royal yacht britannia gin

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Scottish Gins

The Royal Yacht Britannia Gin

Summerhall Distillery has created a new gin specially for HMY Britannia - the former royal yacht that has been turned into a tourist attraction moored in Edinburgh. The team behind Pickering's Gin has balanced the breadth of botanicals to create a citrus-forward, sweet and slightly spicy gin, designed to capture 'a million nautical miles in a glass'.

Distilled under contract in Edinburgh, Lothians, Scotland.

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10 brand new Scottish Gins that we can't wait to try

Gin expert and creator of the gin room scotland jayne carmichael norrie introduces us to scotland's newest gins..

The Scotsman Food and Drink have been championing Scottish gin since our inception and we are delighted to see the explosion in popularity for surely what must now be one of the world's most exciting spirits.

With distilleries and new brands popping up all over the country it can be hard to keep track of all the new additions.

Thankfully, experts like Jayne are on hand to keep us from missing out, and here she introduce us to 10 of the newest Scottish gins around:

No. 1: Persie Gin

Twitter: @persiegin

What do we know?

Persie Gin is made by the hard-working partners Chrissie and Simon who also run the long-established Gin Club Scotland.

Simon has been using his expert knowledge to host gin nights all over the country, and he knows what goes into a truly great gin.

According to their site, smell is the sense that has the strongest ability to invigorate emotions.

Factoid: Apparently between 75 per cent to 95 per cent of a gin’s flavour profile is based on smell.

So far Persie have produced a Zestry Citrus Gin, a Herby & Aromatic one and their Sweety and Nutty Old Tom Gin.

Where can we get it?

Their Perthshire distillery is open for visitors from Thursday 11th August.

No. 2: Lussa Gin

Twitter: @womeningin

We know Lussa Gin is based on the Isle of Jura, a place resplendent with potential gin botanicals. There are loads of photos of the team out foraging; it looks like so much fun. I’m pretty sure this gin is going to have a sense of exploration and adventure.

So far they’ve been out boating to look for watermint, diving for sealettuce, hillwalking for birch bark, searching for lemon thyme or harvesting Rose petals.

We don’t know much about Team Lussa, but it’s apparent they are a hard-working team that want to keep a close connection with the Isle of Jura in their gin.

Check out Lussa Gin on their Twitter page @womeningin and turn on notifications. Keep an eye out for their first ever launch of their gin within the next few weeks.

As it says on their website www.lussagin.com , they are not "just gin lovers, they are adventurers".

READ MORE: 15 Scottish gins we recommend you try right now

No. 3: Royal Yacht Britannia Gin

This is a brand new Gin made with Pickerings Gin, who live at The Royal Dick Craft Brewery Pub in Summerhall, Edinburgh. That part of Edinburgh is a real creative hub for Gin fans.

During World Gin Day (11th June) Summerhall hosts the Juniper festival, with Gin companies visiting from all over the world. The Royal Dick even has Pickering's Gin on tap at the bar. Is this Gin Heaven or what?

The Queen’s former floating palace, Britannia was an ambassador for British business, promoting trade and industry around the world.

Britannia Gin is made from 16 botanicals, with each of those botanicals carefully selected to represent the Royal Yacht’s lifetime at sea.

During her 44 year career, Britannia travelled 1,087,623 nautical miles, calling at more than 600 ports in 135 countries. Situated in Edinburgh’s historic port of Leith, visitors enjoy an insight into The Queen’s former floating palace, and the lives of those who lived and worked on board.

Each botanical originates from a port visited by the Royal Yacht during her 44 years at sea. The botanicals used are: juniper, lime, lemon, eucalyptus leaves, lemon, myrtle, liquorice root, bog myrtle, angelica, coriander, blood orange, orrice root, pepper, lotus root, cloves, rose petal and heather.

As someone who really likes their floral gins, this sounds like a great gin to me. The provenance of a product is becoming more and more important to gin fans, who appreciate value rather than volume.

You can get a hold of this unique Gin from royalyachtbritannia.co.uk with delivery to mainland UK addresses.

No. 4: Loch Ness Gin

Twitter: @lochnessgin1

We know that we were lucky to discover Loch Ness Gin when we did (a few days ago), they are having the launch of their very first gin on Thursday 18th August.

