Phantom at 100: The eternal chariot of power, prestige, and presence

The British Royal Family, ever conscious of legacy and symbolism, entrusted the Phantom with milestones of the monarchy.

Photo credit: Rolls-Royce

Since its inception in 1925, the Phantom has served emperors in modern garb: royalty, war heroes, rock legends, film moguls, and the heads of state. It was the carriage of Field Marshal Montgomery during the crucible of World War II, ferrying none other than Winston Churchill and King George VI in the run-up to D-Day. The message was clear: the general may be spartan, but the will of the empire rode on leather and steel.

The British Royal Family, ever conscious of legacy and symbolism, entrusted the Phantom with milestones of the monarchy. From the Duke of Edinburgh’s personal Phantom IV to the Silver Jubilee Phantom VI used at the wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, these were not just ceremonial transports - they were embodiments of continuity, tradition, and timeless power.

The late Queen Elizabeth inside Rolls-Royce Phantom.

Photo credit: Rolls-Royce

But what makes the Phantom truly eternal is its refusal to be pigeonholed. When John Lennon took possession of his Phantom V in 1964, he turned the symbol of establishment into a canvas of cultural rebellion - painting it yellow with psychedelic motifs. The car wasn’t offended. It adapted. That is the Phantom’s quiet genius. It reflects not just success, but the evolution of success.

Rolls-Royce has always understood that luxury is not about loud declarations. It’s about quiet confidence, the kind that once enabled British ambassadors to glide through foreign gates without uttering a word - the Phantom did the speaking. As Sir John Fretwell put it, “My Rolls certainly helped when visiting the Élysée.”

And yet, while the British Empire receded, the Phantom expanded its dominion. From Abu Dhabi’s founding father Sheikh Zayed to Hollywood’s Jack Warner and Greta Garbo, the Phantom became a talisman of global power, ambition, and personal statement. It crossed oceans and ideologies while staying resolutely above the fray.

Today’s Rolls-Royce designers have been inspired to create eight artworks, celebrating Phantom’s centenary year.

Photo credit: Rolls-Royce

Today, as it celebrates its centenary, the Phantom is not merely looking back - it is staging an artistic renaissance. Eight new artworks have been commissioned, paying homage to the diverse lives it has accompanied - from royal banquets to rock concerts, war councils to wedding processions. Rolls-Royce’s designers echo the spirit of Charles Sykes, creator of the Spirit of Ecstasy, who once painted Phantoms in the dreamlike settings of their owners’ lives. These new interpretations capture the same idea: the Phantom is a frame for greatness.

Omar Sharif - Egyptian actor and Ingrid Bergman - a Swedish actress, and the yellow Rolls-Royce.

Photo credit: Rolls-Royce

In a world saturated with superficial sophistication, the Phantom remains the last true icon. It is not driven - it is summoned. It doesn’t speed - it arrives. Every seam, every grain of wood, every whisper of V12 power beneath its elongated bonnet is a reminder that style without substance is a fleeting indulgence. But style born of lineage, built on power, and maintained with devotion - that is legacy.

So let others chase speed and flash. The gentleman, the empire-builder, the visionary - they choose the Phantom. For in its hundredth year, it remains not only the pinnacle of motoring luxury but the standard-bearer of influence.

After all, when Rome fell, its roads remained. And on those roads today, there rolls a new empire - crafted at Goodwood, clad in bespoke dignity, and crowned with the Spirit of Ecstasy.