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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.

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. The word chariot was used in England, and coupé in France.

Overview

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

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.

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

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.

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.

Another type of state coach is the cardinal's coach, which was painted red and used by cardinals.

List of state coaches

Image	Name	Built	State	Location	Notes
	Bridal Coach	1560-1561	Germany	Veste Coburg Coburg	Golden bridal coach of Dorothea of Denmark reused for the 1599 wedding of her daughter Margaret with Duke John Casimir
	Bridal Coach	1586	Germany	Veste Coburg Coburg	Golden bridal coach built for the 1586 wedding of Anna of Saxony with Duke John Casimir
	Golden Coach for the Imperial Embassy to Pope Urban VIII	1638	Czech Republic	Český Krumlov Castle Český Krumlov	Built in Rome for Johan Anton I von Eggenberg, Imperial ambassador to the Holy See
	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
	Gold State Coach	1762	United Kingdom	Royal Mews London	Built for George III
	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	Italy	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
	Glass Coach	1826	Netherlands	Royal Stables The Hague	Built by Simons in Brussels for William I
	State Coach of the Royal Crown	1829-33	Spain	Royal Collections Gallery Madrid	Built in Madrid by Julián González for Ferdinand VII
	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	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
	Napoleon III State Coach	1852	Belgium	Art & History Museum exhibited at Autoworld Brussels	Built by Ehrler in Paris for Napoleon III Used at the Baptism of Louis-Napoléon, Prince Imperial
	State Coach 'Louise-Marie'	1855 (c.)	Belgium	Art & History Museum exhibited at the Palace of Laeken Brussels	Built by Jones Frères in Brussels for King Leopold I of Belgium
	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
	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
	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 by Spyker as a gift from the people of Amsterdam to Queen Wilhelmina
	'Cream Calèche'	1898	Netherlands	Royal Stables The Hague	Built by Hermans & Co in The Hague for Queen Emma as a gift to her daughter 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
	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

Gallery

• A sampling of the variety of state coaches and chariots
• 18th century Berlin from France
• 1729 gala coupé, Royal House of Portugal

See also

• Gold coach
• Canadian State Landau
• Japan state carriages (Simple Misplaced Pages, Japanese Misplaced Pages)

Notes

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

1. ^ Smith, D.J.M. (1988). A Dictionary of Horse Drawn Vehicles. J. A. Allen & Co. Ltd. ISBN 0851314686. OL 11597864M.
2. ^ Berkebile, Donald H. (1978). Carriage Terminology: An Historical Dictionary. Smithsonian Institution Scholarly Press. ISBN 9781935623434. OL 33342342M.
3. ^ 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. ^ Walrond, Sallie (1979). The Encyclopaedia of Driving. Country Life Books. ISBN 0600331822. OL 4175648M.
5. ^ 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.
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

• Damase, Jacques (1968). Carriages. G. P. Putnam's Sons. OL 5604950M.

v t e Royal state coaches of the British monarch
1902 State Landau Australian State Coach Diamond Jubilee State Coach Glass Coach Gold State Coach Irish State Coach Lord Mayor of London's State Coach Queen Alexandra's State Coach Scottish State Coach Speaker's State Coach

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