Leith,
Edinburgh,
EH6 6JJ
The Royal Yacht Britannia first launched in 1953 was the official seafaring vessel of Queen Elizabeth II and the British royal family for over four decades. Used for state visits, royal vacations, and diplomatic trips, the vessel is now a popular tourist attraction moored in Edinburgh where it offers a fascinating glimpse into royal life.
Throughout its working life, the Royal Yacht Britannia was the official residence of Queen Elizabeth II during her overseas tours, sailing over one million miles around the world while promoting British interests abroad.
The vessel is now kept in immaculate condition by the Royal Yacht Britannia Trust and is open year-round for visitors to follow in the footsteps of world leaders as they explore the royal’s private quarters and the below-deck rooms. Self-guided audio tours will take you to every nook and cranny of this enormous ship while information panels explain what life would have been like on board the vessel in its heyday.
There’s also an excellent restaurant onboard on the upper deck as well as a gift shop in the visitor centre, and as Britannia is moored alongside Ocean Terminal you can easily visit the restaurants, shops, and cinema that the waterfront shopping complex has to offer.
1: The Royal Yacht Britannia served as the floating residence of the British Royal Family for over 40 years. Exploring this iconic vessel gives you a unique opportunity to delve into the fascinating maritime history of the Royal Family and discover the stories behind their voyages and state visits.
2: The Royal Yacht Britannia has been meticulously preserved since its decommissioning in 1997. As you explore the ship, you’ll be able to view the opulent interiors which include the State Apartments, the Royal Bedrooms, and the impressive Royal Deck Tea Room.
3: The Royal Yacht Britannia is located in the historic port of Leith, just a short distance from Edinburgh’s city centre. The yacht is docked permanently, allowing visitors to soak in the waterfront views while they explore the vessel. After your visit, you can take a walk to enjoy the vibrant atmosphere of Leith with its charming shops and restaurants.
1: Although the tickets are a wee bit pricey there’s a lot to see so you’ll spend a good 2-3 hours on Britannia. While the tickets are expensive if you only make one visit, they allow unlimited re-entry for one year, so keep hold of them in case you decide to return another day.
2: Ocean Terminal is a nice shopping centre with a cinema and several cafes and restaurants. You could easily stretch your Britannia visit to last most of the day if you use those facilities.
3: If you want to explore the city centre after a visit to Britannia take Lothian Bus services 11, 22, 34, 35 and 36. Highlights of Edinburgh include Edinburgh Castle (obviously), Calton Hill , The Scott Monument , Holyrood Park and Holyrood Palace .
The ship is entered via the visitor centre in Ocean Terminal which is situated on the top floor of the shopping mall. As you walk around Britannia’s five main decks on a self-guided tour you can listen to an audio guide that explains what life was like on board not only for the royal inhabitants but also for the Royal Navy crew that manned it during its voyages.
Starting at the bridge you pass through the state apartments, the crew quarters, and the engine room before finally reaching the racing yacht Bloodhound which is part of an interesting royal sailing exhibition.
There are many highlights of this ship that all family members will enjoy – including the huge state banquet room with its massive dining table and the gleaming Rolls Royce Phantom that used to travel on the ship along with the Royal Family.
If you fancy a wee treat you can pick up some delicious homemade fudge in the NAAFI sweet shop. but make sure you leave enough room for the Royal Deck Tea Room where you can sample top-notch Scottish cuisine as well as coffee and sandwiches. The entry ticket includes free re-admittance for one year so if you ever go back to Ocean Terminal you could always take another visit just for the restaurant.
Britannia was built at the Clydebank shipyards near Glasgow and successfully launched in 1953, with its maiden voyage to Malta beginning in 1954. During its time at sea, Britannia was manned by volunteers from the Royal Navy, some of whom liked it so much they served onboard for over 20 years.
Whenever royalty was on the vessel a full troop of Royal Marines accompanied them, and during this time they would have sailed around the globe several times as the royal family undertook their ambassadorial duties in almost every nation on earth. Britannia also performed services as an aid ship, evacuating over 1,000 refugees from the civil war in Aden in 1986, and was ready to be converted into a hospital ship at a moment’s notice.
Britannia was eventually decommissioned in 1997 after mounting political pressure regarding the cost of maintenance made its continued use impossible. The ship was finally tied up at Ocean Terminal where The Royal Yacht Britannia Trust was set up to look after it. Today, more than 300,000 people visit the Royal Yacht Britannia each year, making it one of the top five tourist attractions in Scotland.
Check out the Britannia Visitor Centre : Start your visit at the Britannia Visitor Centre located in Ocean Terminal. There, you can discover Britannia’s fascinating history through exhibits and photographs before you step aboard the yacht itself.
Explore the Royal Yacht Britannia : Step aboard the British monarch’s former floating palace and explore the state apartments, crew’s quarters, and engine room. This magnificent ship offers a unique glimpse into royal life at sea thanks to audio guides which are included in the ticket price.
Tea at The Royal Deck Tea Room : After your tour, unwind at the Royal Deck Tea Room. Enjoy traditional teas, delicious cakes, sandwiches, and spectacular views of the docks and the Firth of Forth . It’s a great way to reflect on your visit to Britannia before deciding where to go next.
Attend a Special Event : The Royal Yacht Britannia hosts a variety of events throughout the year, from Hogmanay celebrations to Burn’s Night suppers . To see which events are coming up next, head to the official Royal Yacht Britannia website .
Visit The Gift Shop : You cannot miss Britannia’s gift shop in Ocean Terminal which offers a wide range of exclusive gifts and souvenirs. From royal memorabilia to nautical-themed toys, you’re bound to find the perfect memento for your visit.
Ocean Terminal . 74 Ocean Dr., Leith, Edinburgh, EH6 6JJ. 2-minute walk. A large shopping centre that’s one of the first arrival points for ships sailing into the Firth of Forth. Ocean Terminal contains a collection of restaurants, coffee shops, and department stores.
Leith . 8-minute walk. A vibrant and historic area of Edinburgh that is renowned for its trendy bars and restaurants. Leith is architecturally significant for the number of restored Victorian warehouses that line Commercial Street and Bernard Street. Some of Scotland’s best restaurants are located in Leith, including The Kitchin and Wishart.
The Water of Leith . Leith, Edinburgh EH6 6HE. 11-minute walk. A walkway that runs for 12 miles from the Colzium Hills outside of Edinburgh to Leith. The majority of the path is set on quiet pavement that runs alongside the river. Much loved by locals for its wildlife.
Leith Links . 4 Links Gardens, Leith, Edinburgh, EH6 8AA. 18-minute walk. Informal gardens and a play park that was historically a golf course but has been revamped into a recreation area.
Scotch Malt Whisky Society . The Vaults, 87 Giles St, Leith, Edinburgh EH6 6BZ. 13-minute walk. The Vaults is the main site for the SMWS in Edinburgh. Visitors can sample a range of quality single malt whiskies as well as gins and rums, along with optional expert-led tasting sessions.
Where is the royal yacht britannia berthed.
The Royal Yacht Britannia is berthed at Leith Port in Edinburgh, next to the Ocean Terminal shopping centre. Ocean Terminal is a 15-minute drive from Edinburgh city centre, and the Royal Yacht Britannia Visitor Centre is on the second floor. Address: Ocean Terminal, Leith, Edinburgh, EH6 6JJ.
