Queen Elizabeth takes spin in motorhome

Queen Elizabeth II may be more used to palaces and state carriages but the British monarch nonetheless enjoyed a spin in a motorhome on Thursday, callling it a "real home from home". The sovereign, 86, and her 91-year-old husband Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, rode 200 metres in an Approach SE 760 model at the Bailey of Bristol factory in the southwest English city. Queen Elizabeth is not thought to have ever travelled in a motorhome before, Buckingham Palace said. The pristine, six-berth van -- dubbed "Mavis" -- took the royals some 200 metres round the factory. The motorhome has a gas hob, oven, microwave and fridge-freezer, plus a toilet, a shower, central heating and CD player. "They were impressed with it and how it was fully equipped," said Nick Howard, Bailey of Bristol's managing director who accompanied them on their spin. "The Queen said it was a 'real home from home' in terms of its feel." He added: "The Duke has some advice for us on layout. He said he made a bed arrangement for one of his horseboxes. "He said the beds should be longitudinal rather than across the motorhome for ease of access." Simon Howard, marketing director at the firm, added: "It's palatial but perhaps not as palatial as they are used to." Their driver was the aptly-named Paul Royall, a test driver. As Philip left, he remarked on assembly worker Stephen Brock's abundance of gold neck chains. Brock revealed afterwards: "He said 'Don't you believe in banks?' I just laughed and said 'I love my gold'." The royal couple then visited the Bristol Old Vic Theatre to see the refurbished venue, watching 10 minutes of "Peter Pan" in rehearsal.