They are one of a few fortunate gin producers who are able to hand-pick their own crops of Juniper berries from their land.

Their company has got off to a great start, having won a Gold award already! Their gold was awarded in the Global Gin Masters following a blind tasting competition judged by experts.

So what have we got in the glass? Tasting notes from the competition were: “Nose: soft and mellow with bright, leafy notes, plump fruit and a subtle spice. Taste: this has a pleasant mouth feel with a good viscosity; the spirit coats the tongue and the flavours gradually unfurl.

"There are perfumed floral notes up-front mixed with the dry, fruity notes of pear and peach. Then vanilla, cinnamon, juniper, angelica and pine blossom finish the gin and make the taste linger."

The bottle is a bit special; semi-translucent with hot foiled copper front and back, which is apparently a world first. It is closed with a glass stopper and sealed with embossed copper.

Follow on their Instagram @lochnessgin and lochnessgin.co.uk

No. 5: Teasmith Gin

Twitter: @the_teasmith

This is another North-East gin, more specifically from Udny in Aberdeenshire. The Team at Teasmith wanted to create a gin whose flavour is made from botanicals linked to their locality, and that celebrate local history.

Aberdeenshire has a rich heritage that links the area with the tea trade. The Newburgh estuary, was once a thriving market place with tea being one of its biggest imports.

Aberdeen City gave rise to one of the most notable clippers to sail the seas. One of those ships, The Thermopylae was launched in 1868 and on its first trip set speed records on her way to Melbourne via Shanghai and Foochow. This vessel played a fundamental role in opening up trade routes with the Far East – and one of the key items they returned with was tea.

The Teasmith is a unique gin in that its the first gin to use hand-picked tea; a special black tea sourced by the team provides a distinct minty sweetness when distilled. This complemented the traditional gin botanicals perfectly.

Also added to Teasmith is juniper, coriander, orange peel, grains of paradise, angelica, calamus and orris root.

Recommended Serves

Teasmith recommends serving with a mint garnish and a good quality tonic with low quinine.

We have experimented with Teasmith and really liked the citrus notes from the gin. Teasmith is also really served neat with ice and some lemon peel.

Where can I get it?

You can pre-order at teasmithgin.com , Twitter @the_teasmith , Instagram: @the_teasmith

READ MORE: New Gin Map of Scotland celebrates rise of Scottish gin

No. 6: Badvo Gin

Badvo Distillery is the brainchild of Helen Stewart, an English Literature student whose family have been farming in Pitlochry for over 400 years.

When Helen was working in distilleries she was inspired by the enthusiasm of those working in the industry and how it is all-encompassing; crafting, branding, and helping people: "It's a very creative place to be".

The sheep-farming Stewart family have a few outbuildings that are no longer in use, and they want to use them to diversify their offerings on the farm.

Traditionally Pitlochry, and Perthshire as a whole, is thought of as whisky country. But having a verdant farm and the River Brerachin nearby makes it perfect for Premium small-batch Gin production.

The advantage of having a farm on a hill is that they have a wide variety of terrain; from grassland to heatherland, and from forests to bogland.

This variation in types of terrain is perfect for selecting botanicals; there will be many to choose from.

The botanicals for Badvo Gin will include Rowan Berries and Blackthorn, alongside Juniper which will be foraged from the family farm, one of only three Scottish gin distilleries I know of to use native Juniper (the other two being Loch Ness and Crossbill).

Helen is working with Botanist Su Black to finalise the selection of botanicals for Badvo. The Badvo have had great support from people in their town and have already raised over £5k from their Crowdfunding campaign.

It’s not ready yet! But coming soon. Check out their Crowdfunding page on Indiegogo and their site www.badvo.com

No. 7: Kirkjuvagr Gin

Twitter: @kirkjuvagr_gin

This tasty looking gin has just opened its doors. For many years there has been only one gin distillery on Orkney; at the end of this year we will have three.

The team at Kirkjuvagr worked closely with the Agronomy Institute of the UHI (University of the Highlands and Islands) to create a blend of local botanicals.

