Princess Leonor has sworn in today the Constitution as heir to the Crown. The historic institutional event, which coincides with the coming of age of the first-born of the Kings of Spain, took place in the Congress of Deputies, where the Princess of Asturias arrived in a luxurious Rolls-Royce from the La Zarzuela palace.
Leonor was sitting in the back seat of a Rolls-Royce Phantom IV accompanied by her sister, Infanta Sofía. Her parents, Kings Felipe and Letizia, preceded them in another car of the same model. Both vehicles were escorted by the motorcycle section of the Royal Guard, and in their last section, by the Royal Escort Squadron, amid great expectation.
The luxurious Rolls-Royce of the royal entourage added a touch of solemnity and elegance to the event, since they are two historical examples that the Kings use on very special occasions. The last time King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia boarded the Phantom IV was on October 12, Columbus Day, to attend the Armed Forces parade in the center of Madrid.
The two Rolls-Royce Phantom IVs that today took Princess Leonor and Infanta Sofía and Kings Felipe and Letizia to the Congress of Deputies are part of the State's fleet. It is made up of nearly fifty vehicles and, according to RACE data, 55 people, including military and civilians. The two cars of British origin are considered, without a doubt, the jewels in the crown.
The Phantom IV model is possibly Rolls-Royce's most exclusive car. It is intended only for members of royal houses and heads of state and there are very few in the world. Four of these examples are found in Spain: three belong to the State, and a fourth is part of the extensive automobile collection of Miguel de la Vía, in the Torre Loizaga Museum (Bizkaia).
The three Rolls-Royce Phantom IVs that the National Heritage guards usually remain in the garages of the El Pardo Palace. One of the cars is convertible, but not the models that this morning transported the royal family from La Zarzuela to the Congress of Deputies. The model in which Princess Leonor and Infanta Sofía were traveling has part of the transparent roof.
The three State-owned Phantom IVs arrived in Spain in 1952, four years after General Franco had authorized their acquisition. The three are part of a limited production of 18 copies intended exclusively for high dignitaries. Of these models, only 16 remain, three of which were built in convertible form, including those that arrived in our country, reports Servimedia.
All of these cars were custom-built by different craftsmen, so each piece is a unique example. In the case of the Spanish vehicles, the two sedans and the convertible were the work of the British firm H. J. Mulliner.
In terms of performance, all three cars have an identical 5,665 cubic centimeter in-line eight-cylinder engine that develops a power of 160 horsepower.
As a curiosity, it is relevant to note that in this exclusive series of the Phantom IV, the brand's iconic statuette, which is generally found in an upright position, adopts a kneeling pose and a slight inclination forward. This unique feature symbolizes a gesture of reverence towards the distinguished passengers who usually occupy these elite vehicles.