No, the British Royal Family does not currently have a yacht. The last royal yacht was the HMY Britannia, which was decommissioned in 1997 and is now a museum ship in Edinburgh.
The Royal Yacht Britannia is owned and managed by the Royal Yacht Britannia Trust.
The Royal Yacht Britannia was decommissioned in 1997 due to maintenance costs and changing politics which meant the yacht was considered unnecessary. It was estimated in 1996 that a refit would cost £17 million and would only prolong the ship’s life for an additional 5 years.
Craig Neil is the author, photographer, admin, and pretty much everything else behind Out About Scotland. He lives near Edinburgh and spends his free time exploring Scotland and writing about his experiences. Follow him on Pinterest , Facebook , and YouTube .
The ship hosted four royal honeymoons in its 44 years of service.
Often referred to as the last royal yacht, the Britannia was decommissioned in 1997, and despite some efforts , there are no signs of a new one in the near future. Though its seafaring days may be behind it (the ship now serves as a tourist attraction in Edinburgh, Scotland), the Britannia remains an important artifact and a peek behind the curtain of royal life—it even garnered a prominent place in the fifth season of The Crown . Below, a few of its most notable moments throughout history.
The ship was built by John Brown & Co at the same shipyard in Clydebank, Scotland in the same location the famous ocean liners the Queen Elizabeth and Queen Mary were constructed. With 12,000 horsepower, the ship could travel at a maximum 22.5 knots (approximately 25 miles per hour), ideal for ocean-going diplomacy. Prior to its launch in 1953, the royal family used ships from the Royal Navy or even passenger liners for the overseas portions of the royal tour.
In its 44 years of service, the HMY Britannia traveled around 1.1 million miles.
The King was already in failing health by the time the designs for the HMY Britannia were submitted, and the hope was that traveling might help alleviate some of his symptoms. However, just two days after the John Brown shipyard in Clydebank, Scotland received the order the King passed away on February 6, 1952.
It would take just over a year for the ship to be completed, during which time its name remained a secret—it wasn't announced until the ship's official launch in April of 1953, less than two months before the Queen's coronation . Elizabeth cracked a bottle of English wine (in the post-war era, champagne was considered too extravagant for the launch of a ship) and announced, "I name this ship Britannia … I wish success to her and all who sail in her."
When Britannia was first envisioned, less than a decade after the end of World War II, the designers sought to make it as functional as possible, crafting a space that could be converted from an ocean-going royal residence to a seafaring hospital during any possible future wartime. The main veranda was laid out and re-enforced so that it could support a helicopter landing and the laundry was made much larger than on a standard naval vessel to accommodate the potential patients. Though the ship was never actually put to that purpose, it was pressed into service on a rescue mission to help evacuate European nationals from South Yemen in 1986.
Long before it became a floating museum, the Britannia had an eye for history. The gold and white binnacle housed on the ship's veranda deck was originally part of the HMY Royal George , a royal yacht that served Queen Victoria . Likewise, some of the bed linens used by Queen Elizabeth aboard the vessel were originally made for Victoria's bed for one of the previous royal yachts.
Britannia's steering wheel was lifted from her namesake, the racing yacht HMY Britannia , built in 1893 for King Edward VII .
Despite the sense of luxury that the term "royal yacht" inspires, the Queen and Prince Philip were actually concerned when they began overseeing the project in 1952 that the original interior design plans by the design firm McInnes Gardner & Partners were too lavish for a country still recovering from the war. The interiors were ultimately redesigned by Sir Hugh Casson and received very minimal updates throughout her 44 years of service.
Suffice to say that even low-key royal living is a fairly high class. In addition to the 56-seat State Dining Room, which hosted luminaries including Winston Churchill, Noel Coward, Nelson Mandela, and multiple US Presidents, the ship also sported a formal staircase where the Queen would greet guests, separate bedrooms and sitting rooms for both Her Majesty and the Duke of Edinburgh, and a phone system designed to match the unique configurations of Buckingham Palace's telephones.
In the early years of the Britannia's life it was also home to the Queen's Rolls-Royce Phantom V which was hoisted and lowered from a special garage compartment at port so that the Queen could drive her own car at each location. The space was ever so slightly too small, forcing the bumpers to be removed in order to get it into the garage without damage and then refitted when the car was removed. Ultimately Elizabeth began using cars provided for her at port instead and the garage was converted into a storage area for beer.
Life on board the HMY Britannia was far from typical for her crew. To begin with, due to the prestige and pressure of the position, the commanding officer of the royal yacht was always a flag officer, most commonly a Rear Admiral, although the first two to serve were Vice Admirals, and Britannia 's final CO was a Commodore.
While working, the crew reportedly used hand signals to communicate rather than shouting orders, in order to maintain a sense of quiet and calm for the royal residents. It was also the last ship in the royal navy where the crew members slept in hammocks, a practice that they maintained until 1973.
Perhaps the most unusual element of the ship's functioning, though, was the steering. While on most ships, the steering wheel sits on the bridge, overlooking the front of the vessel, Britannia 's was on the deck below, in the wheelhouse, which meant that the yachtsmen who were actually doing the steering couldn't see where they were going. The crew got around this rather surprising pitfall by using voice pipes from the bridge to confer navigational orders.
No fewer than four royal couples celebrated their honeymoons in the HMY Britannia 's honeymoon suite (the only room onboard with a double bed.)
Princess Margaret started the tradition in 1960 for her Caribbean honeymoon with Anthony Armstrong-Jones , a quiet, formal affair where dinners were taken in full evening dress every night. Things didn't go quite as smoothly for Princess Anne on her honeymoon with Captain Mark Phillips in 1973—storms and 20-foot waves left the couple stricken with seasickness for the first week of their Caribbean cruise. Prince Charles and Princess Diana famously spent their 1981 honeymoon on a Mediterranean cruise aboard the yacht. The crew managed to duck the press so efficiently they garnered the nickname "the ghost ship." The final royal honeymoon aboard the Britannia was taken by Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson , Duchess of York in 1986 when the couple traveled around the Azores.
In addition to her diplomatic duties on royal tours and her service as a post-wedding retreat, the Britannia was also a vessel for family vacations. During the summer months, the royal family would often take off on what became known as the Western Isles tour, cruising around the western isles of Scotland. During the trip, the family would play games and have barbecues on the islands. The stairway off of the veranda was sometimes even converted into a waterslide for the younger royals. The tour often included a stop off at the Castle of Mey to visit the Queen Mother, then making berth in Aberdeen so that the Queen could travel to her favorite summer home, Balmoral .
With so many memories around the yacht, it's not hard to understand why the decommissioning of the Britannia was upsetting for the royal family. Though plans were initially drawn up for a replacement yacht, the government ultimately determined not to fund the effort. After the Queen officially took her leave of it in 1997, the ship was placed in the port of Leith in Scotland where it serves as a floating museum and events venue . All of the clocks on board remain stopped at 3:01, the exact time that Her Majesty disembarked for the last time.