So what’s in the glass? There is local Angelica, Bere Barley, Borage, Ramanas Rose, Burnet Rose, as well as Calamondin citrus fruits grown in their green house. There are a lot of unusual botanicals in Kirkjuvagr, which will make it a quite unique Gin.

It’s great to see Kirkjuvagr are investing a lot in Orkney; they are going to open an artisan distillery, visitor centre and shop on Kirkwall’s Ayre Road, the official opening is planned for next spring.

The team at Kirkjuvagr tell me its incredibly smooth and can be sipped neat over ice with a piece of orange rind. Their "Perfect Serve" for Kirkjuvagr is Fever Tree tonic with a twist of orange peel.

Kirkjuvagr Gin will be distributed through specialist retailers later this year, with an online shop planned also.

The first ever batch of Kirkjuvagr is already sold out, but you can hear more about them on Twitter @kirkjuvagr_gin

No. 8 : Esker Gin

Twitter: @esker_spirits

Esker Gin is another brand new contribution to the North-East of Scotland gin scene. Husband and wife team Lynne and Steve Duthie have set up a gin still in their back garden.

After buying a copper still from Portugal, what was once a hobby has now evolved into a commercial venture, with their recent debut at the Taste of Grampian Food and Drink Exhibition being a breakthrough into the local Gin market.

So what do we get in the glass? Juniper, Heather, Rosehip, Peppercorn and Citrus. Esker Gin will also have Silver Birch Tree sap from tree in the local Kincardine Castle Estate. Esker will be the first Scottish Gin I know of to use Birch Tree sap in its recipe. It will give the Gin a refreshing sweetness; Birch Tree sap is renowned for its health-boosting properties.

The Team at Esker recommend serving with good quality tonic and orange zest.

Facebook.com/eskerspirits and Twitter @esker_spirits

No 9: Forth Bridge Gin

Twitter: @forthbridgebrew

This is an exciting concept on a number of levels.

Similar to Eden Mill in St. Andrews, Forth Road plan to brew and distil a number of different types of alcohol; beer, whisky and gin.

It’s unique in its ambitious aims to become the UK’s first sustainable brewery & distillery.

They plan to do this by using spent grain waste as the main fuel source. Forth Bridge Brewery estimate by doing this they will save an estimated 28,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions in their first year. That is truly amazing. I'm sure their end product will be just as interesting.

This would be a great place to buy a gift for someone who wishes to invest in local businesses that take responsibility for the impact their trading has on the environment.

Well done to Forth Bridge Brewery to creating new benchmarks in corporate responsibility.

We can’t wait to try their Oak Aged Gin, which has been aged for 30 days and apparently tastes like a cross between whisky and gin.

You can find out more at fbbd.uk and their Twitter @forthbridgebrew there will be some products available for sale later in 2016.

No. 10: McQueen Gin

Twitter: @mcqueengin

A brand new Premium Scottish Gin Producer based in Callendar, they have really set out to be authentic and different.

McQueen Gin has been going great guns after winning a grant of £10k from the ScotEdge Wildcard Fund.

The family-run business is seemingly determined to be trail-blazing in the ever-expanding world of Scottish Premium Gin.

Their Smoky Chilli Gin includes Bulgarian Juniper, Chipotle Chilli. Smoked Chilli, Chilli and Lime. This is quite an intriguing Gin; this is one of only two Scottish Gins that are made with chillis.

The Chocolate Mint Gin has Liquorice, Vanilla, Mint and Chocolate, and their Mocha Gin has Grapefruit, Vanilla, Chocolate and Coffee.

Their Sweet Citrus Gin includes Grapefruit, Lime, Kaffir Lime and Lemongrass in its recipe, sounds like it will be distinctive and refreshing.

Smoky Chillli Gin - Martini with Dry Vermouth, Chilli Flakes and Lime.

Chocolate Mint - Chocolate Mint Martini with Chocolate Liqueur and Mint.

Mocha - G & T with Fever Tree Mediterrean Tonic and Orange Peel

Sweet Citrus - G & T with Fever Tree Elderflower Tonic, Lemon and Strawberries.

At mcqueengin.co.uk and selected specialist retailers

Twitter: @mcqueengin Instagram: @mcqueengin

• Jayne is the founder of the The Gin Room Scotland and regularly writes about, samples and reviews Scotland's best gins.

