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What Happened to the Royal Yacht Britannia?

By Elise Taylor

The Crown season five begins and ends with the same plot point: The Royal Yacht Britannia. The vessel serves as a—fairly obvious—metaphor in the first episode, where Imelda Staunton’s Queen Elizabeth describes it as “a floating, seagoing version of me.” The problem with her metaphorical marine self? It’s in desperate need of multi-million dollar repairs. 

She asks British prime minister John Major, played by Jonny Lee Miller, whether the government might be able to help foot the bill. He, in turn, asks if the royal family might front the cost, given the public pushback they both might receive if such a seemingly extravagant project was approved. In the final episode of the season (a note to the reader: spoilers will follow), Tony Blair and Queen Elizabeth agree to decommission the yacht after Prince Charles’s trip to Hong Kong.

The Crown is known for taking much of its plot material from real-life events. In the case of the Royal Yacht Britannia, though—what really happened to the boat, and how much political controversy did it really cause?

To go back to the beginning, King George VI first commissioned the royal yacht that would become the Britannia in 1952. It was an exciting project, as the previous official boat had belonged to Queen Victoria, and was rarely used. (Queen Victoria, for one, did not like the water and never sailed.) Then, during the early 20th century, England was mostly at war, and making a massive, slow-sailing luxury ship would be a massive security risk in international waters. 

The Royal Yacht Britannia, George decided, should both be an extravagant vessel and a functional one, able to double as a hospital if times of war were to arise again. In 1953, the newly-crowned Queen Elizabeth christened the ship with a bottle of wine, as champagne was still seen as too extravagant post-war. In 1954, she set sail for the first time.

The Royal Yacht fulfilled many functions, most of them leisurely. Over the years, the boat hosted four royal honeymoons, including that of Princess Diana and Prince Charles, as well as many family vacations. In 1969, after his investiture as the Prince of Wales, Charles hosted an intimate party on board to celebrate. (Newspapers at the time wrote that he danced with his dear friend Lucia Santa Cruz —the very person who eventually introduced him to Camilla Parker Bowles.)

It also served as a grandiose mode of transport for many royal visits. In 1959, for example, Britannia sailed to Chicago to celebrate the recently-opened St. Lawrence seaway in Canada, and President Eisenhower joined her on board. Twenty years later, she sailed to Abu Dhabi for her first official visit to the United Arab Emirates, where she held a grand dinner for Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.

And although Queen Elizabeth's reign was not during wartime, the royal yacht did execute a humanitarian mission, as King George VI had always planned for: In 1986, it sailed to Aden to evacuate over 1,000 refugees from the civil war in Yemen.

The New York Times once described the 412-foot Britannia as “an ordinary yacht what Buckingham Palace is to the house next door.” It wasn’t an exaggeration—Britannia was essentially a floating palace. It had a drawing room, a dining room, two sitting rooms, as well as galleys and cabins for all the officers. The stateroom interiors were just as ornate as any other royal estate, while the bedrooms—which all had their own bathrooms and dressing rooms—were designed to feel surprisingly personal. 

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“Within the royal apartments, however, the regal elegance gives way to the homey, patched elbow chic of an English country house, with flowered chintz slipcovers, family photographs, and rattan settees, interspersed with the occasional relic of Empire—shark's teeth from the Solomon Islands here, a golden urn commemorating Nelson's victory at Trafalgar there,” the New York Times found when it boarded the ship in 1976.

The cost of running Britannia was always an issue. Politicians raised questions about its financial value as far back as 1954, when two MPs lobbied for an investigation on why the yacht’s refurbishment would cost 5.8 million pounds, accusing the royal family of waste and extravagance. A government committee later dismissed the accusations. In 1994, the Conservative government ruled the yacht too costly to refurbish, when repairs came in at a whopping 17 million, but then briefly walked back on their decision a few years later. 

However, when Tony Blair’s Labour government won the election, and the new government once again declined to pay for Britannia. Britannia’s final journey was to far-flung Hong Kong in 1997, as Prince Charles turned over the British colony back to the Chinese at the end of Britain's 99-year lease. When they finally decommissioned the boat that summer, the queen cried—one of the few times she’s shown emotion in public. The boat had logged over one million nautical miles.

Today, Britannia sits permanently docked in Edinburgh. Visitors can take tours of its grand galleys, or even rent it out for events. Yet, despite its retirement, the concept of the royal yacht lives on: In 2021, Boris Johnson floated the idea of a new boat. However, a mere eight days ago, Rishi Sunak has scrapped the project—showing that, even now, the concept remains a controversial one.

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The vessel, which was used for other Royal visits, also had an emergency bunker.

One such journey was the honeymoon of Prince Charles and Princess Diana. In August 1981, the yacht brought the couple on a tour of the Mediterranean, stopping at Greek islands for beach picnics. While photos of the trip are a rarity, we can imagine what it looked like at the time in these images from the period.

The drawing room:

A sitting room:

The Duke of Edinburgh's sitting room:

The dining room, set for dinner:

The anteroom, with the drawing room in the background:

The sun room:

The yacht also hosted a few other royal honeymoons for Princess Margaret and Antony Armstrong-Jones, Princess Anne and Captain Mark Phillips, and the Duke and Duchess of York. But not every planned journey was as glamorous — the Royal Yacht Britannia was also intended to be Queen Elizabeth's refuge in the event of a nuclear attack .

In 1997, the yacht was decommissioned at an event where Queen Elizabeth visibly cried . Visitors can tour the vessel where it is berthed in Edinburgh, Scotland. Earlier this year, there were rumors of plans to take the yacht out of commission for post-Brexit purposes. However, more recent rumors suggest that there might be a successor to the Royal Yacht Britannia. Whatever happens, we'll always remember the yacht's glamorous past.

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The Royal Yacht Britannia : A History of Queen Elizabeth II’s Favorite Palace

By Lisa Liebman

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) cheered on by shipbuilders as she launches her new 412-foot yacht. “I hope that this brand-new vessel, like your brand-new queen, will prove to be dependable and constant. Capable of weathering any storm,” she says about the royal replacement for the  Victoria and Albert III . By the series’ season finale, set 44 years later, both the sovereign and the floating palace she christened  Britannia will have hit rough seas—the cost of repairing the creaky old vessel and the modern role of the monarchy both in question. Ultimately, the yacht that undertook 968 official voyages all over the world, hosting dignitaries—including 13 US presidents—at receptions and banquets, was dry-docked near Edinburgh, Scotland, where it continues to be a popular tourist attraction. Here are some of the most buoyant facts about the palace the Queen famously said was “the one place where I can truly relax.”

The sun room on the Royal Yacht Britannia as photographed in 1981. 