Though it's no longer used as their private vessel, the Britannia 's connection to the royal family didn't end in 1997. In 2011 on the night before her wedding, the Queen's oldest granddaughter Zara Phillips contracted the ship for a reception. Though her grandmother wasn't in attendance Zara celebrated her upcoming marriage to Mike Tindall onboard along with her mother and her cousins Prince Harry, Prince William and Kate, Princess Eugenie, and Princess Beatrice.
Lauren Hubbard is a freelance writer and Town & Country contributor who covers beauty, shopping, entertainment, travel, home decor, wine, and cocktails.
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The new flagship will replace the Royal Yacht Britannia which was retired in 1997 after 44 years of service.
Political reporter @itssophiemorris
Monday 21 June 2021 17:04, UK
A new national yacht, which is reportedly set to cost £200m, will be paid for out of the Ministry of Defence's budget, Downing Street has confirmed.
The national flagship, the successor to the Royal Yacht Britannia, will sail the globe hosting trade talks.
The prime minister's official spokesperson said Boris Johnson hopes it will be built in the UK, but that international rules on procurement will be followed.
Mr Johnson announced the commissioning of the new flagship earlier this year , saying it would be used to promote British interests around the world as the UK seeks to build trade links post-Brexit.
The vessel will be part of and crewed by the Royal Navy, the PM said.
"Every aspect of the ship, from its build to the businesses it showcases on board, will represent and promote the best of British - a clear and powerful symbol of our commitment to be an active player on the world stage," he added.
Labour has previously called on the government to set out how the yacht will boost trade and jobs in the UK and to "focus on value for money" with regards to the project.
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Last-minute tightening?
Conservative Jake Berry, who is chairman of the Northern Research Group of MPs, has campaigned for the vessel to be built by Cammell Laird on Merseyside.
And at a lobby briefing on Monday, the PM's official spokesperson confirmed the new flagship will be "funded through the Ministry of Defence".
"This new national flagship will boost British trade and drive investment into the economy," he said.
"The procurement process, which is being done through the MoD, will reflect its wide-ranging use and so it will be funded through the MoD, as set out previously."
The PM's official spokesperson declined to comment on where the MoD would find the reported £200m required for the project out of its budget, but did confirm the new vessel will not be a warship.
"We will set out the exact detail in due course but this is a trade ship, it is not a military vessel," he said.
The Royal Yacht Britannia was launched by The Queen in 1953 and was retired in 1997 after completing 44 years of service.
The new national flagship is expected to be in service for around 30 years.
The yacht's name is yet to be announced, but reports have suggested it will pay homage to the Duke of Edinburgh who was Lord High Admiral from 2011 until his death earlier this year, and served in the Royal Navy during the Second World War.
Royal Yacht Britannia used to be Queen Elizabeth’s Palace on Water and is now Scotland’s most popular tourist attraction.
Known by many names such as Her Majesty’s Yacht Britannia, Queen Elizabeth’s Yacht , HMY Britannia, etc., this Yacht was in the Queen’s service for 44 years and sailed more than a million miles worldwide.
It is a perfect opportunity to see how the British Queen lived when traveling with other Kings and Queens, World leaders, and celebrities.
This article shares everything you must know before booking your tickets for the Royal Yacht Britannia tour.
# Royal Yacht Britannia tickets # Royal Edinburgh ticket
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Here is a quick video on what visitors can expect inside Her Majesty’s Yacht Britannia.
Your Royal Britannia tour starts from the Visitor Centre, on the second floor of Ocean Terminal, where you get the historical background about the Royal Family and Yachtsmen.
You then pick up the audio guide, which is part of the entry ticket, and board Queen Elizabeth’s Yacht and explore five fascinating decks.
Highlights on the Yacht’s Royal side are the Sun Lounge, the State Dining Room, and The Queen’s Bedroom.
On the ship’s operational side, you get to see the Crew’s Quarters, the Engine Room, the laundry, etc.
More than 95% of the exhibits you will see during your tour are original and are taken on loan from The Royal Collection.
If you prefer, you can also visit the Royal Deck Tea Room.
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This entry ticket gets you complete access to the Royal ship that’s now berthed in Edinburgh’s historic Port of Leith.
Visitors can explore all five decks at a leisurely pace even as they take in the public and private lives of the British Royal Family.
This ticket also includes the complimentary audio guide.
Adult ticket (18+ years): 18.50 pounds Child ticket (5 to 17 years): 9.25 Pounds Family ticket (2 adults and up to 3 children): 50 Pounds Infant ticket (under 5 years): Free entry
This combo is known as the 48-hour Royal Edinburgh Ticket and is a real money saver.
If you are visiting Edinburgh for the first time, we highly recommend this Royal attractions combo.
This ticket gets you to access three of the best attractions in the city:
And to top it all, you also get unlimited travel for 48 hours on three of Edinburgh’s hop-on-hop-off bus tours.
Address: Ocean Terminal, Leith, Edinburgh EH6 6JJ, United Kingdom. Get Directions
The Royal Yacht Britannia is berthed in Leith, Edinburgh, just 2 miles from the City Centre.
Britannia’s Visitor Centre is on the second floor of Ocean Terminal, just 15 minutes’ drive from Edinburgh City Centre.
Ocean Terminal is soon going to be re-branded as Porta.
There are many ways to get to the Royal Yacht.
If you are coming by train, you must get down at Edinburgh Waverley .
From outside the station, you can take a taxi to cover the 3.7 kms (2.3 miles) to Ocean Terminal.
From the Waverly station, you can also take bus No. 22 and 34.
You must board the buses at Princess Street (Stop PN) , and after 24 minutes and 27 stops, get down at Ocean Terminal (Stop OF) .
There is a bus from the Station, every 15 minutes.
Lothian Bus services run three buses – Bus No. 11, 22, and 35 – from Edinburgh City Centre to Ocean Terminal.
You can purchase tickets on the bus by presenting the correct change or from the Lothian Buses app .
A single journey on a Lothian Bus costs 1.70 Pounds.
If you use Satnav, use the postcode EH6 6JJ.
Else, open Google Maps to get directions to Ocean Terminal .
If you prefer a taxi, we recommend Uber , Central Taxis , or City Cabs .
Royal Yacht Britannia offers free parking at Ocean Terminal.
Blue Car Park on Level E is closest to the tourist attraction’s Visitor Centre.
This part of the Park also has spaces for Blue Badge holders.
If you reach by foot, taxi, or bus, access to Royal Britannia is from the Ocean Terminal Shopping Center’s main entrance on the ground floor.
You must take a lift to the 2nd floor of Ocean Terminal and walk towards the building’s East end.
You will first spot Debenhams and then HMY Britannia’s Visitor Center entrance. Even though you can book tickets at the venue (the ticket desk is to the left of the visitor center entrance), it is better to buy them online , much in advance, to avoid last-minute disappointment.
During the peak months of April to October, Royal Yacht Britannia opens at 9.30 am, and the last entry is at 4.30 pm.
The rest of the year, the Royal Yacht opens at 10 am, and the last entry is allowed till 3.30 pm.
The last admission on 24 December is at 2.30 pm, and on 31 December it is at 3 pm.
Royal Yacht Britannia is closed on 25 December and 1 January.
