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Prince Philip had a lifelong love for Land Rovers.

So much so that he even spent a good amount of time in his later years designing and re-shaping a Land Rover Defender to carry him for his funeral.

The Duke of Edinburgh had been quietly modifying the Land Rover Defender TD5 130 for 18 years, making the final adjustments two years before his death.

He had requested a repaint in military green, as a nod to his deep relationship with the military, as well as designing the open-top rear and making special “stops” to secure his coffin in place.

It has just been revealed, ahead of his funeral service tomorrow.

Here’s a nifty illustration of the vehicle and all its trimmings from The Telegraph:

Image: The Telegraph

The sturdy, utilitarian vehicle stands as a “showcase for his practical nature and his passion for functional design and engineering”.

The British Royal family has had a long-standing relationship with Land Rover (as early as the company’s foundation in the late 1940s), with many members driving the brand’s vehicles throughout the years.

There’s no need to mention names, but there was even a royal crash in a Land Rover Freelander back in 2019.

Jaguar Land Rover’s chief executive, Thierry Bollore, hailed Prince Philip’s “impressive knowledge and deep interest in vehicle design, engineering, and manufacturing”.

“We are deeply privileged to have enjoyed a very long and happy association with the Duke of Edinburgh over many decades,” he said. “We are also honoured that the Land Rover which the Duke designed will be used at the funeral on Saturday”.

The Defender was made at Land Rover’s factory in Solihull in 2003, which is when Prince Philip began his collaboration with Land Rover to re-create it.

Eighteen years later, the Land Rover will be used to carry the Duke in a slow procession from the State Entrance of Windsor Castle through the grounds to the West Steps of St George’s Chapel, followed by the Prince of Wales and other members of the Royal family on foot.

The vehicle will also be flanked by pallbearers reflecting the Duke’s special relationships with the military, the Royal Marines, Regiments, Corps, and Air Stations.

Here’s a video showcasing more of the Land Rover, too:

When discussing plans for the funeral, he was said to have remarked to the Queen:

“Just stick me in the back of a Land Rover and drive me to Windsor.”

Prince Philip didn’t want an over the top funeral, just a last ride in his favourite car.

[source:thetelegraph]