You can follow her on Instagram here .

Quiz: Which Scottish gin best fits your personality?

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UK ROYAL YACHT TO BE FLOATING GIN PALACE WITH ‘NATIONAL SECURITY ROLE’?

There are practical uses for a Royal Yacht, such as a hospital ship in times of war, though HMRY Britannia never performed that role. The UK does badly need to up its game in intelligence-gathering vessels, so the new idea floated of the proposed future national flagship adopting a ‘national security role’ – which means exactly what UK government? – might be a welcome development.

Though, of course, this could not be a Royal Yacht. If it was a ‘spy ship’ no nation would allow such a vessel come alongside anywhere near its key strategic zones. Its ports of call could be limited to out of the way places, such as coal wharves or remote oil jetties/container ports. Or just a buoy in an unremarkable harbour. Or denied access completely (most likely), which would hardly suit a defence diplomacy objective.

According to the Financial Times, which broke this latest angle in what is a long-running saga, the Ministry of Defence itself denies the successor to the Royal Yacht Britannia would be such a vessel – despite someone in high places mooting the ‘national security role’!?

Apparently, according to the FT, the MoD suggests the new vessel would only carry a standard fit of communication and security features, so not for intel-gathering. Therefore, what would the new vessel be about? A glorified Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) with extra bling? A floating gin palace Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) with the ability to refuel warships on the move? Or a palatial dry stores vessel?

The UK does need more OPVs, more RFA support vessels and sorely lacks ‘spy ships’ but not any that double as trade-promoting floating embassies (supposedly a major function of the future Royal Yacht). Apparently the idea of a ‘national security role’ is to get around World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules and regulations that prevent the UK from just awarding the contract to build a new Royal Yacht to a British yard.

If the future Royal Yacht is purely for civilian purposes then the contract to construct it must be open also to foreign shipyards. The ‘national security ruse’ is possibly to avoid the embarrassment of the UK’s high seas standard bearer being built by an overseas yard.

Confusion abounds with this project – after all such a future vessel is already meant to be operated by the Royal Navy anyway, so would not be ‘a civilian vessel’ anyway. According to the FT, whatever type of ship ends up being commissioned, it will not be capable of sailing up inland waterways to reach Paris, Berlin, Madrid, Moscow of Rome.

That’s a bit of an ermine-clad red herring. Not sure that any major vessel manages that feat these days, and while I did see the Royal Yacht Britannia go up the Caen Canal and have observed the Norwegian Royal Yacht manage that feat too, it is a rather short, straight waterway, well surveyed and dredged. Hopefully any future Royal Yacht will be able to safely visit St. Petersburg, Singapore, Sydney, New York, Lisbon, London et al? You know, well-known ports for large sea-going vessels.

For a debate on the pros and cons of a new Royal Yacht – and whether or not it would be better to just build an additional Type 26 frigate for the Royal Navy – give the new WARSHIPS IFR podcast a listen. On it our Editor, Iain Ballantyne, and Associate Editor Peter Hore discuss the future Royal Yacht and other naval topics.

You can find it by clicking here here., we also chat about a whole host of other topics, including ufo encounters between #naval vessels and aircraft..

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Royal Yacht Britannia – tickets, prices, discounts, afternoon tea, what to see

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.

Top Royal Yacht Britannia Tickets

# 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.

Royal Yacht Britannia tickets

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:

Royal Yacht Britannia
Edinburgh Castle
Palace of Holyroodhouse

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 .

Car Parking

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.

Royal Yacht Britannia Visitor Center Entrance

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.

Royal Yacht Britannia tour

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.

Royal Yacht Britannia afternoon tea

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

Royal Yacht Britannia interiors

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.

State Apartments

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)

Admiral’s Cabin at Royal Yacht Britannia

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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This article was researched & written by

Jamshed V Rajan

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

WATCH: Queen Elizabeth was the first British monarch to visit Russia

Queen Elizabeth II, photographed in 1993. RollingNews

On Oct 17, 1994, Queen Elizabeth II became the first ruling British monarch to set foot on Russian soil.

