Chris Evans donates Queen’s Jaguar as Red Nose Day prize

A Jaguar previously owned and driven by the Queen has been donated by Chris Evans’ CarFest as a prize for Red Nose Day.

The 2009 Jaguar X-Type estate was first owned by the late monarch, with its original vehicle handbook confirming its registration as PYN 1F, belonging to the Queen.

She was widely photographed using the car, including at Windsor Castle.

Finished in emerald fire green paintwork with a barley-coloured leather interior, the car also comes with a Jaguar Heritage Trust certificate confirming its authenticity.

The Jaguar has been donated by current owner, radio DJ and presenter Chris Evans, who runs the CarFest motoring event, as a competition prize for Comic Relief’s Red Nose Day.

Evans said: “I’m so grateful CarFest is able to support Comic Relief and I’m thrilled that we are able to donate this very special historic car, and so pleased to be able to share it with another enthusiast, especially for such an important cause.”

The 2009 Jaguar, which has covered around 73,000 miles, was sold at auction in November 2022 by Historics for £43,000 – more than four times what an example without its provenance would go for.

Samir Patel, chief executive of Comic Relief, said: “We are enormously grateful to Chris Evans and CarFest for this generous donation for Red Nose Day – this truly is a prize like no other we have ever been able to offer our supporters.

“This is an extraordinary opportunity to own a real piece of history and will be such a special prize for the lucky winner.”

CarFest is the brainchild of Chris Evans, a huge car enthusiast. It takes place on the last weekend of August at Laverstoke Park Farm near Basingstoke, Hampshire.

The prize draw is now open, with entries set to close on March 31.