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The Austin Princess is a series of large luxury cars that were made by Austin and its subsidiary Vanden Plas from 1947 to 1968.

The Princess name was also used as follows:

• From October 1959 the name Princess was used on a deluxe version of BMC's full-sized executive cars badged as an Austin Westminster, Vanden Plas Princess and Wolseley 6/99-6/110
• From October 1962 Princess was used on a deluxe version of the Austin/Morris 1300.

• Austin Princess, Princess and Vanden Plas Princess Long Wheelbase Limousine (or Saloon)

  Austin Princess Princess Vanden Plas Princess Long Wheelbase Limousine (or Saloon)
  Overview
  Production	1952–1968
  Powertrain
  Engine	3995 cc 6-cylinder overhead-valve
  Dimensions
  Wheelbase	132 in (3,353 mm)(long-wheelbase)
  Length	215 in (5,461 mm)(long-wheelbase)
  Width	73 in (1,854 mm)
  Height	70 in (1,778 mm)

  The Austin A135 Princess Long Wheelbase Saloon (DS6) and Limousine (DM4) were introduced in 1952. The automatic transmission and power steering from Princess IV were fitted from 1956. The marque name was changed from Austin to Princess in August 1957, and then to Vanden Plas from July 1960. The long wheelbase models continued to be built by hand in limited numbers as the Vanden Plas 4-Litre Princess Limousine, until 1968. All now being parts of British Leyland, the Jaguar Mark X-based Daimler DS420 was initially produced at the Vanden Plas works in Kingsbury, North London then replaced the Vanden Plas Princess within the new, slightly rationalised range. This had been foreseen in 1966 when British Motor Holdings (BMH) had brought BMC and Jaguar together, and stopped development at Vanden Plas of the potential successor car. The limousine was luxuriously appointed with lots of polished wood, optional mohair rugs and radio with controls in the armrest. Among the long list of available extras were monograms and a flagstaff. The driving compartment was separated from the rear of the car by a division with an optional telephone for the passengers to communicate with the driver. The driving seat was finished in leather but the rear seats were trimmed in cloth, the usual arrangement on many luxury cars of the time. Though not as durable as leather, cloth was considered kinder to passengers' clothes. To increase seating capacity two occasional seats could be folded out of the floor.

  The car had independent coil suspension at the front with semi elliptic leaf springs and anti roll bar at the rear. The cam and peg type steering gear had optional power assistance.

  An Austin A135 Princess Long-wheelbase Limousine tested by The Motor magazine in 1953 had a top speed of 79 mph (127 km/h) and could accelerate from 0-60 mph (97 km/h) in 23.3 seconds. A fuel consumption of 15.1 miles per imperial gallon (18.7 L/100 km; 12.6 mpg_‑US) was recorded. The test car cost £2480 including taxes.

  An automatic Limousine was tested by the British magazine The Motor in 1962 and had a top speed of 86.2 mph (138.7 km/h) and could accelerate from 0-60 mph (97 km/h) in 23.5 seconds. A fuel consumption of 15.8 miles per imperial gallon (17.9 L/100 km; 13.2 mpg_‑US) was recorded. The test car cost £3,473 including taxes.

  from the sign in the photograph:
  "Delivered to the Royal Mews in 1972 this car was one of the last ever Princesses. Although they went out of production in 1969 two were kept aside, as an alternative to the vastly more expensive Daimler limousines, for the use of junior members of the royal family on official engagements. For this purpose they were repainted in Royal Colours (royal claret over black)

  In March 1974 this vehicle was returning Princess Anne to Buckingham Palace following a film premiere when it was brought to a halt by a white Ford Escort in the Mall. The Princess's bodyguard and chauffeur were both shot and injured in the ensuing struggle with a would-be kidnapper. Princess Anne was fortunately unharmed despite being manhandled by the assailant"

   

  Vanden Plas Princess 1100/1275/1300

  The Vanden Plas Princess 1100 was launched in 1963 as a luxury variant of the BMC ADO16. Production of the Princess 1100 and subsequent 1275 and 1300 models ended in 1974 with 43,741 examples produced.

   

  Princess (ADO71)

  The final use of the "Princess" name was for the Princess 1800 / 2200 of 1975–78 and the Princess 2 1700 / 2000 / 2200 of 1978–81. This was not badged as an Austin on the home market (although it was badged as such in New Zealand), but was sometimes confused with one because for the first year of its life it was marketed (variously) as the Austin, Morris, and Wolseley 18–22 Series. It was succeeded by the Austin Ambassador in 1982 and thus marked the end of the Princess, although the Vanden Plas name continued as the most luxurious trim level in the Rover SD1 range.