As the eyes of the world are on Russia and the invasion of Ukraine, which has caused I migration of refugees unlike anything seen since World War II, we thought it interesting to look back at the October 1994 of Queen Elizabeth II to the Kremlin, by invitation of the then Russian President Boris Yeltsin.

In 1994 the Queen made a three-day visit to Russia. Three years before had seen the dissolution of the Soviet Union, when Yeltsin took office. His hope was that Her Royal Majesty's visit would strengthen the trade relationship with Britain and the Western World.

Yeltsin's spokesman, Vyacheslav Kostikov, said at the time "We realize that the British queen would never have visited a Communist country."

History of "God Save the King", Britain's National Anthem

Personally, 1994 was also a difficult time for the Queen personally as her son, Prince Charles, had separated from Princess Diana, just two years earlier. A biography of the Prince, by Jonathan Dimbleby, had caused a media frenzy over comments made by Charles with relation to his relationship with his mother and father, Prince Philip.

The Queen and Prince Philip landed in Moscow on Oct 17, 1994. They were then taken to the Kremlin where they were greeted by Yeltsin and his wife, Naina. The Royal pair were also treated to a special performance of the Bolshoi Ballet.

The climax of the tour was a state banquet given on the final evening by the Queen aboard the royal yacht Britannia which had sailed to St. Petersburg to meet the royal party.

They left Russia on Oct 20 and broke the journey home by visiting Finland.

Since 1994 some members of the Royal family have visited Russia, including Princess Anne. She visited in 2016 to mark the 75th anniversary of the first Arctic convoys from the United Kingdom during World War II. Prince Charles also Russia in 2003. This visit resulted in a return invitation to President Vladimir Putin to visit Britain later that year.

Check out some AP footage of the Queen having dinner at the Kremlin:

Related: Queen Elizabeth II

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Television-Show

The Crown Season 5 Filming Locations: In Detail

The Crown Season 5 filming locations include Ardverikie, Lancaster House, the Royal Yacht Britannia, Chatham Historic Dockyard, Wellington College, Cobham Hall School, Winchester College, Burghley House, Brompton Cemetery, Greenwich ORNC, Lincoln’s Inn and the London Coliseum. Further scenes were filmed on the Netflix show’s extensive sets around Elstree Studios.

As the Netflix drama moves into the 1990s, it revisits some of the established locations for the royal palaces, and adds new settings. We’re also in for a change of cast, led by Imelda Staunton as the Queen, with Jonathan Pryce as Prince Philip and Lesley Manville as Princess Margaret.

Marcia Warren steps in the Queen Mother, while Timothy Dalton plays Peter Townsend for a brief reunion. Dominic West takes over as Prince Charles, with Elizabeth Debicki as Princess Diana and Olivia Williams as Camilla Parker Bowles.

New figures for The Crown Season 5 include Mohamed Al-Fayed (Salim Daw) and his son Dodi (Khalid Abdalla), Penny Knatchbull (Natascha McElhone) and John Major (Jonny Lee Miller). Flashbacks also give us glimpses of earlier cast members and filming locations.

Where Was The Crown Season 5 Filmed?

The Crown Season 5 was filmed in Chatham, Greenwich, the Moray Firth, Ardverikie, Knebworth, Wellington College, Brompton Cemetery, Somerley House, Eastbourne Pier, Winchester College, Wrotham Park, Lancaster House, Lincoln’s Inn, and more stunning locations.

However, with the show growing bigger each season, the number of sets at Elstree has also grown. The Britannia, royal residences and Downing Street are among the custom-built backdrops.

The Crown Series 5 Filming Locations

John brown and company shipyard.

We see the ship in two eras. After Claire Foy’s Elizabeth has launched the ship, we see Imelda Staunton’s Queen at Chatham Historic Dockyard as she boards the Britannia to sail to Balmoral.

And here’s where to watch the real Britannia launch! It’s right here on the BBC Scotland News Facebook page .

Royal Yacht Britannia

The Crown Season 5 Britannia scenes were filmed on the real Royal Yacht and a replica built at Elstree Studios . The recreated top deck of the Royal Yacht’s appears in the dinner scene at the start of Episode 5. Other parts of the ship were duplicated elsewhere at the Netflix show’s Elstree base.

