By George...
Mercedes-Benz S-Class sedans. His personal favorite is reportedly a blue Mini that was his first car.
The Sultan of Brunei can identify with him, favoring a Rolls Royce Phantom VI. On non-ceremonial occasions he personally drives a black Mercedes ML55 AMG or Maybach 62, with accompanying BMW5 Series and Lexus LX cars—as the bodyguard cars. Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah is one of the world’s most enthusiastic car collectors, reportedly owning several thousand luxury cars.
King Philippe of Belgium uses a Mercedes-Benz S-Class with the number plate 1, while the King of Bhutan has switched from a Toyota Land Cruiser to a Range Rover. In Denmark, Queen Margrethe II uses a 1958 Rolls Royce Silver Wraith seven-seater dubbed the “Store Krone” (Great Crown). The Grand Duke of Luxembourg uses an Audi A8, a Daimler DS420 and a Bentley Mulsanne.
Other royalty are loyal to their country’s products. The King of Sweden’s official car is a stretched Volvo S80, with the security service relegated to what are depicted as “inferior” cars: BMWX5, 5 Series and Mercedes E-Class. The Dutch royal family also uses Volvo S80s, both King Willem Alexander and the former Queen Beatrix. Like President Obama, heads of state visiting the Netherlands are chauffeured in an armored Cadillac DTS. Dutch carriage maker Spijker, later Spyker, has supplied a royal limousine—a golden carriage still used on special occasions.
Meanwhile, in Japan, the Emperor and Empress ride in a customized Toyota Century Royal, a one-off car reportedly costing $500,000. The bulletproof limousine stretches 6.1 meters long and 2 meters wide.
Thailand’s King Bhumibol Adulyadej travels using a Maybach 62 limousine, with the police in Mercedes S-Class and BMW5 Series. He also owns a Rolls Royce Phantom VI and Silver Spur. Queen Sirikit favors a Cadillac DTS and Fleetwood.
All these kings and queens, dukes and duchesses, emperors and empresses, would do well to follow the advice of one other absolute ruler, Pope Francis. The former Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio recently asked the faithful to shun materialism and focus instead on the poor, those who are suffering, and the outcasts of society. He leads by example, replacing former luxury conveyances with a humble previous-model Ford Focus hatchback.