The Royal Yacht Britannia tours are a perfect way to feel like a celebrity for a few hours.
In this section, we share a few things you must know before you book your tour of the Royal ship.
No, tours of HMY Britannia don’t start at a stipulated time.
When you book your tickets, you only select the ‘date.’
On the day of your visit, reach the Royal ship between their opening hours to start exploring.
Her Majesty’s Yacht doesn’t offer guided tours.
However, every ticket comes with an audio guide to walk around and tour the ship yourself.
Kids get their own version of the audio guide.
You need at least two hours to explore Royal Yacht Britannia to satisfaction.
However, if you plan to visit the Royal Deck Tea Room, you must factor in another 30 to 60 minutes.
Visits during July and August tend to take longer because of the crowd.
Kids up to four years get the maximum discounts at Britannia, Edinburgh – they get in for free.
On the adult ticket price of 17 Pounds, children aged 5 to 17 years get almost 50% discount and pay only 8.75 Pounds.
Seniors who are 60+ and students with valid educational ID cards get a 2 Pound reduction on the full ticket.
People in the Armed Forces (with valid ID) can also claim the reduced price of 8.75 Pounds.
However, this Armed Forces discount is available only at the Britannia ticket office.
Every Britannia Yacht entry ticket comes with a complimentary audio guide.
While receiving the audio guides at the Handset Desk, you can ask for straps to wear the audio guides around the neck. Headphones are also available.
Kids can opt for the children’s version of the audio guide.
The audio tour is available in 30 languages; English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Dutch, Finnish, Greek, Russian, Czech, Polish, Hungarian, Korean, Japanese, Urdu, Mandarin, Hindi, Arabic, Thai, Turkish, Cantonese, Punjabi, Portuguese-Brazilian, Welsh, Romanian and Gaelic.
Besides the audio guide, visitor guides are also available through the tour route to help if you have questions.
The Royal Deck Tea Room is on board Britannia and tables are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.
It is a perfect restaurant to enjoy freshly prepared food and stunning views of the harbor.
The menu includes specialty coffees, cocktails, tasty soups, sandwiches, cakes, scones, etc. Download Menu
The Royal Deck Tea Room has 35 tables and can seat 133 people.
During the peak months of April to October, the Royal Deck Team Room opens at 11 am, and the last admission is at 3.30 pm.
January to March: Opens at 11 am, last admission at 3.30 pm
November to December: Opens at 10.30 pm, last admission at 3.45 pm
Many tourists wonder what’s inside the Royal Yacht before they book their tickets.
Some out of curiosity and some to know if a visit to Royal Yacht Britannia is worth it.
We list below some of the highlights of this Palace on water.
The State Apartments are the collection of rooms where the Royals lived or entertained their guests.
The Royal family relaxed in the State Drawing Room whenever they traveled together.
It also acted as a reception room for up to 250 guests.
The Verandah Deck was a private space for the Royals, where they could sunbathe or enjoy quoits or deck hockey.
This area of the ship also had a collapsible swimming pool for the Royal Family to splash around if they wanted.
The Sun Lounge was one of the Queen’s favorite rooms onboard HMY Brittania.
The beautiful teak-lined room was a designated family room and offered a lot of privacy from the rest of the ship.
This massive dining room onboard Britannia has played host to the world’s most influential people, such as Nelson Mandela, Sir Winston Churchill, Ronald Reagan, Margaret Thatcher, etc.
With its white paneled walls adorned with gifts received during State visits, this room represents ultimate luxury.
The Engine Room is a testament to British marine engineering skills because, until the ship got decommissioned in 1997, everything was working fine.
This room is full of gleaming brass, chrome, and white enamel with the ‘heavy stuff’ under the hood pumping 12,000 horsepower, which would help Britannia and her four-bladed propellers to a maximum of 22.5 knots.
Eight men operated the Engine Room, Boiler Room, and associated machinery rooms.
The 240 Officers and Yachtsmen on board Her Majesty’s Yacht Britannia sometimes had to change their uniforms up to six times a day.
This is why it was the only ship in the Royal Navy to have a laundry service permanently on board.
The laundry machines, dryers, and steam presses on the ship worked non-stop, and sometimes the temperature even went up to 48 degrees Celcius (118 degrees Fahrenheit)
The Admiral was responsible for Royal Yacht Britannia’s safe functioning and commanded the 19 officers and 220 Yachtsmen who operated the ship.
He worked, entertained, and often ate (he couldn’t join the other officers in their mess unless invited) in the Admiral’s Cabin. Image: Royalyachtbritannia.co.uk
The Bridge was HMY Britannia’s center of command and control on all her journeys.
From here, the officers reporting into the Admiral navigated, passed orders, recorded the logbooks, etc.
Back then, all Royal Navy ships had a Navy, Army, and Air Force Institute shop, known as the NAAFI.
The crew members and the officers would shop for their daily needs, such as toothpaste, shaving creams, magazines, etc. in this shop.
Sources # Royalyachtbritannia.co.uk # Architecturaldigest.com # Wikipedia.org # Tripadvisor.com The travel specialists at TheBetterVacation.com use only high-quality sources while researching & writing their articles. We make every attempt to keep our content current, reliable and trustworthy .
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He is a two-faced traveler, who enjoys both the hustle-bustle of an urban holiday and the serenity of a break from the rest of the World. During some of his vacations, he is a resort hopper, and on others, he barely spends time in his hotel. He loves to try mouth-watering local cuisines, especially non-vegetarian dishes. Favourite Cities: Amsterdam, Las Vegas, Dublin, Prague, Vienna
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The History Hit Miscellany of Facts, Figures and Fascinating Finds
28 nov 2022.
The 83rd and last in a long line of royal yachts, HMY Britannia has become one of the most famous ships in the world. Now permanently moored at Edinburgh’s Port of Leith, the floating palace is a visitor attraction welcoming some 300,000 people aboard each year.
For Queen Elizabeth II, Britannia was the ideal residence for state visits and peaceful royal family holidays and honeymoons. For the British public, Britannia was a symbol of Commonwealth. For the 220 naval officers who lived aboard Britannia , and the royal family, the 412-foot-long yacht was home.
Having travelled more than a million nautical miles over 44 years of service to the British Crown, Her Majesty’s beloved boat was decommissioned in 1997. Here are 10 facts about life aboard HMY Britannia.
Champagne is traditionally smashed against a ship’s hull during launching ceremonies. However, in a post-war climate champagne was seen as too frivolous, so a bottle of Empire wine was used instead.
Britannia launched from the John Brown & Company shipyard in Clydebank, Scotland.
King George VI , Elizabeth II’s father, had first commissioned the royal yacht that would become Britannia in 1952. The previous official boat had belonged to Queen Victoria and was rarely used. The tradition of royal yachts had been started by Charles II in 1660.
George decided that the Royal Yacht Britannia should both be a regal vessel as well as a functional one.
Britannia was designed to be converted into a hospital ship in time of war, although that function was never used. Additionally, as part of the Cold War plan Operation Candid, in the event of nuclear war the ship would become a refuge off the north-west coast of Scotland for the Queen and Prince Philip.
