Used-car adverts usually lead with the spec sheet. This one leads with an exclamation mark. A dealer in Bawtry, on the edge of Doncaster, has a 2020 Bentley Flying Spur W12 whose headline reads “Ex Royal Family Car!”, and the internet has filled in the rest with the name of the King’s younger brother.
So here’s what the paperwork actually says, what it doesn’t, and what a buyer gets for the money beyond a good story at dinner parties.
What the dealer is actually claiming
Portland Autos’ own vehicle page describes the car this way:
- a 2020 (70-reg) Flying Spur 6.0 W12
- 7,029 miles
- two owners from new
- an “Ex British Royal Family car”
Notice what’s missing: a name. The listing never mentions Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. The family connection is the dealer’s claim, and the link to one specific family member comes from outside the advert entirely.
That distinction matters for value. A buyer paying extra for royal provenance should ask to see the V5C keeper history and any supporting documents before treating the story as fact. “The Royal Family” covers a lot of people, and even more household staff.
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There’s also the awkward question of whose provenance this is now. A Buckingham Palace statement said the King had begun formally removing Andrew’s style, titles and honours, and that he would be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor. If this car is his, its royal sparkle comes with an asterisk. Celebrity provenance usually adds value. Notoriety is a less predictable seasoning.
Price-watchers are out of luck, too. As of this writing, the listing shows “Reserved” where the asking price would normally sit.
The spec is the real story
Strip away the gossip and this is a properly loaded third-generation Flying Spur. The listing has it in Extended Range Barnato Green over a Linen and Cumbrian Green diamond-quilted cabin. The headline options:
- Mulliner Driving Specification with 22-inch polished wheels
- Touring Specification (head-up display, adaptive cruise and night vision)
- a Naim audio system
- Bentley’s Rotating Display, the dashboard party trick that swaps the screen for analog dials or bare veneer
- massage and ventilated seats front and rear
- Bentley Dynamic Ride with all-wheel steer
The dealer’s technical data lists 626 hp, 900 Nm of torque, 0–60 mph in 3.8 seconds and a 207-mph top speed. It also lists 19.1 mpg combined and 337 g/km of CO2, which is the car politely reminding you that 12 cylinders still drink like 12 cylinders.
Low miles, short warranty
At 7,029 miles over roughly six years, this car has averaged around 1,200 miles a year. That’s gentle use, but it isn’t a free pass. On a car this complex, time ages fluids, tires, batteries and air-suspension components regardless of the odometer. The listing mentions air suspension with continuous damping and four height settings, plus that all-wheel-steer chassis, so there’s plenty of hardware that dislikes sitting still.
The listing says the car comes with:
- 12 months of MOT
- six months of RAC Platinum Plus warranty
- 12 months of RAC roadside assistance
- two keys and a clear HPI check
What it doesn’t spell out is the service history. On a W12 flagship, that’s the first document to request.
For context, look at a similar car sold through Bentley’s own network. Bentley Leeds lists a 2020 Flying Spur W12 with 16,441 miles at £115,000. It comes with a complimentary 12-month, unlimited-mileage Certified by Bentley warranty, plus checks of the car against Bentley’s original build records. That’s double the warranty term and factory verification of the spec.
A buyer weighing the two is really asking how much “royal” is worth. Then they should ask how much a six-month third-party warranty is worth on a car whose electronics budget alone could fund a decent hatchback.
A tax quirk worth knowing
Here’s a detail most buyers won’t spot. UK vehicle tax rules for cars registered since April 2017 add a £440 annual surcharge for cars with a list price over £40,000, bringing the yearly bill to £640. Every Flying Spur clears that threshold by a country mile. But the surcharge only applies for five years, starting from the second time the car is taxed.
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A car first registered in 2020 should be at or near the end of that window. Check the exact date on the V5C. A buyer could soon be paying the standard £200 rate instead of £640, which won’t cover the fuel but is still a nice consolation.
The takeaway
This is a low-mileage, heavily optioned W12 Flying Spur with an unnamed royal past and a celebrity link nobody has put in writing. Value it as a Bentley first: get the service history, check the warranty terms, and confirm the keeper chain. Treat the family tree as a footnote until someone produces the paperwork.
Images Via: Portland Autos
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