In a nod to the country’s post-war austerity, Elizabeth scaled back the design of the ship that her father, King George VI, had commissioned just two days before he died. Rather than following the opulent plan laid out by the Scottish firm McInnes Gardner & Partners, she opted for the understated elegance envisioned by architect Sir Hugh Casson, who described “running a lawn mower over the Louis XVIl adornments” in favor of simple white walls, lilac-gray carpeting, and “a bit of gilding in grand places.” Elizabeth and her husband, Prince Phillip, were said to have personally chosen the furniture—much of it, including linens, recycled from the  Victoria and Albert —fabrics (florals, chintz, toile), and paintings. 

Prince Charles and Princess Diana on board the Royal Yacht Britannia as they prepare to depart on their honeymoon cruise in 1981.

As a former Royal Navy Commander, Prince Phillip also saw to the ship’s technical details, and his Bluebottle racing yacht inspired the Britannia ’s navy-hued hull. Outer decks were made of two-inch Burmese teak. The steering wheel was reclaimed from Britannia ’s namesake, King Edward VII’s 1893 racing yacht; a wheelhouse wheel came from George V’s racing yacht; and a gold-and-white binnacle (housing the ship’s compass) was salvaged from King George III’s yacht and installed on the Veranda deck. Fittings from former royal ships were also reused. 

The drawing room on the Royal Yacht Britannia as photographed in 1978. 

The 4,000-ton yacht had a crew of 220 Royal Yachtsmen who lived on board, about 45 household staff, and occasionally a 26-member Royal Marine embarked to entertain dignitaries. The monarch often welcomed guests from the ship’s grand staircase. (Stairs leading from the Veranda to the Royal deck were sometimes transformed into a water slide for the kids.)  Britannia ’s apartments were designed like those of a first-class ocean liner. A 56-seat state dining room, where many of the gifts given to the monarch (a wood-carved shark from Pitcairn Island, a bejeweled gold statue from Bangkok) were displayed, was the scene of formal dinners with guests such as Sir Winston Churchill, Frank Sinatra, Nelson Mandela, and Bill and Hillary Clinton. More intimate gatherings were held in the Queen’s official reception room, a smaller state drawing room with floral upholstered pieces, simple wood tables, an electric fireplace, and a Welmar baby grand piano bolted to the deck—played by everyone from Sir Noël Coward to Princesses Diana and Margaret. The teak-clad sun lounge, with rattan furniture and a toile loveseat, was Elizabeth’s favorite place—where she had her breakfast, afternoon tea, and also enjoyed her favorite Dubonnet and gin cocktails.

The Queen’s sitting room on the Royal Yacht Britannia as photographed in 1981. 

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A ship elevator reserved for royal use moved between the Upper and Shelter Decks. The latter is where four Royal Apartments (bedrooms), including the Queen and Prince Phillip’s connecting compartments, were located. Hers featured florals, his had red accents. Elizabeth’s understated Upper Deck private sitting room, done in pastels and neutrals, served as the office where she conducted state business. Phillip used his sitting room, with its wood desk facing a model of his first command, the HMS Magpie , as his study. Below deck there was a wine cellar, as well as a cargo hold that could carry a barge, speed- and sailboats, plus a royal Range Rover and Rolls-Royce. The yacht could also be converted into a hospital (though it never was).

The Queen shed a tear at the decommissioning ceremony for thye Royal Yacht Britannia.

As depicted in  The Crown, Britannia ’s final official trip was to Hong Kong in 1997, where Prince Charles attended the handover of the territory to China. By then, Prime Minister Tony Blair’s administration was complaining that the £11 million a year needed to keep the boat afloat couldn’t be justified. With Queen Elizabeth, Prince Phillip, and all of their children in attendance,  Britannia was decommissioned at a ceremony in Portsmouth, England on December 11, 1997, with the monarch seen wiping away a tear. The yacht, now docked in Leith, Scotland, is open to the public as a museum and events space. (Prior to their wedding, Princess Anne and Mark Phillips’s daughter Zara Phillips and her fiancé Mike Tindall had a celebration there.) Visitors will note that every clock on board reads 3:01, the exact time the Queen disembarked her beloved  Britannia for the final time on that December day.

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Charles III returns to the Royal Yacht Britannia, on which he took his honeymoon with Lady Di

The ship, which a very young elizabeth ii inaugurated in 1953 just after ascending the throne, served the british monarchy for 44 years. it served four newlywed royal couples, although all the marriages later ended in divorce.

Some places just bring back memories and stories from the past. For the British royal family, the Royal Yacht Britannia is more than a luxury ship: it was inaugurated in 1953 by a very young Elizabeth II , who had just ascended the throne after her father, King George V, died. Four royal couples have enjoyed their honeymoons aboard the yacht, although they all divorced later. Many considered it a floating palace, because it boasted all the amenities the British royals desired but on the high seas. In 1997, it stopped sailing permanently and became a museum located in Leith, a district of Edinburgh, Scotland. Taking advantage of his trip to the Scottish capital for this Wednesday’s coronation ceremony, King Charles III visited the yacht 42 years after his wedding to Princess Diana of Wales , the ship on which they took a six-nation honeymoon.

The monarch is in Scotland to receive the Honors, as tradition dictates; it’s a ceremony in which he will be shown the United Kingdom’s oldest Crown Jewels on the occasion of his coronation. Queen consort Camilla accompanied Charles III on this trip, although she did not join him on the tour of the Royal Yacht Britannia. Once a year, the royal family travels to Holyrood Palace to celebrate a series of traditional Scottish events, but this time it culminates with a special event in honor of the new monarch. King Charles III’s schedule was packed with events in Edinburgh this Monday: he received the keys to the city and ended up boarding the Britannia, decades after the last time he was aboard.

Originally, the ship was intended to improve King George VI’s health, but he never enjoyed it. The yacht was inaugurated in April 1953, when Elizabeth II — who was about to be crowned — said a few words to toast the event: “I will call this ship Britannia. I wish success to her and to all who sail on her.” For 44 years, the Britannia was one of the Windsors’ most important ships, serving the queen and her family members on their travels around the world. The queen went as far as to confess that Britannia was “the only place to relax.”

On December 11, 1997, the ship was decommissioned after traveling to 135 countries and sailing over one million nautical miles. Subsequently docked and turned into a museum, Charles III wanted to return to the place where he once showed his happiness with his new wife Princess Diana of Wales (at least to outward appearances). On board the ship, the monarch had the opportunity to talk with former sailors from the crew and to revive naval traditions. To commemorate the 25th anniversary of the ship’s retirement, the king toasted with rum and shared a few words commending the attendees for the way they have taken care of the ship during that time.

Although it was built as a royal residence — it had five floors and a staff of over 240 sailors—at one point there was also the possibility that it would be used as a maritime hospital. It never fulfilled the latter purpose, but it was deployed in a rescue mission to evacuate European citizens from South Yemen in 1986. In addition to the British royal family, luminaries including Winston Churchill, Nelson Mandela, Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher also sailed aboard the Britannia.

The 240 sailors who worked aboard the yacht had to meet certain requirements, such as communicating via signs and hand gestures to avoid shouting and provide a sense of peace and tranquility, which was what the royal family was seeking. They also had to change clothes six times a day to comply with various protocols.

