Bentley Motors
has been entirely responsible for
the design,
styling, chassis and commissioning of
the car and
is currently assembling the limousine in
a dedicated area of its Personal
Commissioning
department.
It has also overseen the project from
start to finish.
The new Bentley State Limousine
will be presented to The Queen in May 2002
and will perform its first
official engagement in June 2002.
In 1955, after 3 years of satisfactory
service by Rolls-Royce cars on official duties, and in the
wake of much discreet manoeuvring,
the company was finally granted the right to display the
Royal Coat of Arms together with
the words
'By appointment to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II motor car manufacturers'.
Within 5 years Rolls-Royce were
supreme in the field, having successfully challenged
Daimler's 60 year lead as Royal
Warrant holders.
And Rolls-Royce continue to hold
that honour to this day.
Rolls-Royce have supplied numerous members of the Royal family with cars other than the Sovereign. For example, the Prince of Wales (later Edward VIII) took delivery of his first Rolls-Royce, a Barker Limousine, in 1919; he was a great enthusiast for the marque and owned no less than 10 examples including 20hp, Phantom I and Phantom II.
HRH the Prince Henry Duke of Gloucester,
HRH Princess Marina Duchess of Kent,
HRH Prince Michael of Kent and
HRH the Princess Alexandra of Kent
all owned and used Rolls-Royce cars on official duties.