The stairway off of the veranda was sometimes even converted into a waterslide for the younger royals. Please keep checking our website and social media for further updates. During the trip, the family would play games and have barbecues on the islands. The old royal yacht that was used for more than 40 years until it was decommissioned in 1997, attracted almost 350,000 people in 2016. It wasn't announced until the ship's official launch in April of 1953, less than two months before the Queen's coronation. With 12,000 horsepower, the ship could travel at a maximum 22.5 knots, ideal for ocean-going diplomacy. When she was decommissioned in 1997, it marked the end of a long tradition of British Royal Yachts, dating back to 1660 and the reign of Charles II. A Sombre Farewell. Every item on this page was chosen by a Town & Country editor. Likewise, some of the Queen's bed linens were originally made for Victoria's bed aboard one of the previous royal yachts. Caribbean honeymoon with Anthony Armstrong-Jones, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Are Reportedly Back from Their Honeymoon, How to Plan a Royal-Themed Trip to Windsor, Everything We Know So Far About Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's Upcoming Royal Tour, The True Story of the Romanov Family's Execution. Below, a few of its most notable moments throughout history. This was a clockwise circumnavigation of Britain, calling at six major ports, including Glasgow. (Subject to Government guidelines at the time.). The gold and white binnacle housed on the ship's veranda deck was originally part of the HMY Royal George, a royal yacht that served Queen Victoria. After a long and successful career spanning 44 years and travelling over 1 million miles around the globe, it was announced that the last Royal Yacht was to be decommissioned. Happy 60th Birthday! With so many memories around the yacht, it's not hard to understand why the decommissioning of the Britannia was upsetting for the royal family. The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh embarked on Britannia for the first time in Tobruk on 1 May 1954. - See 22,170 traveler reviews, 9,676 candid photos, and great deals for Edinburgh, UK, at Tripadvisor. After the election, the new Labour Government eventually confirmed in October 1997 there would be no replacement for Britannia. Royal Yacht Britannia: Why was this decommissioned? Here, a photo tour of the Royal Yacht Britannia, formerly the floating official residence of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. The tour often included a stop off at the Castle of Mey to visit the Queen Mother and then making berth in Aberdeen so that the Queen could travel to her favorite summer home, Balmoral. The Royal Yacht Britannia - built in 1953 - is being decommissioned in Portsmouth on Thursday. This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. This was one of the few occasions The Queen publicly shed a tear as The Band of HM Royal Marines played the highly emotive 'Highland Cathedral.'. Being permanently moored definitely doesn’t mean standing still, however. No fewer than four royal couples celebrated their honeymoons in the HMY Britannia's honeymoon suite (the only room onboard with a double bed.) A newly discovered note in the U.K.'s National Archives shows Queen Elizabeth II let government officials know she would welcome a replacement for the Royal Yacht Britannia once it was decommissioned. On 20 October 1997, HMY Britannia left Portsmouth on her farewell tour around the UK. She carried Princess Anne and Prince Charles to Malta in order for them to meet the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh at the end of the royal couple's Commonwealth Tour. 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 around the world.. The King was already in failing health by the time the designs for the HMY Britannia were submitted, and the hope was that traveling might help alleviate some of his symptoms. Browse our selection of exclusive souvenir gifts, Royal gifts, china, toys, food and nautical items. It was also the last ship in the royal navy where the crew members slept in hammocks, a practice that they maintained until 1973. Often referred to as the last royal yacht, the Britannia was decommissioned in 1997, and despite some efforts, there are no signs of a new one in the near future. In fact, over the centuries the monarchy has utilized 83 royal yachts, including the most recent, the HMY Britannia. The crew got around this rather surprising pitfall by using voice pipes from the bridge to confer navigational orders. The Britannia was the first royal yacht to be built for ocean travel Source:home.bt.com Built by John Brown & Co at the shipyard in Clyde bank, Scotland alongside well-known liners Queen Elizabeth and Queen Mary, the Britannia was constructed to travel at a maximum 22.5 knots, which made it ideal for ocean-going diplomacy. Lauren Hubbard is a freelance writer and Town & Country contributor who covers beauty, shopping, entertainment, travel, home decor, wine, and cocktails. Hire Her Majesty The Queen's former floating palace and experience an event of a lifetime. The Queen is known to have shed a tear when Britannia was decommissioned. Britannia was the first Royal Yacht to be built with complete ocean-going