Beyond becoming a simple boat on which members of the royal family spent their vacations or enjoyed a few days of peace, it was also how the family’s newlyweds traveled the world. Princess Margaret was the first to do so in 1960, when she went on her honeymoon in the Caribbean with Anthony Armstrong-Jones, whom she divorced 18 years later. Princess Anne and her husband Mark Phillips were next in 1973; they divorced 19 years later. Prince Charles and Princess Diana followed, taking a traditional honeymoon in 1981. On board the ship, they visited the Rock of Gibraltar, Algeria, Tunisia, Sicily, Greece and Egypt. Fifteen years later, the marriage ended in divorce. Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson were the last to take the yacht on their honeymoon to the Azores in 1986; they were married for 10 years. For the royal family’s newlyweds, the ship seems to have brought only divorce.

Decades of voyages and stories ended in 1997. The royal family wanted to build another ship to replace the Britannia, but the government refused to finance it. The clocks on the royal yacht remain stopped at 15:01 (3:01 p.m.), the time when the Queen disembarked from the ship for the last time, closing its doors as a palace and reopening them as a museum.

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King Charles III makes a poignant return to the Royal Yacht Britannia – his mother’s beloved home from home

By Stephanie Bridger-Linning

King Charles III (then Prince of Wales) with Princess Diana on the Royal Yacht Britannia at the start of their honeymoon cruise

King Charles III yesterday made a poignant return to the Royal Yacht Britannia. A ‘home from home’ for Queen Elizabeth II, the Duke of Edinburgh and their four children, the Royal Yacht Britannia held an important place in the lives of the Royal Family for more than four decades until it was decommissioned in 1997.

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Family holidays, honeymoon and precious private time – the Royal Yacht Britannia brought so much to the Windsors. ‘This was the place out of the public eye, they could relax and be themselves. On board Britannia that was their family time and it was our job to make their stay comfortable,’ one former crew member recalled yesterday.

Members of the Royal Yacht Britannia make a toast with King Charles III during a tour of the Royal Yacht Britannia

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Boarding the decommissioned yacht, King Charles no doubt would have been transported back through the decades to the countless voyages he shared with his siblings, cousins and parents – and later his wife and their young sons. During the visit – part of a busy schedule of engagements for Holyrood Week – King Charles sipped rum with sailors, met former crew members and attended a reception in the State Dining Room. ‘To all the marvellous Yotties who keep it all going, you are all brilliant,’ he said, toasting the crew.

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The history of royal yachts dates back to the reign of Charles II who, when he became King of England, Scotland and Ireland on the restoration of the monarchy in 1660, was gifted a yacht called the Mary by his Dutch allies. There have been a total of 82 royal yachts since. As well as providing monarchs and their families a place in which to relax, they have also been deployed on diplomatic missions; a role that was particularly important before royals were able to jet off on planes.

Prince Charles and Princess Anne with their nanny on board the Royal yacht, Britannia at Portsmouth

Although it was Queen Elizabeth II and her family who enjoyed the use of the Britannia, the vessel had been commissioned by her father, King George VI , as a replacement for the ageing Victoria and Albert which was decommissioned in 1939 having been constructed during the reign of Queen Victoria.

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George VI, who reigned over Britain during the Second World War, took a practical approach when planning the new vessel, lest the nation should once again find itself in the throes of conflict, and ensured it could easily be turned into a hospital ship if needed. Sadly, the King died before construction was completed and it was his daughter and son-in-law who had the final say on its design.

The Queen and Prince Philip waving on board Royal Yacht Britannia during an official visit to Kuwait

The state room on the Royal Yacht Britannia

The Britannia set sail on her maiden voyage from Portsmouth to the Grand Harbour in Malta on 14 April 1952, carrying Princess Anne and her brother Prince Charles , who reunited with the then Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh at the end of their Commonwealth tour. The late Queen first boarded the yacht at Tobruk in the country then known as the Kingdom of Libya in May 1954, and she famously became the first British monarch to visit Chicago in 1959 when the yacht docked in the city.

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It became integral to royal life. As a young boy, Prince Charles is said to have stolen pastries from the kitchen of the yacht, and was captured on film playing on the decks and swooping down a makeshift slide. Sir Winston Churchill and Nelson Mandela were among those who dined in the opulent State Dining Room, while Prince Charles and Princess Diana honeymooned on board. It was also the location of fun-filled family holidays, with private home videos and photos shared from the royal archives over the years revealing how the late Queen relaxed on deck as the family whizzed down waterslides.

Season 5 of The Crown featured the Britannia towards the end of her seaworthy days. The series depicts Queen Elizabeth II (played by Imelda Staunton) tries to strong-arm Prime Minister Sir John Major (Johnny Lee Miller) into footing the bill for a sizeable refurbishment, telling him: ‘From the design of the hull to the smallest piece of china, she is a floating, seagoing expression of me.’ The Duke of Edinburgh (Jonathan Pryce) also does his best to compel Sir John to take action.

The Royal Yacht Britannia in Hong Kong

Ultimately, however, it was decided (as in real life) that the ‘costs were too great’ and, in 1994, it was announced the Britannia would be decommissioned. Three years later, the vessel that had given the late Queen so many happy memories embarked on its final voyage – a farewell tour around the UK. On the day of decommissioning, the enormity of the occasion was clear for the world to see, for Her late Majesty was photographed wiping away a tear during the ceremony; a rare public display of emotion for the stoic sovereign.

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Since her retirement, Britannia has been moored in the Port of Leith in Edinburgh and has served as a tourist attraction. It marks the final chapter in a fascinating story of the beloved floating royal residence.

The Queen wiping a tear from her eye at the de-commissioning ceremony for The Royal Yacht Britannia

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The Royal Yacht Britannia: history and visitor information

The Royal Yacht Britannia, now moored at Leith the port of Edinburgh, was once home to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and her family,

©Mark Millar, Royal Yacht Britannia

The Role of the Royal Yacht Britannia in the British Royal Family

The yacht provided a sanctuary for the royal family offering them a respite from the demands of public life. It allowed them to escape the prying eyes of the media and enjoy moments of relaxation and privacy.

As they travelled the world it was, said the queen, the one place she could truly relax.

Today the world’s most famous yacht is an Edinburgh five-star visitor attraction and exclusive events venue.

the Royal Yacht Britannia history

Plans to build a new yacht to replace the ageing Victoria and Albert III had first been considered in 1938 during the reign of King George VI but in austere pre-war Britain, it didn’t seem appropriate.

However in 1951, with the king’s health failing, the government decided to push ahead with their plans for a new ship. Sadly King George died before the work was completed.

construction and design of the Royal Yacht Britannia

Like two of the other great ocean-going passenger liners, the Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth II, the royal yacht’s life began on the River Clyde. 

It was built in John Brown’s shipyard in Clydebank near Glasgow and launched on 16 April 1953.

Following sea trials, the ship was commissioned into the Royal Navy the following year.