In an interview with Elle Décor , production designer Martin Childs confirmed the filming locations for the Britannia in Season 5 of The Crown. And it’s confirmed that the lower decks were used. We think these are the engine room scenes, which show off the machinery visible from above on the tour.

You can visit the real Royal Yacht Britannia in Leith, to the north of Edinburgh. Visitors can see the real engine rooms, Prince Philip’s art supplies, family lounges and bedrooms on the now-decommissioned Britannia. There’s also a permanent Royal Deck Tea Room , if you want to dine like the royal family in the scenes from The Crown Season 5.

Balmoral Castle

Interior shots for the Balmoral scenes have been filmed at Knebworth throughout the Netflix show’s run. Knebworth House confirmed that it’s a filming location for The Crown Season 5, sharing the news online the day before its release .

Knebworth’s dramatic architecture makes it a popular filming location, and The Crown’s substitute for Balmoral’s Scottish Baronial style. You can visit this location easily – check for opening days and special events! https://www.knebworthhouse.com/

The exterior belongs to Ardverikie in Newtonmore - also known as Glenbogle from Monarch of the Glen. And the surrounding land appears in the show as well.

Balmoral Estate

Balmoral scenes for The Crown Season 5 were filmed around Kinloch Laggan and Lossiemouth. Kinloch Laggan is where Ardverikie is situated, and this is a real Highland location. Like the real Balmoral Estate, it’s in the Cairngorms National Park . This year, other locations add to the landscape for loch scenes.

The Crown’s loch scenes were filmed around the Moray Firth near Lossiemouth and the Covesea Lighthouse. The Strathspey and Badenoch Herald caught Imelda Staunton and Lesley Manville in costume for the scenes.

In the Season 1 Episode 1 loch scenes, Princess Margaret and the Queen spend time together in a boat on the loch.

Range Rover Scenes

Prince Philip’s driving scenes were filmed in Hertfortshire. Back in October 2021, Jonathan Pryce was spotted filming the Range Rover driving scenes - part of Prince Philip’s life outside the palace. In Season 5, we see the Duke of Edinburgh following his love of driving and of carriage racing.

Lowther Horse Show

According to the Stamford Mercury , the Lowther Horse Show scenes were filmed at Burghley’s grounds.

As the series goes on Prince Philip and Penny Knatchbull's friendship attracts controversy – until Prince Philip asks the Queen to give her approval. While the Netflix series raises questions about the relationship, there’s no doubt that Prince Philip was devoted to carriage racing.

The Duke of Edinburgh competed in the sport, notably the Royal Windsor Horse Show, until the early 2000s. As described in the episode, he sought it out as an alternative to polo .

Kensington Palace

Wellington College has been used as Kensington Palace in The Crown from Season 3 onwards. It appears again in Episode 4, “Annus Horribilis”, and other scenes involving Princess Diana. The Princess of Wales famously lived in one of the palace’s apartments after her split from Prince Charles.

London Streets

Lincoln’s Inn Fields appear in The Crown’s London street scenes as Princess Diana agrees to be interviewed for Andrew Morton’s book. The gateway is visible, along with the surrounding terraces.

Buckingham Palace

Wrotham Park has been used as the Queen’s audience room since The Crown Season 1. Over the years, The Crown has filmed Buckingham Palace scenes at Wilton House, Goldsmiths Hall and Greenwich Old Royal Naval College.

The palace’s portico scenes used to be filmed in Greenwich, but have been switched for a replica in Elstree Studios. Other palace interiors are filmed on custom sets at Elstree too.

The Ritz Paris

The Crown’s Ritz hotel filming location is Waddesdon Manor in Buckinghamshire. The Rothschild mansion appears in Season 5 Episode 3 “Mou Mou”. Look out for the dining room’s mantelpiece and mirrors. This room is seen in the meeting to buy the Ritz, and later when Mohamed Al-Fayed speaks with Sydney Johnson, personal valet to the Duke of Windsor.

Of course, the real Ritz Paris has taken on a different role in the story of the Royal Family, Princess Diana, and the Al-Fayeds. But in Season 5 Episode 3, we’re focusing on the Al-Fayed patriarch’s story and love of prestigious settings.

