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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Rosaleen Fenton

Touching moment 'Duke of Edinburgh's private joke' featured in the Queen's funeral

A famous number plate made a reappearance yesterday when three claret Range Rover's followed the state hearse to Windsor for the committal service.

The lead vehicle bore the registration MYT1 followed by MYT2 and MYT3.

It has long been rumoured that MYT1 was ordered by the Duke of Edinburgh in humour as a "tongue in cheek” joke, although there has never been an official clarification of its significance, reported The Telegraph.

The most common explanation for the plate is that it plays on the late Queen's official title: Most High, Most Mighty, and Most Excellent Monarch, Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of Her other Realms and Territories Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith, and Sovereign of the Most Noble Order of the Garter.

The licence plate was reportedly ordered by the Duke of Edinburgh (Getty Images)

One royal spotted the vehicle on social media, tweeting: "Only just twigged the number plate of the Range Rover following the #queensfuneral hearse. MYT1 (mighty one)!"

The number plate was first seen on a 1961 Vauxhall Cresta PA estate, and the Queen was photographed driving a young Prince Andrew in it in 1986.

The monarch also used the car for transporting her beloved corgis, with modifications made to include a dog guard, a gun rack for pheasant shoots and a fishing rod.

On Twitter, one royal watcher wrote: "I see “MYT1” has been transferred to the Range Rover (following the hearse) from the Queen’s white VW Transporter. MYT1 always made me chuckle when I saw it."

Another said: "A little earlier as #QueenElizabeth The Great approaches #BuckinghamPalace. I can't help but love the number plate of the armoured car behind - MYT1."

When the Queen turned 90, Vauxhall has unveiled a 'Royal Astra' to pay homage to the longest serving British Monarch.

From a retractable regal red carpet to a specially designed corgi booster seat, it was the perfect car for Queen Elizabeth II.

The Queen driving a Vauxhall in 'Balmoral Green', a colour reserved just for her (PA Archive/Press Association Images)

It also included a 'Corgis On Board' sign for the rear windscreen, a windscreenwiping waving hand, Union Jack cushions and a retractable red carpet and a 'Liz & Phil' front windscreen sun visor strip.

Her Majesty has been a Vauxhall owner for more than 50 years, all in Balmoral Green, a bespoke deep green colour not normally supplied by Vauxhall.

At the time Denis Chick, of Vauxhall Motors, said: "A few years back, a new Omega estate car for the Royal Family was being prepared by our sister company, Opel, in Germany.

"It all seemed to be going to plan until the car arrived in Luton. Sure it was sober and green on the outside - but the interior trim was a customised riot of gaudy colour.

"A telephone call was hastily made to Germany, asking them to explain the psychedelic seating and whether they knew this car was for the Queen.

"It transpired that the team at Opel were fitting the car for Queen the rock band and not Queen Elizabeth. The next day the car was duly dispatched back to Germany for a refit.

"Especially curated in time for Her Majesty's 90th, we've ensured that the next edition to the Royal fleet really is fit for a Queen".

You can leave your tributes to Queen Elizabeth II here

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