Also known as vanity plates, private numbers who resemble common words or interjections are more than popular on today’s streets!
Even more, British people seem to love using this tiny piece of metal (aka the license plate) to showcase that world-famous dry, witty humour and make everyone think.
As such, for the witty, opting to buy a private number plate is not necessarily a matter of if, but when. And, to show you there’s a lot to be watchful for when enjoying the streets of London, here are a few already famous plates you may see.
A7
Did you know Her Majesty, Queen Elisabeth II owns a private number plate? The A7 registration number was released by the London Council in 1903 and is now in the possession of her majesty.
Since back then the rules were different, the plates were offered on a first come first served system. As such, the A1 plate, the first registration ever to be issued by the London Council (which should have been offered to the queen) went to the second Earl Russell.
JU5T WED
You don’t have to be a private plate enthusiast to notice the crafty number that was sitting on the beautiful Aston Martin that took Prince William and Kate Middleton to their honeymoon. In fact, people who want to reminisce about better times can still see the plate in pictures.
In all fairness, the plate number is not valid (the car had its real plate in the front), but it did make for a great pun. Also, it opened the door to new business ideas, especially for rental cars for events.
007 JB
You can’t talk about London and not think of James Bond! The famous spy with a license to kill and who makes all the ladies swoon has his own, easy to identify, license plate. While this may not be the best move for a spy, it did wonders for the franchise and for the people and institutions behind the plates system.
The 007 JB is on the list of the most expensive plates, as its selling price was £128,000.
AMS 1
This plate may be easier to spot on the streets of London as it is resting on Lord Alan Sugar’s Rolls Royce.
The plate has been in the Lord’s possession for over 40 years and has been made famous due to his appearance on the famous TV show, The Apprentice. Talk about a long connection!
Wrap Up
While it’s easy to think that only the rich and famous would dare to be so bold as to use fancy plate numbers, it’s not exactly true. People love traffic humour and standing out, so you will definitely find all sorts of cool numbers while walking or driving around London.
In fact, you can find personalized plates on any type of vehicles, from city cars to lorries. As long as the owner has a good sense of humour, you’ll never be disappointed!
