Queen Elizabeth II was a longtime automotive enthusiast

Since driver's licenses, license plate, and passports were issued in her own name, Queen Elizabeth II didn't need them to drive and travel. She started combining the two just before she turned 19, joining the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS) transport division in 1945 for vehicle mechanic training. She wanted to help the British effort during World War II and would drive an ambulance — one that, theoretically, she could also fix if it broke down. The war ended before she graduated as an Honorary Junior Commander, the other ATS members dubbing her Princess Auto Mechanic.

We don’t know if she got under the hoods of the many official state vehicles and far more numerous unofficial fleet in the royal garages, but she was still driving herself around England as late as this year. Here is a tiny selection of royal conveyances used during her 70-year reign.

Gold State Coach (1762)

True, she never drove this one, but a tour of every royal garage should start with the coach. King George III commissioned Samuel Butler to build it in 1760. Butler spent two years on the gilded carriage 24 feet long and more than 12 feet high. The quarters are suspended from the frame by leather straps, so occupants get tossed about even during a slow stroll, which is as fast as the eight Windsor Gray horses can pull it. It wasn’t until the 1900s that King George VI rubberized the wooden wheels. Word is the queen didn’t like it.

1953 Land Rover Series 1

Land Rover gave Queen Elizabeth’s father, King George VI, the 100th example of the 80 Series off the line in 1948. She picked up the Landie habit for herself five years later, when a 1953 Series 1 with a custom 86-inch wheelbase was part of the fleet used for her six-month tour of the Commonwealth in 1953 and 1954. That Land Rover became Ceremonial Vehicle State IV. The models above were built in Australia in 1958 as near copies of the Commonwealth tour vehicle, when Australia decided it wanted six identical versions for royal service.

It’s thought the royal family went through around 30 Land Rover Series cars and Defenders since then, and many of the most common photos of her have her posing in or near one, especially the 2002 Defender built just for her. The royal family isn’t finished with them, either: A current Defender 110 served as a luggage hauler for family members headed to Balmoral Castle during the queen’s final days.

1954 Rolls-Royce Phantom IV State Landaulette

No one should be surprised that the English royal family enjoyed wares supplied by Rolls-Royce, and word is the queen did like her Spirit of Ecstasy cars. Rolls-Royce made less than 20 examples of the Rolls-Royce Phantom IV — Rolls-Royce built them exclusively for clients deemed worthy — and the queen owned two. A closed-roof limousine delivered on July 6, 1950 when she was still yet the Duchess of Edinburgh. Rolls-Royce built this open-backed Landaulet during its Jubilee Year in 1954, loaned to the royal family during the 1950s, the queen finally buying it in 1959 to serve as a state vehicle.

Other Rolls-Royces in the employ of the royal family included a 1960 Rolls-Royce Phantom V ‘High Roof’ State Limousine, a 1962 Rolls-Royce Phantom V used by the Queen Mother, a 1977 Rolls-Royce Phantom VI Limousine built for the queen’s Silver Jubilee, a 1985 Rolls-Royce ‘Centenary’ Silver Spur Saloon Princess Diana would use, a 1987 Phantom VI state limousine, and another Phantom IV that carried Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to their wedding.

Bonhams sold the 1954 Landaulette at auction in 2018 for £800,000 ($927,672 U.S.).

Bentley Arnage State Limousines

The last four decades of the 1900s were about Rolls-Royce, the 2000s have been all about Bentley. The Crewe firm built two Arnage State Limousines for the queen’s Golden Jubilee in 2002. They hide armor plating under their claret and black paintwork, they ride on puncture-resistant tires, and carry blue flashing lights as if the 20.5-foot length, SUV height, flags, and support vehicles weren’t enough to alert everyone where the queen is.

Although packing the same 6.75-liter V8 that was a Bentley staple for decades, the Arnage State Limousines stayed below 10 miles per hour when on official business.

Said to cost $11 million apiece, part of that money was spent on coachwork like the Perspex roof window with the retractable cover, Hield Lambswool Sateen cloth rear seats, and light gray Connolly leather elsewhere.