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Duke of Edinburgh has taken over his father’s treasured car number plate
Famous registration is on display as he drives his family to pre-Christmas lunch at Windsor
The Duke of Edinburgh has taken on his late father’s treasured car number plate.
Prince Edward was pictured arriving at the Royal family’s annual pre-Christmas lunch on Wednesday at the wheel of a Range Rover bearing Prince Philip’s OXR1 plates.
The late Duke of Edinburgh used the registration for decades, first on a specially built 1954 Lagonda 3-litre drophead coupe which he retained until 1961.
The Lagonda was replaced with an Alvis TD21, which was later refurbished and put on display at the museum at Sandringham, complete with the same number plate.
The late Duke later drove a Land Rover Discovery with the number plate OXR 2.
His youngest son drove his wife, the Duchess of Edinburgh, and daughter Lady Louise to the family Christmas celebration at Windsor Castle on Wednesday.
Break with tradition
The King hosted the private event for the second consecutive year and again opted to break with tradition by choosing Windsor as the venue rather than Buckingham Palace.
The private feast of turkey with all the trimmings marked the biggest family reunion since the Coronation in May. The Prince and Princess of Wales, who live on the Windsor estate, are understood to have attended with their three children.
Others photographed arriving at or leaving the castle included the Princess Royal, accompanied by her husband, Vice Admiral Sir Tim Lawrence, the Duke of York, Princess Eugenie and her husband Jack Brooksbank, Zara and Mike Tindall and Prince and Princess Michael of Kent.
The Kents’ son, Lord Frederick Windsor, was at the lunch with his wife Sophie and their children, and Peter Phillips attended with his two daughters.
The Countess Mountbatten of Burma, Penny Romsey, a close friend of the late Duke of Edinburgh, was also invited.
At least 50 members of the extended family were at the festive lunch, sitting down for a Sandringham-bred turkey, followed by Christmas pudding, and accompanied by champagne and wines.
Crackers, jokes and hats
There are crackers, jokes and party hats, although the royal children usually dine separately with their nannies.
The lunch has traditionally been held at Buckingham Palace. It gave the late Queen a chance to catch up with members of her family who do not travel to Sandringham for Christmas.
The King’s decision to hold it instead at Windsor Castle was down to personal preference, it is understood.
The late Queen would always travel to Sandringham by train the following day, opting to remain there until Feb 6 – the anniversary of her accession.
While the King will follow in her footsteps in travelling to Sandringham, he will enjoy a much shorter break in Norfolk before getting back to work.