When it comes to the world’s heads of state, the act of gifting extends beyond a simple gesture of gratitude or appreciation; it can be considered a symbol of mutual respect between one nation and another.
His Majesty The King Charles III is no exception. As the head of state for the United Kingdom and the 14 commonwealth nations, he regularly hosts visiting heads of state, meets the ambassadors of foreign nations, and carries out visits to other countries, prime opportunities for dignitaries and other important individuals to exchange gifts.
The King’s new Rolls-Royce
Throughout the year, the King and the rest of the Royal Family are presented with all kinds of gifts from members of the public and organizations, as well as from foreign dignitaries and other international heads of state.
Interestingly, officials at Buckingham Palace log every gift given to a member of the royal family. Recently, the Palace released the gift lists spanning from 2020 to 2023, which revealed the various gifts given to several members of the Royal Family, including King Charles, his mother, the late Queen Elizabeth, as well as Prince William and Princess Catherine.
Before and after his coronation on May 6, 2023, King Charles received a wide variety of gifts, including a “Leather folder containing printed letters between Queen Elizabeth II and President Eisenhower” from former President Biden, a bottle of Ararat Brandy from the President of Armenia, a watch from the President of South Korea, and even a special tea set from Royal Warrant holders Smythson of Bond Street.
However, one interesting gift from a foreign head of state stands out among the gifts given to the King to commemorate his coronation: a “Rolls-Royce Cullinan Series II motor car” given by the King of Bahrain, Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. According to Royal sources who spoke to The Times of London, the King’s new Rolls Royce, which retails at 330,000 pounds sterling (~$400,000), is being stored at the Royal Mews and is not intended to be used for personal use, but would be used during “major engagements” like state visits.
The Rolls-Royce Cullinan Series II is the BMW-backed ultra-luxury brand’s lone SUV offering. Configurable to seat up to five people in handcrafted luxury, the heavy Rolls is powered by a twin-turbo V12 producing 592 horsepower. Recently, the Cullinan got a new face defined new daytime running lights, as well as other interior refinements like new digital instruments, new choices of interor trim, and standard rear-wheel steering to aid maneuverability in packed city streets.
Related: Aston Martin Awarded Rare Royal Honor by King Charles III
His Majesty, the Petrolhead
Among monarchs, His Majesty, the King, is known for being quite the petrolhead, as he has amassed quite a collection of fine automobiles.
The brand with which he has been most closely associated is Aston Martin. In April, the supercar purveyor began displaying the Royal Warrant appointed by His Majesty, an honor well earned since he received a Seychelles Blue DB6 Volante Series II as a 21st birthday present from his mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II.
Recently, the King has been attempting to diversify his collection to include more alternative-fuel vehicles. To accommodate space next to his biofuel-powered DB6, King George was reported to have ordered a 600 horsepower electric Lotus Eletre SUV in May. Previously, he owned a 2018 Jaguar i-Pace, which sold at auction for £64,960 ($87,101) in 2024.
Final thoughts
Given the nature of the status of the King, the gift of a Rolls-Royce Cullinan perfectly fits a man who gets driven to most appearances by a chauffeur. However, I wonder if and when such a vehicle would be used. In recent images of the King, he is often seen being ferried around in electric cars, such as the Audi Q8 E-Tron and the BMW i7 sedan. I guess that’s just one of the benefits of being King.