She carried Prince Charles and Princess Anne to Malta to meet the Queen and Prince Philip at the end of the royal couple’s Commonwealth tour. The Queen stepped aboard Britannia for the first time in Tobruk on 1 May 1954.
Over the next 43 years, Britannia would transport the Queen, members of the Royal Family and various dignitaries on some 696 foreign visits.
The HMY Britannia on a visit by the Queen to Canada in 1964
Image Credit: Royal Canadian Navy, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
In July 1959, Britannia sailed the newly opened Saint Lawrence Seaway to Chicago where she docked, making the Queen the first British monarch to visit the city. US President Dwight Eisenhower hopped aboard Britannia for part of the journey.
In later years, Presidents Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton would also step aboard. Charles and Diana, the Prince and Princess of Wales, took their honeymoon cruise on Britannia in 1981.
After 365 days’ service, crew members could be admitted to the Permanent Royal Yacht Service as Royal Yachtsmen (‘Yotties’) and serve until they either chose to leave or were dismissed. As a result, some yachtsmen served on Britannia for over 20 years.
The crew also included a detachment of Royal Marines, who would dive underneath the ship each day while moored away from home to check for mines or other threats.
The ‘sea daddies’ were primarily tasked with looking after the children and keeping them entertained (games, picnics and water fights) during voyages. They also oversaw the children’s chores, including cleaning the life rafts.
The yacht had a total of three galley kitchens where Buckingham Palace ‘s chefs prepared meals. Among these galleys was a chilled room called the ‘Jelly Room’ for the sole purpose of storing royal children’s jellied desserts.
The cost of running Britannia was always an issue. In 1994, another expensive refit for the ageing vessel was proposed. Whether or not to refit or commission a new royal yacht entirely came down to the election result of 1997. With repairs at a proposed cost of £17 million, Tony Blair’s new Labour government were unwilling to commit public funds to replace Britannica.
HMY Britannia in 1997, London
Image Credit: Chris Allen, Public Domain, via Wikimedia Commons
In December 1997, Britannia was officially decommissioned. The clocks have been kept at 3:01pm – the exact moment the Queen went ashore for the last time following the ship’s decommissioning ceremony, during which the Queen shed a rare public tear.
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From humanitarian missions to hosting royal honeymoons, the HMS Britannia has a fascinating history serving the British Royal Family for over four decades. When she was decommissioned in 1997, Queen Elizabeth II shed a tear in a rare display of emotion. The occasion marked the end of long succession for royal yachts dating back to the reign of Charles II. As the country prepares to celebrate the Queen’s diamond jubilee, we remember her beloved Britannia .
Britannia was commissioned by Queen Elizabeth II following the death of her father and was launched from John Brown & Co. Ltd - the shipyard that built the Queen Elizabeth and Queen Mary cruise liners - in 1953. However, there was to be no traditional Champagne-smashing against her bow. In a post-war Britain, Champagne was considered too extravagant so instead, a bottle of Empire wine was selected to do the honours at her official launch ceremony.
Unlike her predecessors, Britannia possessed a more modern profile with a clipper bow and cruiser stern. The ship was designed with three masts: a 41-metre foremast, a 42-metre mainmast, and 36 metre mizzenmast. The last six metres of the main mast were placed on a hinge so she could pass under bridges.
Between family vacations and official tours, Britannia logged over one million nautical miles, which roughly equates to one trip around the world for each of her 44 years in service.
The ship’s wheel was taken from King Edward VII’s racing yacht, a 37-metre gaff-rigged cutter also named Britannia . She was a near sistership to Valkyrie II which challenged for the 1893 America's Cup, and won over 230 races in her lifetime. At the end of her life she was stripped of her spars and fittings - the wheel was saved and fitted on Britannia
The engine room was hyper-clean Rumour has it that the engine room on Britannia was kept in such pristine condition that any visitors were made to wipe their feet on a door mat before entering.
A number of royal couples chose to spend their honeymoons on Britannia given its privacy and security. Princess Margaret and Antony Armstrong-Jones started the trend with a six-week sail between Mustique, Trinidad and Antigua, followed by Princess Anne and Captain Mark Phillips, and Princess Diana and Prince Charles. The royal apartments were located on the shelter deck with access to a large veranda.
During royal tours, Britannia was manned by 220 yachtsmen, 21 officers and three season officers and a Royal Marine band of 26 on royal tours. Up until the 1970s, the crew had a daily ration of rum and she was the last Royal Navy vessel to have the crew sleep in hammocks.
Britannia was designed to be converted into a hospital ship in times of war. Although she was never used in this capacity, she did assist in the evacuation of refugees during the South Yemen civil war. The drawing room was used as a temporary dormitory for the evacuees.
It was common for officers to send junior crew off on a fool’s errand to search for a single "golden rivet". It became a right of passage and engrained in maritime folklore. During a state visit, so the story goes, the Queen had caught wind of this elusive rivet and was keen to see it for herself, so the crew found some gold leaf and hastily created a golden rivet to present to Her Majesty.
HMS Britannia was officially retired from royal service in 1997. Britannia is now permanently berthed in Edinburgh and has been converted into a museum. To this day, all the clocks on board remained stopped on 3.01pm which is the exact time the Queen last disembarked the vessel.
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Posted: July 19, 2024 | Last updated: July 19, 2024
There's a long tradition of British royal yachts, dating back to 1660 and the reign of Charles II. During 44 years in royal service, Her Majesty's Yacht Britannia , also known as the Royal Yacht Britannia , sailed the equivalent of once round the world for each year, calling at over 600 ports in 135 countries, including the United States of America, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand. Britannia was decommissioned in 1997, and has so far not been replaced. But it's worth looking back over the illustrious service performed by the royal yacht.
Click through and be reminded of when Britannia ruled the waves.
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Britannia 's predecessor, HMY Victoria and Albert III , is pictured at anchor in the Solent off Portsmouth harbor. Built for Queen Victoria , this was the first royal yacht not to be powered by sail. She was decommissioned in 1939.
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The new Royal Yacht Britannia enters the water after her launch on April 16, 1953 by Queen Elizabeth II at John Brown's shipyard on Clydebank, Scotland. The 126-m (413-ft) Britannia was designed with three masts and could reach a seagoing cruising speed of 21 knots.
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A crowd gathers to bid the Royal Yacht Britannia farewell upon her departure from Portsmouth, England, on April 14, 1954 on her maiden voyage to Malta. The vessel was ultimately bound for Tobruk, in Libya.
On board the vessel were Prince Charles and Princess Anne, pictured here before the yacht's departure shaking hands with the Admiral Superintendent of Portsmouth dockyard. The Queen Mother is keeping an eye on the royal youngsters.
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Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh embarked on Britannia for the first time in Tobruk on May 1, 1954, at the end of the royal couple's Commonwealth tour. They are pictured with King Idris and other officials.
London crowds gather along the banks of the River Thames to greet Britannia , with the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh aboard, as it passes under Tower Bridge on its way to Westminster on May 15, 1954, at the end of its inaugural voyage.
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Chicago's July 1959 royal welcome for the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh was overwhelming. Some 6,000 vessels of all sizes jammed the harbor area to greet Britannia after having sailed the newly opened St. Lawrence Seaway. Queen Elizabeth, the first British monarch to visit Chicago, is pictured being welcomed by Illinois Governor William Straton. US President Dwight D. Eisenhower had been a guest during part of the voyage, having been invited to take part in the opening ceremony of the St. Lawrence Seaway.
Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh pass cheering Canadians and Americans during the royal couple's tour of Canada. They were in Windsor, Ontario, with Britannia and the American city of Detroit in the backdrop.
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HMY Britannia soon proved her worth as an ideal honeymoon cruise vessel. Princess Margaret and her husband, Antony Armstrong-Jones, 1st Earl of Snowdon, were the first royal couple to enjoy their honeymoon at sea, in 1960. Their voyage started a tradition where the yacht could access secluded locations away from the world's press to provide just-married British royalty with the privacy they desired.
Escorted by an armada of small craft, Britannia , bearing Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh, arrives off Sydney Heads during their tour of Australia in 1963. Three escorting destroyers of the Royal Australian Navy follow in her wake.
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Prince Philip, Queen Elizabeth II, Princess Anne, and Earl Mountbatten on board the Britannia at Spithead on the south coast of England during the Queen's review of the 62 ships of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) fleet. This ceremony formed part of NATO's 20th-anniversary celebrations.
Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh admire a gift received after the monarch opened the new accommodation of Lloyd's Register of Shipping at the society's City of London headquarters. The gift was a silver model replica of the Royal Yacht Britannia .
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Queen Elizabeth II with her sons Prince Edward, Prince Andrew, and Prince Charles on the deck of the Britannia as they arrive to attend the Olympic Games on July 1, 1976 in Montreal, Canada. Absent is Princess Anne, who was an athlete competing for the British equestrian team at the Summer Olympic Games that year.
The Silver Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II in 1977 marked the 25th anniversary of the monarch's accession to the British throne. Among the series of year-long events was the Silver Jubilee Review of the Fleet at Spithead, off Portsmouth in southern England. Britannia sailed past dozens of Royal Navy vessels anchored in the Solent on June 28, 1977.
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Later in the summer, the Queen and Prince Philip embarked on a Commonwealth visit that first brought them to island nations such as Fiji and Tonga. Pictured is the royal couple receiving and being entertained by Fijian folk and traditional dancers on board Britannia . The voyage continued later with longer stints in New Zealand and Australia.
In October 1977, the Royal Yacht Britannia anchored off Road Harbor during Queen Elizabeth II's visit to the British Virgin Islands as part of her Silver Jubilee tour of the Caribbean.
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A six-nation tour of the Gulf States, the first ever by a female Head of State, took place in early 1979. The Queen and Prince Philip flew into the region before setting sail from Kuwait aboard Britannia .
The newly-wedded Prince Charles and Diana , Princess of Wales leave Gibraltar on Britannia for their honeymoon cruise, which commenced on July 31, 1981.
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Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip with US President Ronald Reagan and his wife Nancy on board Britannica during an official tour of America in 1983. A banquet was held on the vessel on March 4, 1983 to celebrate the Reagan's wedding anniversary.
The Reagan's dined in Britannia 's grand dining room (pictured), which could host up to 56 guests. The dining room was set within the ship's royal apartments and included a lounge, drawing room, and guest bedrooms.
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This is the menu for dinner when Queen Elizabeth entertained President Reagan and other dignitaries on the Royal Yacht Britannia during the royal visit to San Francisco, California.
Joining Prince Charles and Princess Diana on their 17-day tour of Italy's sights and cities in April-May 1985 was Prince William and Prince Harry. The family are seen on board Britannia at Venice.
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Many Italians described the tour as a "second honeymoon" for the royal couple. Meanwhile, cities like Venice certainly provided a beautiful and historic backdrop for HMY Britannia .
In January 1986, Queen Elizabeth's luxury yacht rescued over 500 people of nearly 50 different nationalities from war-torn South Yemen and evacuated them to Djibouti. Britannia maneuvered close to a beach east of Aden to pick up civilians caught in the violent unrest after fighting broke out in the wake of a failed coup d'etat, which quickly escalated into civil war.
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Growing up fast, Prince William and Prince Harry wear baseball-style caps given to them by the crew of the Canadian frigate HMCS Ottawa after they toured the ship that was moored alongside Britannia on the Toronto waterfront. Charles and Diana were in Canada in late October 1991 as part of a royal tour.
June 6, 1994 marked the 50th anniversary of the D-Day landings in Normandy. To mark the historic occasion, Britannia and her royal passengers joined a colorful fleet review off Portsmouth and Gosport, in southern England.
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The Queen, Heads of State, and their wives aboard the Royal Yacht Britannia for the D-Day 50th anniversary celebrations, US President Bill Clinton among them. Besides hosting politically- and diplomatically-themed functions, Britannia held numerous "Sea Days"— British overseas trade missions to promote business, trade, and industry around the globe.
Among the many VIPs who wined and dined onboard Britannia was President Nelson Mandela, pictured here in 1995. Other guests welcomed onboard over the years include Winton Churchill and celebrities such as Frank Sinatra and Elizabeth Taylor.
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The handover ceremony of Hong Kong on July 1, 1997, which marked the transfer of sovereignty over the territory from the UK to China, was the Royal Yacht's final foreign mission. Britannia had been scheduled for decommissioning.
Britannia is pictured returning to Portsmouth in November 1997. The vessel would be decommissioned the following month. Thousands of well-wishers lined the shore and gathered at the entrance to the harbor to witness the historic moment as the grand old lady of the seas arrived at the end of her farewell tour of Britain.
On December 11, 1997, after 44 years in royal service, Britannia was retired from the seas. The late Queen, normally undemonstrative, was seen wiping away a tear during the decommissioning service, which was also attended by Prince Philip and Prince Charles.
HMY Britannia sailed to Scotland and began a new role as a visitor attraction moored in the historic Port of Leith in Edinburgh.
Britannia still hosts the occasional royal get-together. Pictured on July 29, 2011 are Kate and William arriving for an evening reception onboard the royal yacht to celebrate the impending wedding of Zara Phillips (the eldest granddaughter of Queen Elizabeth II) and Mike Tindall.
Today the Royal Yacht Britannia is one of Scotland's most popular tourist attractions.
Sources: (SuperYacht Times) (Royal Yacht Britannia) (CBC Archives) (The Royal Watcher) (United Press International) (AP News)
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Famously described by the Queen as “the one place I can truly relax”, the Royal Yacht Britannia was a home away from home for the royals from her maiden voyage in 1954 until she was decommissioned in 1997. Sailing more than one million nautical miles to 135 countries, the vessel also played a key role in Britain’s diplomatic work, allowing the Queen to serve as a host wherever she went. Now moored in Edinburgh, Scotland as a tourist attraction, the ship remains the last of 84 royal yachts, ending a tradition that first began in 1660.
While plans to build a successor to boost Britain’s trade continue to attract criticism, Britannia is once again attracting hordes of visitors after being forced to close because of COVID-19. And it’s no surprise, because from being able to look right into the Queen’s bedroom to learning about what life was like for the up to 220 yachtsmen on board, this is a boat with some fascinating stories to tell.
Town & Country went aboard to learn the secrets of this much-loved vessel. Here’s our pick of the best royal tales.
