Explore the Royal Mews and discover coaches, horses and carriages at one of the finest working stables in existence. These are some of the things to see and do during your visit you shouldn't miss.
The Gold State Coach is the grandest coach at the Royal Mews. At 260 years old it has been used at every coronation since that of William IV. Queen Elizabeth II used it to travel on her Coronation Day in 1953, it appeared as part of the Platinum Jubilee Pageant in celebration of her seventy-year reign, and most recently at the Coronation of King Charles III in 2023.
The huge coach is seven metres long, 3.6 metres tall, weighs four tonnes, and needs eight horses to draw it. It features magnificent painted panels of Roman gods and goddesses, rich gilded sculptures including three cherubs on the roof representing England, Scotland, and Ireland, and four massive triton figures above each wheel.
Look out for a horse or two during your visit to the Mews. There are 2 types of horses used to pull the carriages at the Mews: Windsor Greys and Cleveland Bays.
Windsor Greys
Windsor Greys draw the carriages in which the monarch, other members of the Royal Family and guests travel. They're so called because they used to be kept at Windsor in Victorian times, where they drew the private carriages of the Royal Family. Windsor Greys are at least 16.1 hands (1.65m) high at the withers (the point on a horse's neck where the mane begins to grow) and are chosen for their steady temperament and stamina.
Cleveland Bays
These horses are used to pick up high commissioners and ambassadors presenting their credentials to the monarch, for other day-to-day activities, and as workhorses.
Built to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee, this is the newest coach at the Mews and was first used at the State Opening of Parliament on 4 June 2014. The coach is over 5m long, weighs over 3 tonnes and needs 6 horses to pull it. The coach has only ever conveyed the sovereign and was used during the Coronation of King Charles III in 2023.
Built in Australia, the Diamond Jubilee State Coach combines traditional craftsmanship and modern technology: it has an aluminium body and is prevented from swaying by six hydraulic stabilisers.
The gilded frieze around the top of the coach features the national emblems of the rose of England, thistle of Scotland, flax of Ireland and leek of Wales.
The interior wooden panels of the coach are made from objects donated by over 100 historic sites and organisations from across Britain. The seat handrails are from the Royal Yacht Britannia, and the window frames and interior panels include samples of woods, metals and other materials from:
- Balmoral Castle
- Blenheim Palace
- Caernarfon Castle
- Canterbury Cathedral
- Chatsworth House
- Edinburgh Castle
- Hampton Court Palace
- Kensington Palace
- Osborne House
- Stirling Castle
- St Paul’s Cathedral
- The Mary Rose (Henry VIII's flagship)
- The Palace of Holyroodhouse
- The Palace of Westminster
- The Royal Pavilion, Brighton
- The White House at Kew
- Tower of London
- Westminster Abbey
- Windsor Castle
- 10 Downing Street
- The Antarctic bases of Captain Scott and Sir Ernest Shackleton.
Also included is
- a piece of a Battle of Britain Spitfire, a Hawker Hurricane, and an Avro Lancaster from 617 Squadron (the Dambusters)
- a .75 British musket ball from the Battle of Waterloo
- digital copies of Magna Carta and Domesday Book
The gilded crown on the top of the coach, carved from oak from HMS Victory, can hold a camera to film journeys.
Imagine stepping into a royal carriage, sitting down and practicing your regal waving just as Queen Victoria did in 1897. In the Royal Mews State Stable you can experience this with our replica Semi-State Landau.
The Semi State Landau was popular with Queen Victoria, who frequently used them on ceremonial occasions, including for the Diamond Jubilee Thanksgiving Service at St Paul's Cathedral on 22 June 1897. The reproduction landau is decorated in a royal carriage livery and is a perfect photo opportunity. Share your pictures with us on Twitter or Instagram.
During your visit you can see the livery worn by The King's coachmen. Different liveries are used for different occasions. Apart from a few small details, the livery remains much the same as it was in Victorian times, and some of the tailors who produce today's livery are the same companies used during the reign of George III.
In the State Stables, you can dress up as a footman in specially-created livery for children and adults.
Leather harnesses are used to connect the horses to the carriage which they are pulling. In the State Stables children can have a go at tacking up a wooden pony to get it ready to pull a carriage.
You can take a 45-minute guided tour of the Royal Mews with our Wardens. Learn details about the historic carriages and modern cars, and hear about the work needed to prepare for major State and ceremonial occasions.
Tours take place daily at 10:15, 11:00, 12:00, 13:00, 14:00, 15:00 and 16:00. The meeting point is directly opposite the stables.
We also offer special family tours on some Saturdays and Sundays at 11:30 and 13:30.
Tours are subject to availability.