The Glass Coach was built for King Willem I in 1826 by P. Simons of Brussels. Its relatively plain dark-blue bodywork is offset by a decorative border featuring gilded laurel and oak leaves.
The coach has seven windows of cut glass, and owes its name to the glass protecting the decorative border. The interior is upholstered in purple velvet, with sprung-cushioned seating and a white silk canopy. After a two-year period of preliminary historical research, the Glass Coach was restored between 2010 and 2015.
Use
The Glass Coach is only used on special occasions, like the weddings of Princess Juliana and Prince Bernhard, and Princess Beatrix and Prince Claus. It is kept in the coach house of the Royal Stables.
Since restoration work began on the Golden Coach in 2016, King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima have driven to the State Opening of Parliament in the Glass Coach, except in 2020 and 2021, during the coronavirus pandemic, when they travelled by car.
Restoration of the Golden Coach was completed in 2021. In a video message on 13 January 2022, King Willem-Alexander announced his decision to stop using the Golden Coach.