Prince Philip's Former Land Rover Defender Is Back on the Market After Less Than a Year

Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II had a long relationship with Land Rover. Not at all surprising since it’s a British marque, and the entire British Royal Family seems to have a preference for the manufacturer.

It all started with the late King George VI. He drove an early prototype of the off-roader back in 1948, the same year Land Rover was founded. Just a few years later, the brand received a Royal Warrant from the Monarch. The tradition continued with his daughter, who gave Land Rover the Queen's Award for Enterprise for outstanding contribution to international trade in 2001.

Throughout her life, Queen Elizabeth seemed to show a clear preference for the brand, with her ultimate favorite model being the Defender, and, throughout her life, is estimated to have owned around 30 vehicles from the marque.

Her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, also commonly known as Prince Philip, frequently drove Land Rover cars as well.

The brand was so special to the British Royal Family that the Duke of Edinburgh's coffin was carried by a bespoke model, a Land Rover Td5 Defender 130 Hearse.

The 2010 Land Rover Defender 110 County

Last summer, a Land Rover Defender that was first driven by the Duke of Edinburgh was for sale. It sold for £44,000 (approximately $53,262 at today's exchange rate) after 27 bids, so the interest was there.

But now the 4x4 off-roader is out there on the hunt for a new owner, less than a year after the most recent sale.

The brand built the Land Rover Defender 110 County to the Duke of Edinburgh's personal specifications, and the vehicle was registered it in 2010.

The previous owner had had the Defender for 11 years, but it looks like the lucky auction winner didn't find it a great fit. So, Silverstone Auction will be offering it up again for sale on February 25 at Stoneleigh Park, in the UK, during the Race Retro event.

Some of the Duke of Edinburgh's requests for this off-roader were a Keswick Green paint job, a black finish for the cabin, electric front windows, heated seats, air conditioning, and Land Rover seat covers.

The vehicle is described to be in "gleaming condition," and it has 15,623 miles (25,143 km) on the clock. That is just 164 mi (264 km) more than it had when bought over the summer.

The most recent service was carried out in May 2022 and the vehicle only presents small scuff marks.

The Defender 110 comes with a 2.4-liter turbocharged inline-four diesel. Rated at 120 horsepower (122 ps) and 266 lb-ft (360 Nm) of torque, the power unit is paired with a six-speed manual transmission and features right-hand drive.

The Duke of Edinburgh drove several other Land Rovers, including a Series I, a 1970s Range Rover, and a Land Rover Freelander. Besides the cars from the brand, he also had other British vehicles, an MG TC, an Aston Martin Lagonda, and an Alvis Series II Drophead.

Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth also owned mainly British models, including the first unit of Bentley's first-ever SUV, the Bentayga, a 1984 Daimler Double Six Series 3 Long-Wheelbase Saloon, and several Jaguars.

Other royal cars to buy

Late last year, another Land Rover Defender, a Series I from 1953, became available for sale. With a price guide of £100,000 – £150,000 (approximately $121,000 – $181,500 at current exchange rates), it did not find an owner, and it's also for sale at Silverstone Auctions during the Race Retro Classic and Competition Car Sale 2023, held on Saturday, February 25. Prince Philip, as well as Queen Mother, frequently drove it on the Balmoral Estate until 1966.

Besides these two Land Rovers, car enthusiasts also get a chance to own yet another royalty car - a 1942 Ford GPW Jeep that transported His Majesty King George VI and General Carl A. Spaatz, who was the Commander of Strategic Air Forces in Europe, during a visit to RAF Chelveston during WWII in 1942.

A 2013 Bentley Mulsanne that used to be part of the British Royal Family's fleet of official cars is also for sale. Hardly as used as the 2002 State Limousine, the car in question was used for Royal household duties. The British luxury car manufacturer built it for Queen Elizabeth's Diamond Jubilee in 2012 and is a special version of their top-of-the-line trim, the Mulsanne. Offered in "showroom condition," the model has 33,182 mi (53,401 km) on the clock.

This time, the price guide for Prince Philip's former Defender 110 sits between £50,000 - £70,000 (60,524 and 84,734), more than it fetched last summer.