Deborah Chan
The wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton was a grand affair, with the couple opting for a mix of modern and traditional elements. In a break from tradition, Kate chose to arrive at Westminster Abbey by car rather than a horse-drawn carriage, wanting a slightly lower-key arrival. The car in question was a Rolls-Royce Phantom VI, lent to the couple by Prince Charles, which had been damaged in student protests the previous year. After the ceremony, the newlyweds departed in an Aston Martin Volante, with William at the wheel, waving to well-wishers along The Mall.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Make and Model | Aston Martin Volante |
| Fuel | 85% bioethanol and 15% unleaded petrol |
| Driven by | Prince William |
| Driven from | Buckingham Palace |
| Driven to | Clarence House |
| Driven past | The Mall, Horse Guards Parade, Whitehall, and Parliament Square |
| Driven in | A convertible |
| Previous owner | Prince Charles |
| Previous use | Driven by Prince Charles on his birthday |
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What You'll Learn
The wedding car was lent to the couple by Prince Charles
The wedding car used by Prince William and Kate Middleton was lent to the couple by Prince Charles. The car, an Aston Martin Volante, was originally gifted to Prince Charles by the Queen on his 21st birthday. The car was used to drive the newlyweds from Buckingham Palace, with William at the wheel.
The car runs on a unique fuel blend, consisting of 85% bioethanol and 15% unleaded petrol. Prince Charles sought to make this change in 2008, asking Aston Martin to convert the car to run on bioethanol, a renewable energy source. The fuel is created by fermenting the sugar and starch components of plant byproducts.
The decision to use a car, rather than a traditional horse-drawn carriage, was made by Kate Middleton, who wanted a "slightly lower-key arrival" to Westminster Abbey, where the wedding ceremony was held. The car was also used to drive the couple back to Clarence House, where they temporarily had a London apartment.
The car chosen for the wedding had previously been damaged in student protests in 2010. The Rolls-Royce Phantom VI limousine, a gift to the Queen for her Silver Jubilee in 1977, was splattered with white paint and had a rear window cracked. The car was repaired in time for the wedding, with only minor damage reported.
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It was a 1977 Rolls-Royce Phantom VI
For their wedding, Prince William and Kate Middleton used an Aston Martin Volante, lent to them by Prince Charles. This car was unique in that it ran on a fuel blend made up of 85% bioethanol and 15% unleaded petrol. The bioethanol was produced by fermenting the sugar and starch components of plant byproducts.
While this was the car that the couple used after their wedding, it is unclear what car they used to arrive at the ceremony. Kate Middleton chose to arrive at Westminster Abbey by car, rather than by horse-drawn carriage, as she wanted a "slightly lower-key arrival". She travelled along The Mall, with the rest of the Royal Family following in cars from the Queen's fleet.
One of the cars in the Queen's fleet was a 1977 Rolls-Royce Phantom VI, which was given to Prince Charles on his 21st birthday by the Queen. This car was one of two Rolls-Royce Phantom VIs owned by the Queen up until her death in 2022. The other was a 1986 model. The Phantom VI was the last Rolls-Royce with a separate chassis and was produced from 1968 to 1990.
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The car was damaged during student protests
The car that was chosen to bring Kate Middleton and her father, Michael Middleton, to Westminster Abbey on her wedding day was a Rolls-Royce Phantom VI. This was the same car that was attacked by rioters and damaged during student protests the previous year. The car was a present to the monarch on her Silver Jubilee in 1977.
The Rolls-Royce Phantom VI was splattered with white paint and had a rear window cracked when Prince Charles and his wife, Camilla, were heading to the Royal Variety Performance in December. The car was being repaired for Kate and Prince William's wedding, with Crown Equerry Col Toby Browne insisting that the damage was minor and would be fixed in time for the wedding.
Kate Middleton chose to arrive at her wedding in a car rather than a horse-drawn carriage as she wanted a ""slightly lower-key arrival" while she was still Miss Middleton. She wanted the arrival to be "dignified and stately" and not a "royal procession in the traditional sense." This decision was also a compromise to allow for a cost-cutting and low-key journey to the church, as up to one million fans were expected to line the route.
After the ceremony, William and Kate paraded past crowds in an open-topped horse-drawn carriage, the 1902 State Landau, which was famously used by the Prince and Princess of Wales when they drove from St Paul's Cathedral to Buckingham Palace after their wedding. The newlyweds then drove away from Buckingham Palace in an Aston Martin Volante, which was lent to them by Prince Charles.
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The car runs on bioethanol and unleaded petrol
The wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton was a highly anticipated event, with many details being shared on Twitter. One such detail was the car that the couple would be using to leave the wedding venue, Buckingham Palace. The car was an Aston Martin Volante, lent to the couple by Prince Charles.
This car, gifted to Prince Charles by the Queen on his 21st birthday, has been with him for over five decades. In 2008, he decided to switch to a more sustainable fuel source, bioethanol, which is made by fermenting the sugar and starch components of plant byproducts. However, this decision was met with resistance from engineers who believed the car would be "ruined" with bioethanol fuel.
The car that Prince William drove away from the Palace in, with his new bride, ran on a blend of 85% bioethanol and 15% unleaded petrol. This unique fuel blend is certainly one of the most memorable details of the royal wedding.
The use of this fuel blend is a reflection of the royal family's efforts to be more environmentally conscious, especially when it comes to their methods of travel. While the car is usually associated with being fuelled by wine and cheese, the bioethanol-petrol blend is a more sustainable and renewable energy source.
The wedding car, an Aston Martin, has a long history with the royal family, having been with Prince Charles for decades. The use of this cherished car, along with the unique fuel blend, adds a personal and environmentally-conscious touch to the royal wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton.
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Kate Middleton chose to arrive by car instead of a horse-drawn carriage
Kate Middleton's decision to arrive by car was reportedly due to her desire for a "slightly lower-key arrival" while she was still Miss Middleton. A senior royal aide confirmed this, stating that the arrival would be "dignified and stately" but not a "royal procession in the traditional sense". This decision also served as a cost-cutting measure, as the car journey was more economical than a horse-drawn carriage.
The car chosen for the occasion was a Rolls-Royce Phantom VI limousine, which had been gifted to the Queen on her Silver Jubilee in 1977 and subsequently lent to Prince Charles on his 21st birthday. This car was special not only because of its royal associations but also because it had been damaged during student protests the previous year. The car was repaired in time for the wedding, with Crown Equerry Col Toby Browne assuring the public that the damage was minor and mainly cosmetic.
After the ceremony, the newlyweds departed from Buckingham Palace in an Aston Martin Volante, which runs on a unique fuel blend of 85% bioethanol and 15% unleaded petrol. This car was lent to the couple by Prince Charles, who has been driving the same car for over five decades. The car's license plate, "JU5T WED," added a whimsical touch to their departure as they waved to well-wishers.
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Frequently asked questions
Kate Middleton arrived at her wedding in a Rolls-Royce Phantom VI.
Kate Middleton chose to arrive at her wedding by car because she wanted a "slightly lower-key arrival" while she was "still Miss Middleton".
Kate Middleton and Prince William left their wedding in an Aston Martin Volante, lent to them by Prince Charles.
Prince Charles' Aston Martin runs on a fuel blend made up of 85% bioethanol and 15% unleaded petrol. The bioethanol is made by fermenting the sugar and starch components of plant byproducts.
