THEAND DAIMLERS THE DUKE
With the recent passing of the Duke of Edinburgh, it is timely to remember his first visit to New Zealand and the magnificent Daimler cars built especially for the Royal Tour… WORDS JOHN STOKES
At 10am on Wednesday 23 December 1953 the Royal Yacht SS Gothic berthed at Auckland’s Central Wharf. Aboard were Her Majesty The Queen and His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh. When the newly-crowned Queen Elizabeth II stepped ashore, it was the first time that a reigning monarch had set foot in New Zealand. Steps behind her – as he would be for the next 68 years - was her royal consort, Prince Philip. So began the 39-day royal tour of New Zealand. In spite of the rain that day, thousands lined Queen Street to welcome the royal couple as they drove by to a civic reception at Auckland Town Hall. The car in which they travelled was one of six Royal Daimlers purchased specially for a royal tour – but not this royal tour. Five years earlier, in March 1948, it had been announced that King George VI and the Queen were to visit the South Pacific, including New Zealand and Australia in March the following year. It was proposed that Daimler cars should play a leading role in the tour transportation plan for both New Zealand and Australia. The relationship between British royalty and Daimler had its beginnings in 1897 when the first English-built Daimler was demonstrated to the Royal Family. In 1900 the first royal Daimler, a 6hp car, was delivered to HRH The Prince of Wales at Sandringham. At this point the Prince became an ‘automobilist’ – a great coup for the Daimler company. Following the death of Queen Victoria the Prince became King, more Daimlers were purchased and the Daimler company could claim “By Appointment to HM The King”. So began the royal Daimler tradition.
18 Beaded Wheels
