Speaker’s coach risks being cancelled over ancient slavery links
A 325-YEAR-OLD carriage that ferried top MPS to royal events has been singled out by a Parliamentary artworks review because it features a carving of Roman slaves.
The Speaker’s State Coach, used at celebrations including the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, was identified by an audit as being linked to the slave trade. It is one of 343 items identified as part of the sweeping exercise, which may see descriptions of items updated to “ensure accuracy within Parliament’s collections”.
Conservative MPS have raised fears that it may lead to historical artefacts being locked away to avoid offending audiences, though officials have denied that will be the case.
The review, carried out by the Speaker’s Advisory Committee on Works of Art, listed the Speaker’s carriage under the description “depicts enslaved people”. That refers to a carving on the rear of the coach which shows King William III and Mary II, for whom it was built, alongside the figure of Britannia.
They are accompanied by a group of people who, given the classic styling of the coach and the scene displayed, are thought to represent Roman slaves.
The ornate golden coach was built in 1698 for King William III, before being passed on to Parliament by his successor Queen Anne. It was used by the Speaker of the Commons for travel to important events, including the coronation of Elizabeth II in 1953.
The carriage’s last public outing was for the wedding of then Prince Charles to Diana in 1981, after which it was retired from official use.
It was put on public display in London before being restored and is on loan to Arlington Court in Devon.