The association of Land Rovers with people across a wide range of class barriers and lifestyles is well known. From humble farmers using them in their fields to the royal family getting about their estates and even parading in them on overseas tours, they are a vehicle for everyone.
Nonetheless, the endorsement from royalty is a major feather in the cap for the British manufacturer and a reason many invest in used Land Rover engines to help restore and maintain these wonderful and iconic vehicles.
In a feature on Land Rover following the news that exports to the US would be suspended in the wake of Donald Trump’s 25 per cent tariff, the Birmingham Mail published a series of images showing just how widespread the popularity of the vehicles is among the rich and famous.
Of course, the royals featured heavily in the montage, with Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip always at home behind the wheel along with King Charles, William and Kate and also Megan and Harry (proving there is at least one thing they can agree on). Still, there were many more famous faces too.
There were car fanatics like former Top Gear presenters Richard Hammond and Jeremy Clarkson, Kit Harrington and Rose Leslie using a Land Rover as their wedding car in 2018, singer Ronan Keating with the 3,000,000th Land Rover to roll off the production line in Solihull in 2001 and Victoria Beckham helping launch the Land Rover Evoque in 2010.
Add in Ellie Goulding, Joanna Lumley, explorer Ranulph Fiennes and Sir Winston Churchill with a Series 1 and the list of celebrities is both long and illustrious.
Of course, the royal tag still adds a certain premium for collectors at auction – a recent case in point being the £67,000 price a 2010 Defender 90 once owned by King Charles commanded at a vintage vehicles sale last month.
Perhaps the King can tell Donald Trump about it when he comes over for his state visit, as well as why American celebrities will be missing out.