A 2018 Jaguar i-Pace originally bought by His Majesty King Charles will soon be going under the gavel at Historics Auctioneers.
The top-spec EV400 HSE is reportedly the only i-Pace to be painted Loire Blue, while the cabin is trimmed, appropriately, in Light Oyster Windsor leather and cost £60,000 when new.
Well-known for his environmental conscience Charles has previously converted an Aston Martin to run on bio-fuel, but the Jag was his first electric car.
It wasn’t, however, the first EV to feature in the Royal Family garage. At the turn of the 20th century the Royals were remarkably carbon-neutral, with Queen Alexandra owning a 1901 Columbia, which was capable of achieving 40 miles on a charge. “Her Majesty is delighted with the ease and simplicity of control and manipulation,” said The Autocar at the time.
That car is now on display at the National Motor Museum in Beaulieu, and unlikely to hit the road again.
Meanwhile, the King’s EV has seen plenty of use. Charles drove it for some 3,000 miles before returning it to Jaguar in 2020, after which it was sold on through Jaguar North Oxford.
The current owner, Karen French of Bampton, had no idea of its royal provenance when she bought the car and it didn’t stop her from covering an additional 30,000 miles.
“This I-Pace was exactly what I was looking for and pretty much on my doorstep,” she said. “It was only when I agreed to buy it that I discovered its extraordinary history – I was absolutely thrilled.”
She will, no doubt, be even more thrilled if the car achieves its estimate of £55,000-£70,000 when it goes to auction at Ascot Racecourse, where royal fans also have the chance to bid on a 2003 Bentley Arnage R that was bought new by Princess Anne. At £26,000-£32,000 it’s less than half the price of he King’s Jag as well!