It was the latest in a long line of royal yachts that stretched back to the seventeenth century when the Dutch gave the world’s first royal yacht Mary to Charles II as a gift.

Original designs of the ship had specified a dual role – a hospital ship to be used in times of conflict and a royal yacht. She was never used in the former capacity.

However, in 1986, during a voyage to Australia, without the Queen aboard, the ship diverted to Aden to help in the evacuation of those trapped on the beaches by an ongoing war in the region.

Over 1,000 terrified people were rescued and crammed into every available space.

Both the Queen and Prince Philip took a keen interest in the design of the vessel, working with Sir Hugh Casson on plans for the interior decorations.

The young couple selected fabrics, furniture and paintings, many of them taken from the Victoria and Albert III in an effort to keep costs under control.

The state apartments aft of the funnel were not extravagantly decorated.  Instead, they have a traditional ‘country house’ feel, particularly in the drawing room where chintz-covered armchairs and sofas sit on a plain silver-grey carpet overlaid by a magnificent Persian rug. 

A baby grand piano stood in the corner often providing after-dinner entertainment. Princesses Diana, Margaret and Alexandra were all known to enjoy playing. 

Famous guests aboard the Royal Yacht Britannia

Writer Brian Hoey reminds us of the night Sir Noel Coward came to dinner during a Caribbean cruise. 

“He literally sang for his supper, playing many of his own compositions into the wee small hours. Even on the royal yacht, there was no such thing as a free meal.” 

Frank Sinatra and Elizabeth Taylor also pulled up a chair in the State Dining Room.

Of course, they weren’t the only well-known people to visit the yacht.

Over the years Rajiv Gandhi, Sir Winston Churchill, Margaret Thatcher, Bill Clinton and Nelson Mandela were only a few of the others on a long list of the world’s most powerful people who enjoyed royal hospitality.

© Mark Millar, Royal Yacht Britannia

Supper’ in Britannia’s dining room could be a splendid occasion. In preparation for a state banquet, Royal Navy stewards would lay the burnished mahogany table with military precision. 

They would carefully place the floral decorations, candelabras and exquisite crystal wine glasses.

With a ruler in hand, they measured the precise position of each shining piece of silver cutlery. Menus were printed and seating plans were discussed before Britannia set sail. 

The Queen and Prince Philip had their own bedrooms and sitting rooms, decorated to reflect their personal taste. The Queen preferred chintz and floral while the Duke liked the more functional wood panelling. 

This elegant lady became a favourite with all generations of the royal family but particularly the Queen who always said it was the only place she could truly be at ease.

Honeymoons at Sea

Four royal couples opted for a honeymoon at sea, onboard the Royal Yacht Britannia.

They were Princess Anne and Captain Mark Phillips, Prince Charles and Princess Diana, Princess Margaret and Antony Armstrong-Jones, and Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson.

Princess Diana

A young Princess Diana was happiest when proceedings were kept informal, she was a very special guest as far as the naval crew were concerned. 

On one memorable occasion, she was found in the Junior Ratings Mess leading the crew, or yachtsmen, as they were called, in a rendition of What , Shall We Do With The Drunken Sailor. 

One remark in particular sums up the feeling and affection the crew had for her.  “There are 275 men aboard and every one of them is in love with Princess Diana.”

It’s fitting that Prince William and Prince Harry, who often spent their summer holidays on trips to the Western Isles of Scotland loved the freedom and privacy the royal yacht allowed them.

Ambassador for Britain

Beyond its role as a private residence, it was an unofficial ambassador for Britain serving as a platform for diplomatic and official engagements.

Britannia undertook numerous state visits, carrying the royal family and government officials to countries around the world. The yacht became a powerful symbol of British soft power, projecting an image of elegance, grace, and stability to the international community.

On what became known as Sea Days, it would throw open the doors to the world of commerce.

That allowed businessmen to showcase the best of British craftsmanship and design and promote their companies and products to the world.

The yacht became a floating showroom for British excellence, helping to boost exports and attract foreign investment.

The Overseas Trade Board estimated that between 1991 and 1995 the exchequer benefited to the tune of £3 billion.

Decommissioning and the transformation into a visitor attraction

After over four decades of service, the Royal Yacht Britannia was decommissioned in Portsmouth on 11 December 1997.

During that long service, the ship sailed over one million nautical miles stopping at 600 ports in 135 countries. 

Rather than being sold or scrapped, the decision was made to preserve the yacht as a visitor attraction, allowing the public to experience first-hand the grandeur and history of this wonderful vessel.

At the Paying-Off Ceremony, the queen clearly sad at the occasion, said: “Looking back over forty-four years we can all reflect with pride and gratitude upon this great ship which has served the country, the Royal Navy and my family with such distinction.” 

WHAT ARE THE HIGHLIGHTS OF A VISIT TO THE ROYAL YACHT BRITANNIA?

• Enjoy freshly made food and a warm welcome at the Royal Deck Tearoom.
• Visit the gleaming Engine Room to inspect the John Brown built turbines which drove the ship over a million nautical miles in its many years of service.
• The Wheelhouse , not on the Bridge as you might expect, is on the deck below. Yachtsmen unable to see ahead followed instructions from the officers through voice pipes.
• Admire the lavish State Dining Room , decorated with gifts received on foreign visits.
• Visit the Officers’ Wardroom , sometimes compared to a gentleman’s club, where officers would relax after work. Traditionally the captain did not dine there unless invited.
• Crew’s Quarters: These are much more cramped than the royal and officers’ quarters. They give a glimpse into the living conditions of the working crew. You can also visit the sick bay and the laundry room.

Special events

The Britannia also hosts a series of special events throughout the year, including music evenings and cocktail nights. It is also available for private hire, with the State Dining Room being a popular venue for dinners and receptions.

VISITOR INFORMATION

If you’re visiting during the busiest periods and just turn up, the queues can be long, so be prepared for a wait.

However, many of the available tour options will let you avoid queuing and you can book online on the official Britannia website.

But if you prefer to explore yourself, there are free audio guides in 30 languages to help you find your way around. A range of concession prices is also available.

Can you stay overnight on the Royal Yacht Britannia?

While you cannot stay overnight, you can at the nearby Fingal, a floating hotel moored nearby.

This unique hotel is also owned by the Royal Yacht Britannia Trust and is one of E dinburgh’s luxury hotels.

• Also nearby is the newest Edinburgh whisky distillery –the Port of Leith Distillery – due to open in the summer of 2023. (The distillery opened in October 2023).

For further information on admission times and help planning your visit, go to the Britannia website.

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"I remember thinking what a very jolly and amusing and attractive 16-year-old she was," Charles said of meeting Diana.

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Ahead, we're breaking down everything you need to know about Charles and Diana's relationship , from endearing courtship to eventual split.

November 1977: Charles first meets Diana.

When Prince Charles first met Diana Spencer, he was casually dating her sister, Lady Sarah McCorquodale, née Spencer. Diana and Charles were introduced in November 1977 at her family home at Althorp, where the prince was taking part in a grouse hunt. At the time, she was 16 and he was 29, per The Telegraph .