Bois du Boulogne/Villa Windsor

The Crown’s Bois du Boulogne locations are Halton House and West Wycombe Park. Halton House appeared as the former Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson’s French retreat in the Netflix show’s earlier seasons. It makes a return in Season 5 Episode 3. Look out for the exterior as the former king trains his valet.

Halton recently appeared in Enola Holmes 2 as the Lyon family home – one of many screen moments. It was built for the Rothschilds, who still own the nearby Waddesdon Manor, and as a result they share some architectural links.

West Wycombe Park is another original Bois du Boulogne filming location from The Crown Season 1 that appears in Season 5 Episode 3. Look out for it in the interior shots as Mohamed Al-Fayed and Sydney Johnson inspect Wallis Simpson’s house after her death. Halton House’s entrance and West Wycombe Park’s as the Queen’s representative removes Edward VIII’s abdication desk and letters.

As shown in the Netflix series, Sydney Johnson worked at the house in its heyday and during its renovation. The real valet to the former Edward VIII said, of the Villa Windsor’s restoration:

“I feel on top of the world… the restoration is so authentic I expect to see the duchess stepping down the staircase asking, ‘How do I look?’” Sydney Johnson, Valet to the Duke of Windsor and Mohamed Al-Fayed

If you want to see the real Duke and Duchess of Windsor’s décor, Architectural Digest has captured it in amazing detail . Everything from the clocks to the North Persian carpets is recorded.

Look out for Harrods in the shots of Mohamed Al-Fayed looking over his newest purchase. This looks very much like the real Harrods department store in Kensington, complete with its illuminations.

The real Harrods is a fixture of Knightsbridge to this day. But the prestigious shopping destination’s relationship with the Royal Family has changed over the years.

In 2000, Prince Philip withdrew his royal warrant. The store had held royal warrants since the 1950s. But after the Duke of Edinburgh declined to renew, Mohamed Al-Fayed spoke out to say he wouldn’t seek to renew the Queen or Prince of Wales’ warrants. Harrods then-owner elaborated:

“We are proud of the Harrods reputation as the world’s finest store and we naturally welcome discerning shoppers from all over the world… The royal family, with the exception of Prince Philip, are welcome to shop at Harrods at any time.” Mohamed Al-Fayed

Sydney Johnson’s Grave

The Crown cemetery location for Sydney Johnson’s grave is Brompton Cemetery in London. In The Crown, we see Mohamed Al-Fayed paying his respects over the gravestone. The engraving reads Sydney Johnson, Valet to the King.

Brompton Cemetery opened in 1840, and is still a working cemetery to this day. But it’s also a Grade I-listed on the English Heritage Register of Parks and Gardens and a precious green space. You can find guides to the well-known figures who are buried there, and popular walking routes, on the Royal Parks website.

Moscow Streets

The Netflix show’s Moscow scenes were filmed in Bradford. In The Crown Season 5, the Queen’s car is seen driving through the streets of the Russian capital, actually Bradford’s Forster Square area.

The Telegraph and Argus caught filming in progress , with Russian signage appearing on Holdsworth Street, Canal Road and Valley Road.

Windsor Castle

Look out for Burghley Castle as The Crown’s Windsor Castle location in Season 5. The famous Windsor Castle fire scenes were filmed at Burghley, and smoke billowing over its roof . A replica of one of its rooms was also used as a fire-damaged Windsor in scenes of the Queen and Prince Philip surveying the damage.

Burghley also provides St George’s Hall in Windsor Castle after the repairs. It appears in the scenes of Prince William and the Queen having tea at Windsor during his time at Eton. Look out for it again when the Queen and Director General of the BBC have a tough conversation after Martin Bashir’s interview is screened.

You can visit this Crown location – check the opening dates for the house, grounds and restaurant.

Guildhall Jubilee Lunch

Look out for the exterior of the ORNC buildings at the opening of the episode, as the Queen exits the car. She is seen walking into the Painted Hall, climbing the steps to its distinctive black and white floor.

The artwork has a royal theme of its own. Among the scenes depicted around the Painted Hall, you’ll find the accessions of William and Mary, and George I. And you can indeed find the paintings for yourself, because it’s open to the public – check the website for current admission details .