Many photographs of the Royal Yacht Britannia show the family waving from the Royal Bridge as the vessel departed from or arrived at its destination. And the bow of the ship was specially adapted to make sure these public moments did not reveal more than was intended. “The curved teak windbreak was a later feature, added for modesty’s sake, to prevent sea breezes from lifting royal skirts,” visitors to Britannia are told.
When the 412-ft yacht was built in 1953, it was considered important that it had a garage to house the Queen’s Rolls Royce. However, getting the car on board was no easy feat. “First, the car, in its transporter, had to be hoisted onto the special track that is fitted into the deck. Even then, it could only be squeezed into the garage by removing its bumpers,” Britannia’s guide notes. Thankfully, in later years the Queen usually traveled in a car from the country she was visiting which meant that the garage was eventually used as a beer store.
Now, visitors to Britannia get a full view of the Queen and Prince Philip’s (separate) bedrooms, albeit through glass. However, when the ship was in use it was important that no-one could peek into these rooms. Pointing out that the windows looking into these areas are “higher than anywhere else on the Yacht,” Britannia’s guide explains: “By placing them at this height above the deck, any accidental glimpses into the royal bedrooms could be prevented.”
One of the most fascinating things about touring the yacht is looking into the living quarters—from the relatively luxurious rooms of the Queen and Prince Philip and the ship’s Admiral, to the officers’ comfortable sitting room and dining room, to the approximately 220 yachtsmen who lived, slept, and worked, as the guide describes “in fairly cramped conditions”. Tourists are told: “Britannia was a ship in which hierarchy was strongly defined”. And there were plenty of people to accommodate. Some 45 working members of the royal household accompanied the Queen on her overseas visits.
As the yacht was build with their use in mind, the Queen and Prince Philip both had a say in the ship’s design and as such, it gives some insight into their taste. The Queen’s (single) bed has a specially-commissioned embroidered silk panel above it, and her room is decorated in pale and neutral colors. By contrast, Philip’s room features vibrant maroon linen and curtains and, at his request, his pillows, unlike the Queen’s “do not have lace on the borders”.
The honeymoon suite on the yacht is opposite the Queen and Philip’s bedrooms. “This is the only room on Britannia with a double bed which was brought on board by Prince Charles when he honeymooned on the Yacht with Princess Diana,” tourists are told. “When the Royal Children were small, this bedrooms and the adjoining room were used as nursery suites.”
Food on board Britannia was prepared in three galleys—one for the yachtsmen, one for the officers and one for the royal household. Buckingham Palace chefs were flown out to prepare royal food and there was a room that, according to Britannia’s guide, was known as the Jelly Room “for it was in here that the royal children’s jellies were stored.”
The largest room on Britannia is the State Dining Room where lavish banquets were held. It could also be used as a cinema room. “The silver-grey carpet could also be rolled up to expose a wooden dance floor beneath, although the last time this was used was for Princess Anne’s 21st birthday celebrations,” the guide notes.
Just like their separate bedrooms, the Queen and Philip had separate offices on board Britannia. Philip’s had a “specially designed display case,” the ship’s guide notes, in which he kept “a model of HMS Magpie, His Royal Highness’s first naval command.” The Duke of Edinburgh famously gave up his active naval career in 1951 to support his wife in her duties when King George VI’s health was ailing.
The royal family and their guests relaxed in the drawing room, which featured a grand piano. The instrument was played by members of the family and even some of their famous guests, including composer Noel Coward. “The Welmar baby grand piano cost £350 when it was supplied in 1952, and is firmly bolted to the deck to stop it taking off in choppy seas,” tourists are told.
Walking through the laundry at the end of the tour provides an insight into what was once a “hot and noisy environment”. Some 600 shirts could pass through the laundry in one day, with the royal family’s washing done on separate days to that of the crew. Britannia’s audio guide recounts “one occasion when the royal washing turned a delicate shade of blue, and Her Majesty’s Dresser was less than amused. The cause, it turned out, was a chemical reaction in the copper pipes, which was quickly remedied by adjusting the pH value of the water.”
What a very fun tour! The next time you are in Scotland, you should go and tour!
I look forward to taking the tour the next time I zip over to Scotland to play golf in St. Andrews and Gleneagles.
We feel sure you will love it!
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The Royal Yacht Britannia, Ocean Drive, Leith, Edinburgh EH6 6JJ
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Photography has always played an important role on Britannia. While she was in service, there was always a 'Yottie' appointed, nicknamed 'Snaps', to take photographs of life on board the Royal Yacht.
In keeping with this tradition, we now have our own Photographer in Residence, who has been capturing our very own Weekly 'Snaps' - a collection of snapshots of life around the ship today.
Previous weeks 2023, previous weeks 2022.
Housekeeper Anhelina polishing The Royal Yacht Britannia's Bell, the only place on the ship where Britannia's name is displayed.
Take our complimentary audio guide, available in over 30 different languages, which leads visitors around five decks of Britannia.
Kirk, Facilities Officer, maintaining the visitor tour route, ensuring an exceptional experience for everyone.
Visitor Assistant, Elaine, ready with a smile to greet visitors.
A visitor looks on as Executive Pastry Chef, Stephen, and Junior Sous Chef, Bob, prepare petits fours with delightful yuzu and matcha tea fillings for an exclusive on board event.
Enjoy a refreshing Caesar salad on the summer menu in the Royal Deck Tearoom.
Indulge in a bowl of flat field mushroom, truffle and chive soup, coupled with paprika-topped potato wedges, prepared in the historic Royal Galley.
Becky, Hospitality Supervisor, is a member of the Events team that creates and delivers a truly unique experience where Britannia can be exclusively yours for an evening.
The beautiful Rolls-Royce is taken for a maintenance check by Ian, Health, Safety, and Security Manager and Angie, Visitor Experience Manager.
Britannia carried around 2,000 different flags to signal messages to other ships during voyages across the world.
Keep your eyes peeled for the Cuddly Corgis hiding in various spots throughout Britannia in the Cuddly Corgi Treasure Hunt. Buy your own fluffy companion from our Gift Shop.
Choose from gifts including a keyring made of nautical charms, a memory from your visit to the Royal Yacht.
Gary working on new handrails for Fingal.
Greig fitting the handrails on board.
Nico washing Coweslip. Prince Philip frequently sailed on the keelboat, which was built by the legendary sailor Uffa Fox.
Giving Coweslip a thorough polish. The Royal Barge can be seen in the background.
Gary fixing the scupper boards for the port Shelter Deck.
Sam cleaning the Royal Barge pond. Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip travelled aboard the Royal Barge to shore when Britannia was anchored in harbours around the world.
Relax in the penthouse experience of Fingal's luxury Skerryvore Suite.
Our award-winning hotel has been recognised by Pride of Britain, AA Hotels, and Tripadvisor.
Celebrate your special occasion at The Lighthouse Restaurant & Bar aboard Fingal, from drinks and cocktails to a sumptuous three-course dinner. Discover Art Deco inspired accents and details in our glamorous and historically rich setting.
Afternoon Tea at The Lighthouse Restaurant & Bar comprises of five deliciously-crafted sweet and savoury courses.