During their official engagement interview in 1981, Diana revealed, "We sort of met in a plowed field," before calling the prince "pretty amazing."

Charles joked, "I remember thinking what a very jolly and amusing and attractive 16-year-old she was."

July 1980: Sparks fly between Diana and Charles.

After their first meeting, Diana crossed paths with the now king on several occasions, even attending his 30th birthday at Buckingham Palace in November 1978, per History Extra . However, it wasn't until they reunited at the New Grove house of Philip de Pass, a friend of Diana's, in the summer of 1980 that their romance began.

Diana would later reveal on tape, "He'd just broken up with his girlfriend, and his friend Mountbatten [ Prince Philip's Uncle Dickie ] had just been killed. I said it would be nice to see him." Diana's candid revelations were recorded in 1992 by her voice coach, Peter Settelen, and were aired as part of the PBS documentary Diana: In Her Own Words , per ABC News .

"The next minute he leapt on me, practically," Diana continued in the tape recordings. "It was strange. I thought, 'This isn't very cool' ... but I had nothing to go by, because I'd never had a boyfriend."

According to the Express , royal biographer Andrew Morton detailed the story of Charles and Diana's reconnection in his book Diana: Her True Story—in Her Own Words . "Diana was seated next to Charles on a bale of hay and, after the usual pleasantries, the conversation moved on to Earl Mountbatten's death and his funeral at Westminster Abbey," Morton wrote. "In a conversation which she later recalled to friends Diana told him: 'You looked so sad when you walked up the aisle at Lord Mountbatten's funeral. It was the most tragic thing I've ever seen. My heart bled for you when I watched."

February 1981: Charles and Diana announce their engagement.

After a short courtship, Charles and Diana announced their engagement in February 1981. During her conversations with Settelen, Diana said, "We met 13 times and we got married," revealing that her engagement to the Prince of Wales happened extremely swiftly.

According to The Guardian , Diana's older sister, Lady Sarah, said of the engagement, "I introduced them. I'm Cupid." However, Sarah definitely wasn't heartbroken about her ex getting engaged to her little sister and, according to Sunday People , revealed that she wouldn't consider marrying Charles "if he were the dustman or the King of England."

As reported by OprahMag.com , Charles felt pressure from his father, Prince Philip, to propose. According to royal expert Robert Jobson, writing in his book King Charles: The Man, the Monarch, and the Future of Britain , Charles allegedly told a friend, "To have withdrawn, as you can no doubt imagine, would have been cataclysmic. Hence I was permanently between the devil and the deep blue sea."

July 29, 1981: Charles and Diana tie the knot.

Just five months after getting engaged, Diana and Charles got married at St. Paul's Cathedral in London. Lady Diana wore a custom bridal gown designed by British designers David and Elizabeth Emanuel, featuring a 25-foot-long train.

Of the iconic wedding, Diana later revealed to Morton (via OprahDaily.com ), "I remember being so in love with my husband that I couldn't take my eyes off him. I just absolutely thought I was the luckiest girl in the world. He was going to look after me. Well, was I wrong on that assumption."

However, there were some tense moments behind the scenes on Diana's wedding day. In a 1991 interview with Morton, Diana revealed (via Good Housekeeping ) that she knew Camilla Parker Bowles had been invited to the nuptials. Sadly, Diana had become aware of Charles's close connection to Camilla, and this put her on edge during the ceremony. "I knew she was in there, of course. I looked for her," Diana explained. "So walking down the aisle, I spotted Camilla, pale gray, veiled pillbox hat saw it all, her son Tom standing on a chair. To this day you know—vivid memory."

According to British Marie Claire , Diana and Charles visited several locations on their honeymoon, including taking a cruise around the Mediterranean on the Royal Yacht Britannia before spending some time at Balmoral Castle in Scotland.

June 21, 1982: Prince William is born.

Princess Diana and Prince Charles welcomed their first child, Prince William Arthur Philip Louis, less than a year after their 1981 nuptials.

September 15, 1984: Prince Harry is born.

Prince Harry was born Prince Henry Charles Albert David on September 15, 1984. Morton's royal biography tragically revealed that the princess allegedly didn't tell Charles that she was having a boy, as she knew her husband desperately wanted a girl. According to the book, Charles's surprise reaction to the birth of another boy went something like, "Oh God, it's a boy. And he's even got red hair!" Diana reportedly described this as "the beginning of the end of their marriage."

1986: Charles rekindles his relationship with Camilla.

Charles remained close with Camilla after briefly dating her in the early '70s. When Charles returned to the Royal Navy , his relationship with Camilla had reportedly cooled. Per People , "Although the smitten prince courted her for six months, he failed to propose before returning to sea in February 1973." In 1973, Camilla married Andrew Parker Bowles, but her love for the prince never fully died.

Charles and Camilla allegedly reignited their physical relationship in 1986, around two years after Harry's birth, according to People . The magazine also reported that Diana opened up to Morton about Camilla, saying, "I was terrified of her. I said, 'I know what's going on between you and Charles and I just want you to know that. … She said to me: 'You've got everything you ever wanted. You've got all the men in the world fall in love with you and you've got two beautiful children, what more do you want?'"

Diana's reply: "'I want my husband.' And I said, 'I'm sorry I'm in the way ... and it must be hell for both of you. But I do know what's going on. Don't treat me like an idiot.'"

December 1992: Charles and Diana formally announce their split.

Charles and Diana announced their separation in December 1992. Of the split, The New York Times said, "Buckingham Palace wrote the unhappy ending today to a storybook marriage gone badly wrong."

1993: Charles's private phone conversations with Camilla leak to the press.

Scandal broke in early 1993 when private telephone conversations between the prince and his mistress were leaked to the press. The Mirror published a transcript of an incredibly personal conversation, which had been secretly recorded in 1989 while Charles and Camilla were both still married. The revelation seemingly confirmed the infidelity to the general public. Subsequently, Camilla filed for divorce from Andrew in January 1995, while Charles and Diana finalized their divorce in August 1996.

In 1993, Charles admitted his infidelity during a TV interview with journalist Jonathan Dimbleby, via The New York Times . When asked if the prince had been faithful throughout his marriage to Diana, Charles replied, "Yes ... Until it became irretrievably broken down, us both having tried." Diana also admitted to having affairs during her tumultuous marriage to Charles and was linked to James Hewitt for as long as five years.

1995: Diana confirms that Charles's affair overshadowed their marriage.

In 1995, Diana gave her now-infamous interview to BBC's Panorama , and said, "There were three of us in this marriage, so it was a bit crowded."

The same year, when asked if she thought she'd ever become queen, Diana told the BBC's Marti n Bashir , "I'd like to be a queen of people's hearts … but I don't see myself being queen of this country. I don't think many people will want me to be queen. Actually, when I say many people I mean the establishment that I married into, because they have decided that I'm a non-starter."

