Matt was raised on the Lincolnshire-Norfolk border and his family had a farming and equestrian background.  His grandparents and previous generations were involved with heavy horses. Matt’s father drove and his mother rode, so he started both at a young age.  He really enjoyed hunting and going to John Parker’s Swingletree Stables for driving experience.

Having hoped to join the Army, either the Household Cavalry or Kings Troop, sadly Matt’s dreams were scuppered when he broke his leg after a riding accident, just before starting the basic miliary training.  Before then, he had worked for Bisset international horse transport and Jock, from the company, was formerly in the Household Cavalry in the Coaching troop.  It was Jock who recommended that Matt should contact the Royal Mews after his accident, and he went for the interview on crutches.  His first day at the Mews in London coincided with his 18th birthday, when he began working under coachman Kevin Hutchinson.  Matt states that Kevin trained him well and he became a ceremonial postillion driver and outrider.  It was Kevin who introduced him to the showing and coaching worlds which started the passion which he still has.

When Matt moved to the Windsor Royal Mews, his role was to train the young horses.  He then started helping with the late Prince Philip’s Fells and travelling with the competition team. When Lady Louise and other younger members of the family took up driving, he relished teaching them, especially Lady Louise, whose dedication to the sport is unwavering.  It wasn’t long before she was driving teams and tandems, which meant Matt travelled everywhere with the family, while also undertaking the ceremonial duties in London too. This was his professional life for several years, which included going to Balmoral or Sandringham which was considered to be a holiday too.

HM The Queen then offered Matt the role of Head Coachman in London, which he accepted. Suddenly, he had a lot of responsibility, but he enjoyed overseeing the wellbeing of so many horses and encouraging the staff to try new things such as showing and Attelage de Tradition.

Some of the memorable occasions Matt played a key role in were posting for Prince William and Prince Harry’s weddings, the late The Queen’s last Trooping of the Colour and HM The King’s first, as well as organsing the carriages and posting in wheel for the Gold Coach at the King’s Coronation. Driving a team of four horses at the State Opening of Parliaments was among his biggest professional challenges, but equally the most enjoyable, especially when it was all over and the State Coach was put away safely in the coach house until the next occasion.

Matt says that he had a lot of fun for the 20 years he worked for the Royal Household, six of which he was Head Coachman, but ultimately, he really wanted to start a family and settle down.  Now he and his partner have two foster children, and the boys have both been introduced to riding and driving; the eldest especially enjoys the coaching teams and will go riding with Matt for hours.  Matt still drives regularly, including at the recent Coaching Club President’s Meet at Sandringham.  Much of his time is taken up with being a Master of the Kimblewick Hunt, and he runs his small holding in Buckinghamshire, which includes breeding pigs.

Another string to Matt’s bow is that he is a popular coaching judge.  In September 2025 he judged the Coaching class at the Romsey Show, where he met up with Royal family friend and show host, Lady Penny Romsey, who gave him a warm greeting.  In 2026, he judged the best turned out Coach at the Royal Windsor Horse Show, and the Coaching and Multiples class at the Royal Norfolk Show.  He was also invited to address the officials at the formal dinner the night before the show opened, and he told some fantastic stories about his time as Royal Head Coachman, including the challenges of stopping the four-ton Gold Coach at the exact point in front of Westminster Abbey for the King’s Coronation, exacerbated by the inconvenient positioning of a marquee to keep the dignitaries dry.

Although Matt no longer works for the Royal Mews, he retains close ties with the many friends he made there.

THE COACHMAKER’S COMPANY ANNUAL DRIVING AWARD

The Worshipful Company of Coachmakers and Coach Harness makers was founded in 1677 by a Charter from King Charles II to the Royal Coachmakers and Coach Harness Makers. The purpose of the Company in the early days was to ensure that standards were maintained in the construction, design and maintenance of horse drawn vehicles and their associated harness in the City of London. This aim is continued today with the Company making awards each year to promote excellence in the art of coach construction and restoration, the making of harness and other driving accoutrements, as well as recognising the part played by whips and others in the promotion of carriage driving whether it be coaching, private driving or trade. Each year the Coachmakers give awards to the students at Capel Manor College for saddle and harness making and design.

In the 21^st-century, the forward looking Coachmakers Company also makes awards for excellence in the automotive and aerospace industries where students are competing for these awards from many countries. The Coachmakers Company is very grateful to the British Driving Society for their continued support by allowing the Company to make this presentation at their show at Smith’s Lawn each year. The Award will be presented by the Master of the Coachmakers Company Stephen Fitz-Gerald.

Recent Past winners of the Coachmakers Award: 2025 Araminta Winn

2024 John Peacock; 2023 Barrie Luck; 2022 David Childs; 2021 John Richards: 2019 Geoff Dudley: 2018 Barbara Stockton: 2017 Richard Carey: 2016 Margaret Brockie: 2015 Sydney Smith: 2014 John Mauger: 2013 Kate Hetherington