I'm restless, aching-and I can't pinpoint why. But when we arrive in Tokyo, my technique is off. Now I'm competing on a world stage for a gold medal. It is kept in the Royal Mews at Buckingham Palace, and can be viewed by the public when it is not in use.My diving trainer, Everett, has coached me all the way to the Olympics. The Gold State Coach was commissioned in 1760 for £7,562 - which today equates to about £2 million. How much did the Gold State Coach cost to make? It has been reported that Royal Mews staff strapped a hot water bottle under the seat, as the day was unseasonally cold and wet. It was famously used on her Coronation Day in 1953 to travel from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey, and to return. Queen Elizabeth II riding in the Gold State Coach from Buckingham Palace to St Paul's Cathedral for a service of thanksgiving to celebrate to her Golden Jubilee in 2002 (Image: Rebecca Naden/PA Wire) The Gold State Coach is seven metres long, 3.6 metres tall and weighs a whopping four tonnes.

Inside, the coach is lined and upholstered with velvet and satin. On the roof, there are three cherub sculptures, and above each wheel there is a huge triton figure. The side panels feature paintings of Roman gods and goddesses. It’s actually made of giltwood, which is wood covered with a thin layer of gold leaf. Is the Gold State Coach made of solid gold? Here’s everything you need to know about the glittering wagon - including how much it cost, what it’s made from and how it will be used on the day. William IV, the first monarch to use the coach at a coronation, likened his journey to “being aboard a ship tossing in a rough sea”.ĭespite the previous monarchs’ dislike for the carriage, it remains an important spectacle in proceedings and holds a rich history. She famously described the bumpy experience as “horrible”. READ MORE: King's coronation day-by-day timetable and schedule for the bank holiday weekendĬharles’ mother, Queen Elizabeth II, used the Gold State Coach during both her outward and return processions during her coronation in 1953, which saw her take a much longer five-mile route back to the palace. On the way to the venue, they have opted to use the modern, more comfortable, Diamond Jubilee State Coach. Only a sovereign and their consort are permitted to travel in the historic carriage.Ĭharles and Camilla will use it for the first time on their journey back through central London to Buckingham Palace after being crowned at the abbey. The grand wagon, named the Gold State Coach, has been used during special royal occasions for decades, including at every single coronation of a monarch since 1831. The newly crowned King and Queen will make their way back to Buckingham Palace in a 260-year-old golden coach following the coronation service at Westminster Abbey on Saturday, May 6.

Coach's Daughter by Jessa Kane