TRIPADVISOR'S NO.1 UK ATTRACTION 2023 - 2024
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Get away from the everyday aboard Britannia’s sister ship, Fingal. Extend your visit with a stay in one of Fingal’s luxurious cabins, your own oasis by the sea.
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Our Hotel. Stay at our luxury floating hotel, Fingal, Tripadvisor's No1. UK Luxury Hotel, AA Hotel of the Year Scotland. The Royal Yacht Britannia is a five-star visitor attraction in Edinburgh. Britannia welcomes over 390,000 visitors a year from all over the world.
Her Majesty's Yacht Britannia is the former royal yacht of the British monarchy.She was in their service from 1954 until 1997. She was the 83rd such vessel since King Charles II acceded to the throne in 1660, and is the second royal yacht to bear the name, the first being the racing cutter built for the Prince of Wales in 1893. During her 43-year career, the yacht travelled more than a million ...
Royal Yacht Britania Facts and History. On February 4, 1952, John Brown & Co shipyard in Clydebank, Scotland, received the order from the Admiralty to build a new Royal Yacht to travel the globe and double as a hospital ship in times of war, according to the royal yacht's website.King George VI passed away two days after, sadly, and so on April 16, 1953, the newly crowned Queen Elizabeth II ...
The christening of The Royal Yacht Britannia serves as a cheeky season opener to The Crown. Black-and-white Pathé News-style footage shows a soon-to-be-crowned Queen Elizabeth II (Claire Foy ...
A Floating Palace. Britannia was launched from the John Brown & Company shipyard in Clydebank, Scotland, on 16 April, 1953. For over 44 years the Royal Yacht served the Royal Family, travelling more than a million nautical miles to become one of the most famous ships in the world. To Queen Elizabeth II, Britannia provided the perfect Royal ...
Take a full tour of the Queen's yacht, Britannia. This magnificent vessel was used by Queen Elizabeth II for over 40 years to travel the world and host stat...
Historical Timeline. Britannia was the first Royal Yacht to be built with complete ocean-going capacity and designed as a Royal residence to entertain guests around the world. When she was decommissioned in 1997, it marked the end of a long tradition of British Royal Yachts, dating back to 1660 and the reign of Charles II. There is additional ...
Visit this award-winning attraction, just two miles from Edinburgh's city centre at Ocean Terminal.The Royal Yacht Britannia played host to some of the world's most famous people, from Nelson Mendela to Winston Churchill, but above all was home for the British Royal Family for over 40 years. Now you can discover the heart and soul of this ...
Step aboard Queen Elizabeth II's former floating palace and experience this iconic attraction for yourself. Rated Tripadvisor's No.1 UK Attraction (AGAIN), Britannia is one of the most famous ships in the world…Royal Deck Tearoom. Only 15 minutes from Edinburgh City Centre. Lothian Bus services from Edinburgh city centre are - 10, 16, 34 ...
The Royal Yacht Britannia is the former royal yacht of HM Queen Elizabeth II and is located at the Ocean Terminal shopping centre in Edinburgh.The yacht is one of Scotland's premier tourist attractions, and visitors can explore it on a self-guided tour that takes them through the main dining hall, the royal family's private quarters, and the engine room.
It was the first royal yacht designed for ocean travel. The ship was built by John Brown & Co at the same shipyard in Clydebank, Scotland in the same location the famous ocean liners the Queen ...
The Royal Yacht Britannia is the last in a long line of royal vessels. Here we take a look back at the history of this magnificent yacht and discuss its past...
A Royal residence for over 40 years, The Royal Yacht Britannia sailed over 1,000,000 nautical miles on 968 state visits with the Royal Family where they entertained prime ministers and presidents. Now Tripadvisor's No.1 UK Attraction 2023 - 2024, you can discover across five decks stories of life at sea for both the Royal Family and the 220 ...
Height. 164 ft (50 m) Draught. 15 ft (4.6 m) Sail plan. 10,328 sq ft (959.5 m 2) (1893) His Majesty's Yacht Britannia was a gaff-rigged cutter built in 1893 for RYS Commodore Albert Edward, Prince of Wales. She served both himself and his son King George V with a long racing career.
The Royal Yacht Britannia was launched by The Queen in 1953 and was retired in 1997 after completing 44 years of service. The new national flagship is expected to be in service for around 30 years.
Royal Yacht Britannia opening times. During the peak months of April to October, Royal Yacht Britannia opens at 9.30 am, and the last entry is at 4.30 pm. The rest of the year, the Royal Yacht opens at 10 am, and the last entry is allowed till 3.30 pm. The last admission on 24 December is at 2.30 pm, and on 31 December it is at 3 pm.
Watch Now 2. Britannia was the 83rd Royal Yacht. King George VI, Elizabeth II's father, had first commissioned the royal yacht that would become Britannia in 1952. The previous official boat had belonged to Queen Victoria and was rarely used. The tradition of royal yachts had been started by Charles II in 1660.
Step aboard Queen Elizabeth II's former floating palace and experience this iconic attraction for yourself. Rated Tripadvisor's No.1 UK Attraction (AGAIN), Britannia is one of the most famous ships in the world…Royal Deck Tearoom. Only 15 minutes from Edinburgh City Centre. Lothian Bus services from Edinburgh city centre are - 10, 16, 34 ...
7. There were more than 200 crew on board. During royal tours, Britannia was manned by 220 yachtsmen, 21 officers and three season officers and a Royal Marine band of 26 on royal tours. Up until the 1970s, the crew had a daily ration of rum and she was the last Royal Navy vessel to have the crew sleep in hammocks. 8.
Tickets will be e-mailed to the e-mail address provided during online purchase. On average, a tour takes 1.5 - 2 hours with additional time should you wish to visit the Royal Deck Tearoom. Special offers or discounts are available when purchasing online (except Armed Forces or Student tickets*). Simply enter the reference number at the checkout ...
A SENSE OF OCCASION. A red carpet welcome awaits for the event of a lifetime aboard the former Royal residence of Queen Elizabeth II. Famously described by Her Majesty as "The one place I can truly relax", Britannia is the only Royal Yacht in the world available for exclusive use hire.
The new Royal Yacht Britannia enters the water after her launch on April 16, 1953 by Queen Elizabeth II at John Brown's shipyard on Clydebank, Scotland. The 126-m (413-ft) Britannia was designed ...
The Royal Yacht Britannia. by Two Chums on September 23, 2021 Famously described by the Queen as "the one place I can truly relax", the Royal Yacht Britannia was a home away from home for the royals from her maiden voyage in 1954 until she was decommissioned in 1997. ...
The Royal Yacht Britannia is closed on 1 January and 25 December. Last admission on 24 December is 2:30pm. Can I change my date/time slot if I can no longer make it? Yes, please contact us on 0131 555 5566 or email [email protected], Mon-Fri 09:00-17:00. Can I get a refund? Bookings can be moved free of charge.
The Royal Yacht Britannia, Ocean Drive, Leith, Edinburgh EH6 6JJ. Tel: 0131 555 5566 Email us: [email protected]. Please pre-book your tickets to guarantee admission ... nicknamed 'Snaps', to take photographs of life on board the Royal Yacht. In keeping with this tradition, we now have our own Photographer in Residence, who has been ...