A state coach, also known as a gala coach, is a highly decorative ceremonial coach used in Europe by a monarch or head of state on state occasions. A four-wheeled vehicle for four passengers, it may be drawn at a walk by six or more horses with postilions, or be driven by two or more horses. The term is also used to indicate a formal town coach used by nobility and the wealthy for formal occasions, drawn by a pair of matching horses.[1]: 154 [2]: 101, 102 

Northumberland State Coach (1826) for the Duke of Northumberland
A state chariot from Hanover

A state chariot, also called a gala chariot or dress chariot, is an elaborately decorated four-wheeled vehicle for two passengers for ceremonial occasions; often the front panel is replaced by a glass panel or windscreen.[1]: 44, 154 [2]: 85  The word chariot was used in England, and coupé in France.[3]: 95 

Overview

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The first state coach was built in the mid-1500s by Walter Rippon for the State Opening of Parliament,[4]: 72 [5]: 20  and most had been built by 1840.[2]: 102  State coaches are still used for royal weddings and other state ceremonial events.[4]

State coaches were built by the best coachbuilders with excellent craftsmanship and the finest finishes. Most state coaches have large glass windows so that their passengers can be seen by spectators. The interiors are trimmed in silks and the exteriors decorated with elaborate paintings, figures, coats of arms, gilt-work, and hammercloths. The coachman and footmen wear state livery and the horses are harnessed with ornate state harness.[4]: 255–6 

 
Typical grey coach horse, elaborate state harness and postilion rider wearing livery

The coachmen, footmen, and postilions on state coaches wore ornate livery to match the grandeur of the coaches themselves. ... dressed in appropriately ornate livery coats, richly embellished with gold cords and strappings, worn with silk knee breeches, silk stockings, buckled shoes, and a cocked hat.

— Thomas Ryder, Fashion on Wheels [3]: 94 

Many state coaches were constructed to be convertible. They can be driven by a coachman from a driver's seat in the front, usually covered by an elaborate hammercloth, or the seat can be removed and the carriage is guided by postilion riders and outriders. A carriage arranged for postilion may have "à la Daumont" appended to its name. "Daumont" is a corruption of the French d'Aumont from the 8th Duke of Aumont who preferred this manner of travel.[2]: 121 [1]: 62 

Early state coaches in England were drawn by cream-colored horses of Hanoverian blood. In the early 1920s they were replaced by black horses. Now, teams of grey horses are used for the Sovereign, and bay horses are used for other passengers.[4]: 97, 255–6 

Another type of state coach is the cardinal's coach, which was painted red and used by cardinals.[1]: 48 [2]: 97 

List of state coaches

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Image Name Built [a] State [b] Location Notes
  State Coach of Maria Francisca of Savoy, Queen of Portugal 1666 Portugal National Coach Museum
Lisbon
Brought from France by Maria Francisca of Savoy on the occasion of her wedding to Peter II of Portugal
  Swedish Coronation Coach 1696-1699, 1751 Sweden Livrustkammaren
Stockholm
Built in Paris for Charles XI, refurbished in 1751
  Speaker's State Coach 1698 United Kingdom Palace of Westminster
London
Built for William III
  State Coach of Maria Anna of Austria, Queen of Portugal 1708 Portugal National Coach Museum
Lisbon
Given by the Holy Roman Emperor to his sister Maria Anna of Austria on the occasion of her marriage to John V of Portugal
  State Coach of the Oceans 1716 Portugal National Coach Museum
Lisbon
Built in Rome for the Portuguese ambassador to the Holy See
  State Coach of the Coronation of Lisbon 1716 Portugal National Coach Museum
Lisbon
Built in Rome for the Portuguese ambassador to the Holy See
  State Coach of the Ambassador 1716 Portugal National Coach Museum
Lisbon
Built in Rome for the Portuguese ambassador to the Holy See
  State Coach of King John V 1720 (c.) Portugal National Coach Museum
Lisbon
Built in Portugal for John V of Portugal
  Imperial Coach 1735 Austria Imperial Carriage Museum
Vienna
Built for Charles VI
  Coronation coach of Emperor Charles VII 1742 Germany Marstallmuseum Nymphenburg
Munich
Built for Charles VII
  Lord Mayor of London's State Coach 1757 United Kingdom Museum of London
London
Built by Joseph Berry [5]: 145 
  Gold State Coach 1762 United Kingdom Royal Mews
London
Built for George III [2]: 100 
  The Crown Prince's State Coach 1763-68 Sweden Livrustkammaren
Stockholm
Built for crown prince Gustav
  The Queen's Brussels State Coach 1780 (c.) Sweden Livrustkammaren
Stockholm
Built by Simons in Brussels for Queen Sophia Magdalena of Sweden
  Coronation coach of King Maximilian I Joseph 1806 Germany Marstallmuseum Nymphenburg
Munich
Built for Maximilian I Joseph
  'Egiziana' State Coach 1819 Kingdom of Sardinia Quirinal Palace
Rome
Built in Turin after designs by Giacomo Pregliasco for Charles Felix of Sardinia
  State Coach for the Baptism of the Duke of Bordeaux 1821 France Galerie des Carrosses
Versailles
Built for the Baptism of the Duke of Bordeaux, redecorated 1852-53 for the wedding of Napoleon III
  'The Crown' State Coach 1824 Portugal National Coach Museum
Lisbon
Built in London for John VI
  Coronation Coach of Charles X 1825 France Galerie des Carrosses
Versailles
Completed for the coronation of Charles X of France
  'Gran Gala Berlin' State Coach of Pope Leo XII 1826 Vatican City Carriage Pavilion at the Vatican Museums
Vatican City
Built for Pope Leo XII, altered for Pope Gregory XVI[6]
  Glass Coach 1826 Netherlands Royal Stables
The Hague
Built by Simons in Brussels for William I
  Scottish State Coach 1830 United Kingdom Royal Mews
London
Built for Prince Adolphus
  Golden Coupé 1840 Denmark Royal Mews and Carriage Museum,
Christiansborg Palace

