Ernest Hemingway, George Eastman, Elmer Keith, Jimmy Stewart … and Princess Diana. While it may seem as though one of these things is not like the other, they all share a common bond: Guns made by Westley Richards & Company of Birmingham, England.
It’s not uncommon to hear about someone getting a gun as a wedding gift. Sometimes the gifted gun is utilitarian – meant to be used for concealed carry or home defense. Other times, the gifted gun is more glamorous – meant to be a memento of the specific occasion. Often, this means it will be engraved with a name, date, etc.
Rarely, though, are they as elaborate as the gun given to Princess Diana and Prince Charles on their wedding day. Then again, most people aren’t part of the Royal Family.
For starters, the beautifully-cased gun itself is of exceptionally high quality. Made by Westley Richards, the 12-gauge shotgun is as close to perfection as you can get. After all, exceptional attention to detail is what you’d expect from a company that has been making guns since 1812 and charge £54,500 – or approximately $77,000 – for a brand-new example of their base model shotgun. (Their cheapest used shotgun available for purchase in the US is priced at $13,000.)
And then there’s the embellishment. The gun is beautifully engraved and accented with gold. Some of the highlights include floral images, the royal family crest, and – of course – the wedding date itself. The engraving was done by the Brown Brothers, known worldwide for their exquisite work.
This is one of the most beautiful shotguns I’ve seen, and, hands down, it’s the most beautiful wedding gun I’ve ever seen!
Will Meghan Markle and Prince Harry receive a stunning nuptial shotgun at their upcoming wedding? Only time will tell, but I wouldn’t hold my breath.
(Firearm courtesy of NRA Museums)
Logan Metesh is a firearms historian and consultant who runs High Caliber History LLC. Click here for a free 3-page download with tips about caring for your antique and collectible firearms.
Bah, nice gun, but the $8,000 Krieghoff K-80 that I received as a gift upon finishing grad school is still worth roughly that. And all I’ve done is put a few thousand rounds through it every year since.
I need better friends and family. I got a couple really nice bottles of booze and a gift certificate for framing of my diplomas.
I’m Joe Biden and I approve this wedding gift.
I got some Bon Jovi tickets once. I like neither Bon Jovi nor rock concerts. It was hell.
Quality guns make great presents.
My father offered me shotgun as 21st present and he somehow talked an acquaintance (salesman who had financial troubles) into selling him a very nice European made Browning. Salesman desperately tried to buy it back when he got business back on track a few later.
I still have the gun and remember my now deceased parents every time I use it.
On a different note – not that I plan to sell it but it has at least tripled in value.
Make mine a 16.
The irony of this gun is that it is from Birmingham and it is a side-lock.
“The irony of this gun is that it is from Birmingham and it is a side-lock.”
That’s irony ???
The real irony is that she was killed (perhaps for dating a muslim, egyptian Dodi Fayed) by paparazzi and a drunk security driver. If she was shot (with both barrels of the above shotgun at close range) anywhere below her collar bone, she might’ve had an open casket funeral.
Thanks for that post- I didn’t realize the connection between Anson and Deeley’s boxlock and Westley-Richards.
I don’t have a gunsmith on staff, so I’d rather have one of the droplock guns versus the sidelock shown above:
https://www.westleyrichards.com/new-guns/guns/hand-detachable-lock-shotguns/
Sure makes cleaning a lot simpler- not to mention a very clever design.
My only thought was to be reminded that in this country no one needs to be royalty to own a shotgun – however fancy a piece as they can afford or desire.
Let this be a reminder to any of you Brits out there – there are a small handful of people in your country who are simply BETTER than you… and toys like this are what they get to play with. Do tell… how does that make you feel?
🤠
Not a fan of pretty guns myself but they make nice museum displays.