Royal carriage replica helps celebrate King's coronation in Ledbury

The wire frame coach had been part of Swansea’s celebrations for the Queen’s coronation in 1953.

And after years out of the limelight, it once again took centre stage at Ledbury’s coronation event on Monday, May 8.

Gill Romanowski and and Chris Lynch from Ledbury Flower Club decorated the carriage, which is modelled on the Gold State Coach used by King Charles III at the weekend.

The wire frame coach, and decorated for the weekend's celebrations (Image: Ledbury Flower Club)

But how did the replica, which originated in Swansea, end up in Ledbury in the first place?

Author Jennifer Davies, who lives just outside Ledbury, has the answer.

“Back in 2000 I wrote a book about the history of florists and visited florists all over the country,” she said.

“In Swansea, a lovely old fashioned and upmarket florist was closing down and the owner gave me this coach. They had it commissioned in 1953 for the Queen’s coronation as a replica of the coronation coach, for a parade in Swansea high street.

“Since then it’s lived in the barn - I don’t throw anything away.

“I’d popped into the Ledbury Town Council offices for a copy of the Neighbourhood Plan and happened to mention this coach.

“They came out the next day to look at it, said they were interested so I spent the next three or four days cleaning it and then bees-waxing it up.”

Jennifer said Gill and Chris had done a great job in getting it ready for Ledbury’s coronation celebrations.

A floral crown made by the club (Image: Ledbury Flower Club)

“I went into Ledbury to see it, which was lovely,” she said. “It’s spent 70 years waiting in the wings.”

As well as decorating the coach, six members of Ledbury Flower Club met to arrange floral crowns to celebrate National Flower Arranging Day and the coronation.

Their designs were displayed in shop windows ahead of the big day.