A Royal Mishap

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With the joy of the forthcoming Royal Wedding later this month there must be those who have pondered on what it would be like if, due to an unpredictable occurrence, a member of the Royal Family had to take shelter in one’s house or make use of one’s car. The latter happened back in 1929, when HM The Queen’s car broke down in London’s Albemarle Street. On that occasion a Mr. C.A. Harrison came to the rescue and drove Her Majesty to Buckingham Palace in his own car. The Autocar obtained a photograph, which shows that this was a high-chassis 2 1/2-litre or 3-litre (or even an early 4 1/2-litre) Invicta saloon. One wonders whether Mr. Harrison volunteered his services to the Sovereign or whether his car was flagged-down by the Police or an equerry, and whether the Royal car that broke down was one of the celebrated Daimlers or a lesser make.

Overcome by curiosity, we asked Brian Field, the Daimler historian, who wrote “The Daimler Tradition” and “Royal Daimlers”. He was unable to help, explaining that after owning more than 30 Daimlers he sold his last one, a straight-eight E4, some four years ago.

Reverting to the Royal mishap, somewhere there must be more about what happend, presumably in the newspapers of 52 years ago, or perhaps one of our readers remembers? – W.B.