August 1996: Their divorce is finalized.

Despite publicly separating in 1992, the Prince and Princess of Wales's divorce wasn't finalized until August 1996, according to History . As for the divorce settlement, The New York Times reported, "The Prince has formally declared that he will no longer foot his ex-wife's bills, leaving her to pay all her expenses out of a lump-sum divorce settlement said to be at least $22.5 million."

August 1997: Princess Diana dies in a car crash.

A year after her divorce from Charles was finalized, Diana tragically died in a car crash while in Paris. The Express reported that royal biographer Penny Junor wrote in her book The Firm that following news of Diana's accident, Charles allegedly said, "They're all going to blame me, aren't they?"

Diana was with her billionaire boyfriend, Emad "Dodi" Fayed, at the time of the crash, likely traveling to his private Parisian estate. The People's Princess died after being taken to the hospital, while the car's driver, Henri Paul, and Fayed "died instantly," per BBC News . The world mourned their princess, whose charity work continues to be remembered today.

Amy Mackelden is a freelance writer, editor, and disability activist. Her bylines include Harper's BAZAAR, Nicki Swift, Cosmopolitan, Marie Claire, ELLE, The Independent, Bustle, Healthline, and HelloGiggles. She co-edited The Emma Press Anthology of Illness , and previously spent all of her money on Kylie Cosmetics.

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Photos show what it's like onboard the Royal Yacht Britannia, the queen's 'floating palace' that she took on lavish vacations

• The Royal Yacht Britannia was the royal family's private yacht from 1953 to 1997.
• It's five stories tall, had more than 240 staff, and was known as the queen's "floating palace."
• Britannia is now anchored in Leith, Scotland, and reopens as a tourist attraction on May 12.

For 44 years, the Royal Yacht Britannia carried the queen and members of the royal family around the world.

Source: Royal Yacht Britannia

Built in 1953, it logged more than 1 million miles and became known as the queen's "floating palace."

The five-story ship was part royal residence and part Royal Navy ship, with a full-time staff of more than 240 royal yachtsmen and officers.

The queen traveled on the ship for tours abroad, during which she would meet with dignitaries both on land and onboard.

She also used it for vacations like the royal family's annual summer cruise to the Western Isles of Scotland.

The queen once said that "Britannia is the one place where I can truly relax."

Four royal couples used the ship for their honeymoons, including Prince Charles and Princess Diana in 1981.

In 1997, the Labour government decommissioned the ship, citing costs as a primary reason. The Britannia cost about £11 million to run each year, Reuters reported.

Source: Royal Yacht Britannia , Reuters

While the queen has yet to build a new yacht, that wasn't the end of the Royal Yacht Britannia.

One year later, it opened as a public museum in Leith, Edinburgh, Scotland.

The ship is set to reopen on May 12, almost six months after it closed in November due to the pandemic.

Source: Royal Yacht Britannia , BBC

Visitors will be able to step into spaces like the teak-lined sun lounge, the queen's favorite room, where she took her breakfast and afternoon tea.

The queen's bedroom, featuring a vanity table, writing desk, and twin bed, is also on display. The queen and Prince Philip slept separately while onboard the Britannia.

The largest room on the ship is the state dining room, where the queen entertained dignitaries like Winston Churchill, Nelson Mandela, Ronald Reagan, and Margaret Thatcher. The room could fit 56 guests.

Nearby is the state drawing room, which served as a place for the royal family to relax as well as a reception area for guests.

Toward the front of the ship are rooms where the staff lived and operated, like the 24-hour laundry room. Here, yachtsmen and officers would change outfits up to six times per day.

The former royal yachtsmen, known as "yotties," now reunite annually to help maintain the ship.

The clocks on the Royal Yacht Britannia don't get touched. They are permanently stopped at 3:01 p.m., the time when the queen stepped off the ship for the last time.

Prince Philip once said that the ship occupies a unique place in royal history. "Almost every previous sovereign has been responsible for building a church, a castle, a palace, or just a house," he said, according to the Royal Yacht Britannia Trust. "The only comparable structure in the present reign is Britannia."

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The Royal Yacht Britannia Has a Fascinating History—Here's Everything You Should Know

It doesn't get more majestic than Queen Elizabeth II's yacht.

“Britannia is special for a number of reasons,” Prince Phillip once said. “Almost every previous sovereign has been responsible for building a church, a castle, a palace or just a house. The only comparable structure in the present reign is Britannia. As such she is a splendid example of contemporary British design and technology.”

Although she retired from service in 1997, today the Britannia, one of many of the world's grandest yachts , is docked in Edinburgh, where she is open as a visitors’ attraction and host of private events. Below we give you all the Royal Yacht Britannia facts you might want to know, from who owns the yacht now to why she was decommissioned to how fast she is to how to get tickets to visit. Britannia was, after all, the one place the queen said she could “truly relax,” so why not see why for yourself?

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 announced the yacht’s new name as the ship was revealed.

"I name this ship Britannia,” she said. “I wish success to her and all who sail in her." Britannia was commissioned into the Royal Navy in January 1954 and by April of that year sailed into her first overseas port: Grand Harbour, Malta.

The queen and The Duke of Edinburgh worked with interior designer Sir Hugh Casson for the ship to serve as both a functional Royal Navy vessel and an elegant royal residence. Queen Elizabeth II selected deep blue for Britannia’s hull, instead of the more traditional black. Its Naval crew included 220 Yachtsmen, 20 officers, and three season officers—plus a Royal Marines Band of 26 men during Royal Tours.

All of them might have had to change uniform up to six times a day, so the laundry service on board worked nonstop. The yacht also engaged in British overseas trade missions known as Sea Days and made an estimated £3 billion for the Exchequer between 1991 and 1995 alone.

The ship’s wheel was taken from King Edward VII’s racing yacht, also named Britannia, according to Boat International , and the 126-meter ship could reach speeds of 22.75 knots, or a seagoing cruising speed of 21 knots, according to Super Yacht Times . Other fun facts: The yacht could produce her own fresh water from sea water, and shouting was forbidden aboard to preserve tranquility, favoring hand signals for Naval orders instead.

Over the next 44 years, the Britannia would sail the equivalent of once around the world for each year, in total visiting 600 ports in 135 countries. Princess Margaret and Anthony Armstrong-Jones were the first of four couples to honeymoon on the ship in 1960, gifting them all privacy to sail to secluded locations. Prince Charles and Princess Diana followed in 1981 on the Mediterranean as well as Princess Anne and Captain Mark Phillips before them in 1973 in the Caribbean and Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson in 1986 in the Azores.

For family vacations aboard the ship, games, treasure hunts, plays, and picnics were organized, and on warm days the children could play in an inflatable paddling pool on the Verandah Deck.

In the Sun Lounge, the queen especially enjoyed taking breakfast and afternoon tea with views through large picture windows, a space you can see replicated in the TV show The Crown. Although no filming took place on board the Britannia for the show, researchers ensured scenes aboard it were accurate. In the queen’s bedroom, the resemblance is seen down to the decorative wall light fittings and embroidered silk panel above her bed that had been specially commissioned.

