Irish State Coach

The Irish State Coach is an enclosed, four-horse-drawn carriage used by the British royal family.

The original Irish State Coach was built as a speculative venture in 1851 by John Hutton & Sons of Dublin, who held a Royal Warrant as coachbuilders to Queen Victoria.

Whilst there, in 1911, it was extensively damaged by fire (with only the metal framework left intact); however, Barkers completely reconstructed it to the original design in the space of nineteen weeks, in time for it to be used in the coronation procession.

In 1960 it was modified to enable it to be drawn using postilion-ridden horses, as an alternative to being driven by a coachman from the box seat.

Most recently, it was used by the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, as well as their children James, Earl of Wessex and Lady Louise Windsor, during the procession from Westminster Abbey to Buckingham Palace during the Coronation of Charles III and Camilla.