Copenhagen
Built for Christian VIII
  Coronation Coach of Pedro II of Brazil 1841 Empire of Brazil Imperial Museum of Brazil
Petrópolis
Built in London for the coronation of Emperor Pedro II of Brazil
  Irish State Coach 1851 United Kingdom Royal Mews
London
Built by Thomas Hutton, and later purchased by Queen Victoria.
Replicated by Barkers in 1911 when it was destroyed by fire at their shop [5]: 123 
  Napoleon III State Coach 1852 France Art & History Museum exhibited at Autoworld
Brussels
Built by Carrosserie Ehrler, Paris. Used at the wedding of Napoleon III
  Coronation Coach of Alexander II 1856 Russia Tsarskoye Selo State Museum
Saint Petersburg
Built by Christian Tatzki in St. Petersburg for the coronation of Alexander II of Russia
  Emperor Maximilian's State Coach 1864 Mexico Chapultepec Castle
Mexico City
Built by Cesare Scala in Milan for Maximilian I of Mexico
  Emperor Franz Joseph's State Coach 1865 Austria Imperial Carriage Museum
Vienna
Built by Carl Marius for Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria
  Queen Alexandra's State Coach 1865 United Kingdom Royal Mews
London
Built as a town coach, later converted to a state coach for Queen Alexandra
  New dress coach of Ludwig II 1870 Germany Marstallmuseum Nymphenburg
Munich
Built for Ludwig II of Bavaria [3]: 93–4 
  Glass Coach 1881 United Kingdom Royal Mews
London
Purchased by the Crown for the coronation of George V and Mary in 1911
  Cotillion Coach 1888 Denmark Royal Mews and Carriage Museum,
Christiansborg Palace

Copenhagen
Miniature coach for Christian IX
  Gran Carroza de Gala 1890 (c.) Chile Museo del Carmen de Maipú [es]
Santiago
Barouche built by Paris coachbuilder Million-Guiet for Chile president José Manuel Balmaceda[7][8]
  State Coach of the French Republic 1896 France National Car and Tourism Museum, Compiègne Built for the French President on the occasion of the State visit of Czar Nicholas II
  Golden Coach 1898 Netherlands Royal Stables
The Hague
Built for Queen Wilhelmina
  State Landau 1902 United Kingdom Royal Mews
London
Built by Hooper for Edward VII; drawn by 6 grey horses with three postilion riders [5]: 122 
  Australian State Coach 1988 United Kingdom Royal Mews
London
Built for Elizabeth II
  Diamond Jubilee State Coach 2010 United Kingdom Royal Mews
London
Built for Elizabeth II
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See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ Dates may be approximate, since some of the coaches took many years to complete, and others have scant records
  2. ^ 'State' is current owning nation-state; historical other countries may be listed under 'Notes'

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Smith, D.J.M. (1988). A Dictionary of Horse Drawn Vehicles. J. A. Allen & Co. Ltd. ISBN 0851314686. OL 11597864M.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Berkebile, Donald H. (1978). Carriage Terminology: An Historical Dictionary. Smithsonian Institution Scholarly Press. ISBN 9781935623434. OL 33342342M.
  3. ^ a b c Mackay-Smith, Alexander; Druesedow, Jean R.; Ryder, Thomas (1984). Man and the Horse: An Illustrated History of Equestrian Apparel. Metropolitan Museum of Art. ISBN 0870994115. OL 2859979M.
  4. ^ a b c d Walrond, Sallie (1979). The Encyclopaedia of Driving. Country Life Books. ISBN 0600331822. OL 4175648M.
  5. ^ a b c d Nockolds, Harold, ed. (1977). The Coachmakers: A History of the Worshipful Company of Coachmakers and Coach Harness Makers, 1677-1977. JA Allen. ISBN 0851312705. OL 26258137M.
  6. ^ "Grand Gala Berlin". Vatican Museum. Retrieved 29 July 2024.
  7. ^ Manrique, Jaimie (Spring 1978). "The State Coaches of the Republic of Chile". The Carriage Journal. 15: 373–375.373-375&rft.date=1978&rft.aulast=Manrique&rft.aufirst=Jaimie&rft_id=https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Carriage_Journal/HIU8DwAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=The%20Carriage%20Journal%3A%20Vol%2015%20No%204%20Spring%201978&pg=PA373&printsec=frontcover&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:State coach" class="Z3988">
  8. ^ "Carruajes". Museo del Carmen de Maipú.
  9. ^ "Berlinda da Casa Real" [Royal House Berlin]. National Coach Museum (Portugal) (in Portuguese). Retrieved 29 July 2024.

Further reading

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