In 1997, the ship was decommissioned after the government decided the costs to refit it would be too great. On its final day in her service that followed a farewell tour around the U.K., the queen openly wept as the Band of HM Royal Marines played "Highland Cathedral."

"Looking back over 44 years we can all reflect with pride and gratitude upon this great ship which has served the country, the Royal Navy and my family with such distinction," Queen Elizabeth II said. All clocks on the ship stopped at 15:01, the exact time the Queen disembarked from the yacht for the final time, and they would remain at that time until the present.

How to Tour the Royal Yacht Britania

Today the yacht is owned by Royal Yacht Britannia Trus t, and all revenue it generates goes to the yacht’s maintenance and preservation. Ticketed entry allows you to step into state rooms like the Sun Lounge, the State Dining Room and State Drawing Room, in addition to the working side of the ship in the Crew’s Quarters, Laundry and gleaming Engine Room. Along the way you will see original artifacts from the shop—95 percent of which is on loan from The Royal Collection.

How to Visit the Royal Britania

You can visit the Britannia any day of the year on Edinburgh’s waterfront. Hours vary by season, and you can find them listed and purchase tickets on the yacht’s website . Private tours are also available, and you can visit the Royal Deck Tearoom, where the Royal Family hosted cocktail parties and receptions, for drinks, meals and scones. Additionally, the Britannia hosts special ticketed events for New Year’s and other occasions, and event spaces can be booked as well.

While you are in Edinburgh, you can also stay on the Fingal , a neighboring yacht-turned-floating-hotel, which is a seven-minute walk from the Britannia, and dine at its Lighthouse Restaurant & Bar, which serves breakfast, afternoon tea, dinner, and cocktails.

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'The Crown' Raises Questions About Britannia — Where Is the Royal Yacht?

The Britannia was a grand ship that transported the British Royal Family overseas for decades. What happened to the yacht? Here's what we know.

Feb. 22 2023, Updated 10:41 a.m. ET

What happened to the royal family's yacht, Britannia?

The britannia required major maintenance and repairs over the years., where is the royal yacht britannia now.

The British Royal Family 's yacht, the Britannia , is believed to have traveled more than 1 million maritime miles during her 43 years of sailing. Much like its passengers, the Britannia was a regal vessel that carried the royal family overseas for important visits and vacations. However, the yacht also required expensive maintenance.

If you're curious about what became of the yacht after watching The Crown or due to your love for the royal family , look no further — we've done the digging for you.

Although The Crown is a dramatized retelling of the royal family's history, the yacht is very much real. The 412-foot vessel could hold more than 250 guests. The Britannia also hosted U.S. presidents Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan, and Bill Clinton. In 1986, it even served as a shelter for over 1,000 refugees fleeing a civil war in Aden, Yemen .

The Britannia first set sail in 1954 from Portsmouth to Grand Harbor, accompanied by Prince Charles and Princess Anne. The boat was built by the Scottish shipbuilding firm John Brown & Company Ltd. in Clydebank, Dunbartonshire, and was launched by Queen Elizabeth II in 1953.

Prince Charles and Diana, Princess of Wales on board the Royal Yacht Britannia in Gibraltar, at the start of their honeymoon cruise, August 1981. She is wearing a floral silk dress by Donald Campbell.

The Britannia was an aging vessel with nearly five decades worth of nautical mileage. It was in need of expensive repairs and stirred a small debate as to how it would be paid for. In Season 5 of The Crown , Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip are shown vacationing in Scotland aboard the royal yacht. They discussed restoration costs.

During this time, which was also an election year, there were conversations within the Conservative party about replacing the vessel, while the Labour party promised not to use taxpayers' money to renovate the ship within their first two years of government.

"The yacht last underwent a major refit in 1987. A further refit at an estimated cost of some £17 million would be necessary in 1996–1997 but would only prolong her life for a further five years," said Viscount Cranborne, House of Lords Hansard. "In view of her age, even after the refit, she would be difficult to maintain and expensive to run. It has therefore been decided to decommission 'Britannia' in 1997."

When the Labour party won the election in 1997, it was ultimately decided that the ship wouldn't be replaced.

"We made clear that we would not spend public money on a royal yacht, and I am keeping that promise," said George Robertson, Labour's Defence Secretary at the time. "We in the Ministry of Defence have to justify every penny of the taxpayers' money that we spend, and in this case, I could not do so."

The Britannia retired on Dec. 11, 1997. Today it sits at the Ocean Terminal, Leith, in Edinburgh, Scotland. Queen Elizabeth II was even reported to have wept during the decommissioning ceremony. The Britannia is open to the public and has more than 300,000 visitors each year to keep her company.

Living my best ‘The Crown’ life onboard the @britanniayacht . pic.twitter.com/ppO1GcyA7j — Morag (@MoragForbes) January 21, 2023

Those who are interested in getting a first-hand experience at what it was like to travel in luxury some decades ago can visit the Royal Yacht Britannia museum for a small fee. Entrance fees start at £18.50 (about $23) for adults and £9.25 (about $11) for children between the ages of 5 and 17. During the tour, you can expect to see the following:

• Britannia's five decks
• Visit the bridge
• Walk through the Queen's favorite room
• Tour the engine room
• Enjoy a light lunch in the Royal Deck Tea Room

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Princess Diana’s letters about personal life head to auction

These are letters to ‘Di’ for.

A series of personal missives and holiday cards written by the Princess of Wales to one of her former housekeepers is expected to fetch six figures at a June 27 auction.

The collection includes correspondence authored by Diana after her 1981 marriage to then-Prince Charles, as well as 14 Christmas and New Year cards sent between 1981 and 1995.

The memos to Maud Pendrey, a former housekeeper at the Spencer family home at Althorp in Northamptonshire exhibit Diana’s humanity and signature common touch.

One handwritten note, in black ink on royal letterhead, is dated Sept. 8, 1982, and describes her honeymoon with Charles as “a tremendous success — and we had a glorious time.”

In another letter, written shortly after the birth of her first son William, Diana described herself as an “extremely proud and lucky mother.”

“William has brought us such happiness and contentment, and consequently I cannot wait for masses more,” she added.

A September 1982 note on Balmoral Castle letterhead thanks the employee for her gift to her oldest son.

“We are so thrilled & delighted with your wonderful cardigans — thank you very much for spoiling William, he doesn’t deserve it!”

The letter is signed, “Take great care & much love from us all, Diana.”

A two-page handwritten letter dated July 13, 1983 includes a playful comment and quirky observation.

“When the helicopter took off from Althorp, we flew over your house and I just wondered if you’d seen me waving? … and Sarah’s [Sarah Ferguson, the Dutchess of York] baby is very sweet with extremely long fingers.”

Prince Charles and Princess Diana separated in 1992, a year described by Queen Elizabeth II as an “annus horribilis.”

