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The state and royal cars of the United Kingdom are kept at the Royal Mews, Buckingham Palace, where a wide range of state road vehicles (including horse-drawn carriages) are kept and maintained. The vehicles also are stored at other royal residences as required.
These cars can be separated into State Cars, Semi-State Cars, State Royal Review Vehicles, Mews support cars and private vehicles.
State Cars are used for public engagements and on ceremonial occasions by the monarch and those representing them or supporting their role as head of state. There are currently five State Cars: two Bentleys and three Rolls-Royces. They are used by the monarch on state and formal occasions, and may also be used by senior members of the Royal Family for official duties.[1] They have been used by the monarch when travelling abroad, as well as at home, and are also made available for heads of state visiting the UK.[2] State vehicles do not display registration plates.[3]
Semi-State Cars are used for less formal situations and general support; unlike the State Cars, they display registration plates.[4] Currently a pair of 2012 Jaguar XJ Limousines and three 2022 Range Rover models are employed in this role.[5]
State Royal Review Vehicles are modified cars designed to carry one or more members of the royal family as standing passengers, for increased visibility at official parades and ceremonies. The current such car is a 2015 Range Rover Hybrid; as a state vehicle it does not have number plates.
A comparatively recent addition to the Royal Mews fleet is the State hearse, which was first used in 2022 following the death of Queen Elizabeth II.[6]
In addition the Royal Mews maintains an array of Land Rovers, Range Rovers, luggage brakes and minibuses for official royal use. These do have number plates, as do the monarch’s personal vehicles and those of other members of the royal family.
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