Prince Chula Chakrabongse’s
1960 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud II LWB

Knotty Nawadhinsukh Words by Knotty Nawadhinsukh
Interior appointments matched the dark blue exterior, right down to the carpets as per Prince Chula's specifications

U.K.’s top auctioneer, Coys of Kensington, will be holding a major sale at Chiswick House in West London on Saturday, 26th of May. One of the lots that will stand out among those on offer would undoubtedly be this 1960 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud II LWB, still in pristine, original condition.

 

The rear can hold 6 pieces of custom-made luggage set

The significance of this car lies in its provenance as it used to belong to His Royal Highness Prince Chula Chakrabongse of Siam (now Thailand). The prince was the car’s original owner when it was delivered new on June of 1960 via Jack Barclay of London.

Webasto sunroof option appears to offer an airy, glass house effect

The Silver Cloud II is powered by the then latest 6.2 Litre V8 engine and is equipped with all the additional options available at the time, which were the air conditioning, power steering and electric windows.  As per Prince Chula’s meticulous instructions, the long wheel based car was painted in dark blue with matching blue hide interior, including the piping and the carpets.

Standard Rolls-Royce bodies by the Sixties did not require the luxurious touches of outside coachbuilders like they used to previously

Other features that the prince had ordered specifically were the seat belts for all the seats (which was a rarity for 1960), a Webasto sunroof, a champagne bar and the 6 specially made suitcases in dark tan that would fit perfectly inside the rear trunk. Given the interesting character of such an elegant automobile as the Silver Cloud II itself as well as its historical importance, the auction estimate has been put at between £65,000 to £85,000.

All Photos provided by www.coys.co.uk