A 1992 signed holiday card with a black and white photo of just Prince William and Prince Harry spoke volumes. The card’s exterior stamped in gold gilt is a coronet with Princess Diana’s Coat of Arms.

On the interior left-hand side is handwritten and typed text: “Wishing you a very Happy Christmas and New Year/1992/Lots of Love from us all, Diana.”

The letters and cards are part of a massive Princess Di sale hosted by Julien’s Auctions in Beverly Hills this month.

The correspondences are all written in Diana’s handwriting and signed by the princess.

The 36-year-old Royal was killed in a Paris car crash in 1997.

See inside Charles and Diana's dramatic honeymoon on the Royal Britannia yacht

King Charles and the late Princess Diana were wed in the summer of 1981 and head on their first honeymoon that same year. Take a look inside their honeymoon below

• 17:24, 5 APR 2023

An estimated 750 million people tuned in to watch the now King Charles III and the late Princess Diana tie the knot in a ceremony seen by the world in 1981.

Charles and Diana said “I do” in what was dubbed the “wedding of the century” at St Paul’s Cathedral in July 1981.

Shortly after, the newlyweds set off for Gibraltar on Spain’s south coast, where they boarded the Royal Yacht Britannia for their two week, now infamous honeymoon.

Read more: King Charles 'evicts' Prince Harry and Meghan from Frogmore to give property to Prince Andrew

Although the couple reportedly enjoyed anything from three to four honeymoons, their first took place following their wedding in the summer of 1981.

Cruising around the Mediterranean and stopping to visit Greek islands to soak up the sun before heading back to the family’s estate at Balmoral, Scotland may sound like the most relaxing way to spend two weeks, but the royal honeymoon proved to be anything but relaxing.

Although the trip seemed to have a promising start, with Charles and Diana pictured looking genuinely happy and in love before setting off, it is said that Diana was still recovering from a hurtful comment made by Charles during an interview that followed their engagement:

“We had this ghastly interview the day we announced our engagement,” she told her speech coach in the tape that was later used for the Channel 4 documentary Diana: In Her Own Words.

“And this ridiculous man said, ‘Are you in love?’ “I thought, what a thick question. So I said, ‘Yes, of course, we are,’ and Charles turned round and said, ‘Whatever love means.’ And that threw me completely. I thought, what a strange answer. It traumatised me.”

Read more: King Charles confirms the official use of title 'Queen Camilla' in coronation invitation

Read more: Princess Diana’s niece Amelia Spencer marries college sweetheart Greg Mallett in South Africa

It was later revealed that the Charles had requested a double bed be provided for the couple during their trip, and so the young couple were put up in what was usually used as the guest room.

The late Queen Elizabeth II and her late husband Prince Philip slept in separately single beds during their stays on the royal yacht.

A close friend of Charles also claimed that the now King told him “That first night was nothing special,” Tina Brown of The Diana Chronicles reported.

“It was pleasant enough, of course. But she really was painfully naive.”

Brown added that “Charles had enjoyed women who led him, mastered him, and mothered him. He was used to being served, not required to seduce.”

It was also revealed that Charles spoke to his now wife Camilla Parker Bowles "non stop" throughout his honeymoon with Diana .

Read more: Princess Diana confronted Camilla Parker Bowles about her affair with Prince Charles at a party

Read more: The outrageous chat up line Camilla used on Prince Charles

Camilla had already been married to her first husband, Andrew Parker Bowles, for eight years, but this didn't stop the pair checking in with one another while apart:

“The Prince simply had to be in constant contact with Camilla or he couldn’t function properly,” his valet Stephen Barry claimed in the book The Diana Chronicles. “If he went without his daily phone call, he would become tetchy and ill-tempered.”

The Royal Britannia Yacht is now open to visiting tourists, take a look at some of our pictures below - you may recognise some rooms that were recreated for Netflix's 'The Crown'.

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Charles and Diana aboard the Royal Britannia Yacht

Charles requested a double bed

Inside Charles and Diana's honeymoon

The late Queen and Prince Philip slept separately aboard the Yacht

The Royal Britannia Yacht

The pair looked very happy before setting off

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Princess Anne, wearing her signature sporty sunglasses , arrived on the Isle of Wight by boat.

August 8, 2019

Prince George watched as his mom competed on behalf of the Royal Foundation in the inaugural King's Cup regatta , hosted by the Duke and Duchess.

October 21, 2018

While visiting Sydney, Australia for the Invictus Games, Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, took a boat ride through the harbor.

July 20, 2017

Visiting Heidelberg, Germany, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge engaged in a little competition, coxing competing rowboats on the Neckar River.

November 25, 2016

Prince Harry took an official trip to the Caribbean, arriving by boat in Soufriere, Saint Lucia.

October 1, 2016

On the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's royal tour of Canada, Kate steered the ship, Pacific Grace, in Victoria Harbor.

September 2, 2016

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge often vacation on the Isles Of Scilly , a British resort where Prince William has spent time since his younger years. Here, he and Kate traveled by boat to St Martins, one of the islands.

September 30, 2016

On the same trip, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge sported matching jackets and life jackets as they rode a fishing boat.

July 24, 2016

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge flashed huge grins as they rode a speedboat alongside the America's Cup World Series Race, which took place in Portsmouth, UK.

June 24, 2015

German President Joachim Gauck and partner Daniela Schadt took Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip on a boat ride through Berlin's Spree River.

June 5, 2015

The Princess Royal and her husband, Sir Timothy Laurence, traveled, fittingly, by boat, during the Bicentenary Celebrations of The Royal Yacht Squadron.

June 23, 2014

Joking with a patient from the Rede Sarah Hospital for Neurological Rehabilitation, Prince Harry participated in canoe therapy in Brasilia, Brazil.

April 11, 2014

The Duchess of Cambridge is often spotted steering the ship. Here, she raced Prince William on an America's Cup yacht, while the pair visited Auckland, New Zealand.

July 4, 2011

Shortly after the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge married, the couple went on their first joint overseas tour to Canada. There, Kate helped row a dragon boat across Dalvay Lake in Charlottetown.

July 29, 2011

A royal brood disembarked the royal yacht, after attending a pre-wedding party for Zara Phillips and Mike Tindall. From left to right is Dave Clark (Princess Beatrice's then-boyfriend), Prince Harry, Prince William, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, Princess Eugenie, Princess Beatrice, and Sophie, Countess of Wessex.

July 17, 1997

Princess Diana sported a funky bathing suit on board a speed boat in the South of France.

August 7, 1996

Prince Edward and Prince Philip were photographed on board the Britannia, as they rode away from the seaport town of Cowes.

July 11, 1992

Princess Anne braced herself while sailing in the Royal Lymington Yacht Club's Annual Regatta, as she sat in her protective hooded parka.

October 1991

Princess Diana took Prince William and Prince Harry on a trip to Niagara Falls, where the trio took a ride on one of the famous Maid of the Mist boats.

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