The Royal Mews at Buckingham Palace houses and preserves the horses, carriages, and cars used by the British royal family for official events. It is open to the public for a fee and includes historic carriages and modern vehicles. The Lord Chamberlain oversees the management of the staff, including vets, grooms, coachmen, and chauffeurs. The Gold State Coach is preserved for special occasions, and the horses used to pull the carriages are Cleveland Bays and Windsor Grays. The Royal Mews is open to visitors most days of the year, and different types of entrance tickets are available.
The Royal Mews is a part of Buckingham Palace in London, where the horses, carriages and automobiles of the British royal family are cared for and preserved. These forms of transportation are used for official royal and state events. This area of the famous property is a functioning part of the palace, but is open to the public for a fee to visit.
The modern version of the Royal Mews was born in 1760, in what was then called Buckingham House, when King George III moved many horses and carriages there. When his son George IV succeeded to the throne in 1820 after his father’s death, he renovated Buckingham House into a palace and the Royal Mews was enlarged. Every king and queen who has followed George IV has added their own touches to the Stables. Today it retains its historic charm while being updated with modern conveniences.
The responsibility for overseeing the Royal Mews falls with the office of the Lord Chamberlain. A Crown Equerry is appointed to manage the staff who look after the horses, carriages and motor cars. Staff members typically include vets, grooms, coachmen and chauffeurs.
A number of different horse-drawn carriages are preserved at the Royal Mews, including the ornate Gold State Coach which historically is only used for coronations, royal weddings and a monarch’s jubilee celebrations. The horses used to pull the carriages are Cleveland Bays and Windsor Grays. These animals live inside the stables and are regularly hitched to the carriages to practice pulling them. Horse-drawn carriages are still used to carry messages between different areas of Buckingham Palace.
Cars kept in the Royal Mews are official state vehicles. The personal cars of members of the royal family are kept in other places. Official vehicles are painted brown and have no number plates. There are several real vehicles maintained at the stables, including a Bentley® limousine, various Rolls-Royce® models and limousines manufactured by Daimler AG.
The Royal Mews is open to visitors most days of the year for a fee. Different types of entrance tickets are available. Visitors can choose to visit the Royal Mews only or combine a tour of the mews with visits to the State Rooms and Queen’s Gallery inside Buckingham Palace. The carriages and cars on display to the public vary throughout the year. The horses that pull the royal carriages can be seen by the public when not in training or in use for carriage.
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