listed 12 vehicles in the royal fleet, with the most valuable being two Bentley State Limousines valued at more than $12 million each. They're the only two limos of their kind in existence, built by Bentley specifically for the 2002 Golden Jubilee of Charles' late mother, Queen Elizabeth II.
- U.K. poll finds 70% of young Brits "not interested" in royal family
The Bentleys are the official state cars of Great Britain, and both are described by Nationwide as having "fully armored bodywork and glass, blast-resistant tires, and blue flashing lights."
The interior of the vehicles can be sealed air-tight to protect occupants in the event of a gas attack, Nationwide said in its press release, coming with "James Bond-esque engineering as standard."
One of the vehicles set to carry King Charles for his coronation, however, is a far less-modern people carrier. The Gold State Coach may be the world's oldest and most exclusive vehicle.
The coach was commissioned by King George III and built in 1760, according to Buckingham Palace, and has been used at every coronation since 1831. It is scheduled to carry Charles and his wife Queen Camilla in a procession from Westminster Abbey to Buckingham Palace on coronation day.
The ornate, gilded coach is valued at around $2 million, Nationwide said. According to the palace, it will be drawn by eight Windsor Grey horses on coronation day and, "due to its weight" of almost 4.5 tons, "will travel at walking pace."
The third most expensive car in the king's garage(s) is a 1965 Aston Martin DB6 Volante. The sports car valued by Nationwide at just over $1.2 million was a 21st birthday present from his parents — but the royal did make some distinct modifications.
The king's passion for environmentalism is well known, and in 2008, when he was the Prince of Wales, he had the Aston converted to run on bioethanol, or more specifically leftover wine.
The other nine vehicles on the list include another Aston Martin and a Rolls Royce valued between $600,000 and $700,000, and then a more modest set that Nationwide said was worth between about $200,000 and $37,000.
- In:
- King Charles III
- British Royal Family
- Electric Vehicle
veryGood! (174)
Related
- The White House is cracking down on overdraft fees
- Boy shot dead after Perth stabbing was in deradicalization program, but no ties seen to Sydney teens
- Kim Godwin out as ABC News president after 3 years as first Black woman as network news chief
- On D-Day, 19-year-old medic Charles Shay was ready to give his life, and save as many as he could
- Alex Murdaugh’s murder appeal cites biased clerk and prejudicial evidence
- Brian Austin Green’s Ex Vanessa Marcil Slams “Stupid” Criticism Aimed at Megan Fox
- Trump Media fires auditing firm that US regulators have charged with ‘massive fraud’
- Massachusetts detective's affair exposed during investigation into his wife's shooting death
- Former longtime South Carolina congressman John Spratt dies at 82
- Kim Godwin out as ABC News president after 3 years as first Black woman as network news chief
Ranking
- Trump issues order to ban transgender troops from serving openly in the military
- United Methodists took historic steps toward inclusion but ‘big tent’ work has just begun
- Why Ryan Gosling Avoids Darker Roles for the Sake of His Family
- Suspect in custody after video recorded him hopping into a police cruiser amid gunfire
- Trump's 'stop
- 'American Idol' recap: Top 7 singer makes Katy Perry 'scared for my job,' and two more go home
- Why Bachelor Nation's Bryan Abasolo Is Seeking Spousal Support in Rachel Lindsay Divorce
- The Best Throwback Celebrity Cameos to Give You Those Nostalgia Vibes
Recommendation
California DMV apologizes for license plate that some say mocks Oct. 7 attack on Israel
Bus crash on Maryland highway leaves 1 dead, multiple injured: What to know
When do NFL OTAs start? Team schedules for 2024 offseason training and workouts.
Why Miss USA 2023 Noelia Voigt Relinquished Her Title
Intellectuals vs. The Internet
After AP investigation, family of missing students enrolls in school
Lawsuit alleges decades of child sex abuse at Illinois juvenile detention centers statewide
These Celebs Haven’t Made Their Met Gala Debut…Yet