The Queen really did make her famed “annus horribilis” comment during the Guildhall Jubilee Lunch . In reality, the Ruby Jubilee banquet on 24th November 1992 took place just days after the fire at Windsor Castle.

The real Guildhall , with its 600-year-old Great Hall, is the home of the Corporation of the City of London, who hosted the event. While it didn’t appear in this episode of The Crown, it is a popular filming location in its own right.

The Eton town and school locations in The Crown are Winchester College in Hampshire and the Cobham Hall School in Kent. Prince William’s car passes the entrance to the Winchester College in Season 5 Episode 7, “No Woman’s Land”, before the press call.

Winchester was founded in 1382, pipping Eton to the post by about 60 years. Princes William and Harry’s former school was founded in 1440, on the banks of the Thames. As seen in The Crown when the Queen considers inviting William for tea, Eton sits just on the edge of Windsor.

Eton College

Kent’s Cobham Hall School appears in glimpses of Eton’s courtyard and interior shots. Look out for the Gravesend school in the press call and William’s lesson on Guy Fawkes and the Gunpowder Plot.

It was confirmed as a filming location by Visit Kent , along with other local spots appearing in the likes of Enola Holmes 2 . While Eton is an all-boys school and Winchester has only recently become co-educational, Cobham Hall is an all-girls day and boarding school.

It was founded by socialite Bhicoo Batlivala , who had attended another prestigious school, Cheltenham Ladies’ College. But the building itself boasts its own royal connections. Cobham Hall has been home to the Barons of Cobham, Earls of Lennox and Earls of Darnley. Over the centuries, the residents have hosted royalty of their era, from Elizabeth I to the Duke of Windsor.

Broadcasting House

It looks like a real glimpse of Langham Place in Season 5 Episode 8, “Gunpowder”, with CGI assistance bringing the BBC’s Broadcasting House back to the 1990s. Built in 1932 , the Broadcasting House building was later updated with the glass-lined piazza space that occasionally appears in BBC features.

Eastbourne Pier

The Crown Season 5 Episode 8 features shots of Eastbourne’s pier and seafront . Look out for several angles in quick succession at the start of the sequence before the Bashir footage is reviewed.

Eastbourne’s shingle beach is another location seen in the episode, as the race to halt or allow the broadcast begins.

The Queens Hotel

Royal Variety Performance

The Royal Variety Performance scene was filmed at the London Coliseum on St Martin’s Lane in London . The London Coliseum’s exterior is seen as the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh arrive for the Royal Variety Performance on their wedding anniversary. The real auditorium appears as well, with shots from various angles throughout the second half of the episode.

As a side note, while the London Coliseum has hosted the event, it wasn’t the venue that year. On 19th November 1995, the day before Princess Diana’s interview with Martin Bashir aired, the Royal Variety Performance was held at the London Dominion.

The Queen and Prince Philip would have watched acts including Cirque du Soleil, Allan Stewart, Des O’Connor, Riverdance and Elaine Paige. Thanks to the Royal Variety Charity’s archive, you can check out the line-up right here .

Prince Charles’ Hong Kong scenes were filmed in London’s West End . The area already has a strong connection to China and Hong Kong, through local expat communities and Chinatown’s restaurants and importers.

Journals and essays written by King Charles III were shared with the press after he took the final trip in the Royal Yacht Britannia. In the texts , he wrote about his thoughts on the journey itself and the Hong Kong handover.

The Theatre

While the Princess of Wales’ fashion choices influenced the costumes shown in The Crown, they don’t appear at the same events. As Yahoo Life UK point out, the blue dress Diana is seen wearing to Swan Lake harks back to a Jaques Azagury dress she wore to an event at the Serpentine Gallery in 1995.

The Crown’s Highgrove location is the Somerley Estate in Dorset. Somerley appeared in Season 4 as Highgrove, and is also set to reappear in Season 6. Filming took place in October 2022 , before Season 5 had arrived on Netflix.

While Somerley isn’t open to the public, you can stay at this Crown location. There are holiday lets on the estate – or you can host a wedding or special event at the house. https://somerley.com/ That said, you can visit the real Highgrove gardens . In fact, King Charles III’s private residence in Gloucestershire has hosted garden tours for 25 years.