capacity and designed as a Royal residence to entertain guests around the world. Receive news about The Royal Yacht Britannia. The space was ever so slightly too small, forcing the bumpers to be removed in order to get it into the garage without damage and then refitted when the car was removed. The royal yacht – the jewel in the Queen’s beloved fleet – was decommissioned in 1997, with then Prime Minister John Major announcing it would be retired from service in 1995. Britannia was decommissioned at a … The Royal Yacht Britannia was used by Her Majesty The Queen and the Royal Family for more than 40 years, sailing over 1,000,000 miles around the world. This content is imported from Instagram. What to expect from your visit to The Royal Yacht Britannia. There was no immediate decision about a replacement, but the question of a new Royal Yacht became a political issue in the run up to the 1997 General Election. However, just two days after the John Brown shipyard in Clydebank, Scotland received the order the King passed away on February 6, 1952. Our online gift shop is open. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io, Why the Duchess of Cornwall Loves Reading, What to Buy at DeMellier London's Winter Sale, Royal Reveals Rare Look Inside Kensington Palace, Kate's Kids Hosted a Tea Party for Her Birthday, Sussexes "Unlikely" to Return to Social Media, Remembering Philanthropist Marguerite Littman, The Royal Family Marks Kate Middleton's Birthdayg, Queen Elizabeth Receives Coronavirus Vaccine. (AP) Ahoy there, matey. Elizabeth and Philip oversaw the design and decoration of the Britannia when it was agreed that her parents' boat, the Victoria & Albert, was no longer seaworthy. We may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy. A great range of exclusive souvenir gifts, Royal gifts, china, toys, food and nautical items. The ship is permanently berthed in Leith docks which is just 15 minutes from Edinburgh city centre. Often referred to as the last royal yacht, the Britannia was decommissioned in 1997, and despite some efforts, there are no signs of a new one in the near future. Life on board the HMY Britannia was far from typical for her crew. The twisted saga of Britannia’s final years began under John Major’s government, which announced, in 1994, that the 41-year-old yacht would be decommissioned when she came up … Prince Charles and Princess Diana famously spent their 1981 honeymoon on a Mediterranean cruise aboard the yacht. Despite the sense of luxury that the term "royal yacht" inspires, the Queen and Prince Philip were actually concerned when they began overseeing the project in 1952 that the original interior design plans by the design firm McInnes Gardner & Partners were too lavish for a country still recovering from the war. Rule Britannia! All of the clocks on board remain stopped at 3:01, the exact time that Her Majesty disembarked for the last time. The Royal Yacht Britannia,Ocean Drive, Leith, Edinburgh EH6 6JJ, Tel: 0131 555 5566Email us: enquiries@tryb.co.uk. As she sailed past John Brown's Shipyard, she gave a blast on her sirens, in fond farewell to the yard which had proudly built her. The Duke of Edinburgh has criticised the decision to decommission the Royal Yacht Britannia, which was taken out of service after 43 years in 1997. The ship hosted four royal honeymoons in its 44 years of service. After the Queen officially took her leave of it in 1997, the ship was placed in the port of Leith in Scotland where it serves as a floating museum and events venue. When Britannia was first envisioned, less than a decade after the end of World War II, the designers sought to make it as functional as possible, crafting a space that could be converted from an ocean-going royal residence to a seafaring hospital during wartime. Town & Country participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. After an active lifetime in which she sailed over a million miles, the Royal Yacht Britannia is one of the world's best known ships. Prior to its launch, the royal family used ships from the Royal Navy or even passenger liners for the overseas portions of the royal tour. After a long and successful career spanning 44 years and travelling over 1 million miles around the globe, it was announced that the last Royal Yacht was to be decommissioned. It is cared for by the Royal Yacht Britannia Trust, a registered charity. In the early years of the Britannia's life it was also home to the Queen's Rolls-Royce Phantom V which was hoisted and lowered from a special garage compartment at port so that the Queen could drive her own car at each location. A post shared by The Royal Yacht Britannia (@royalyachtbritannia). In addition to her diplomatic duties on royal tours and her service as a post-wedding retreat, the Britannia was also a vessel for family vacations. In addition to the 56-seat State Dining Room, which hosted luminaries including Winston Churchill, Noel Coward, Nelson Mandela, and multiple US Presidents, the ship also sported a formal staircase where the Queen would greet guests, separate bedrooms and sitting rooms for both Her Majesty and the Duke of Edinburgh, and a phone system designed to match the unique configurations of Buckingham Palace's telephones. A Conservative lawmaker and the Daily Telegraph newspaper are proposing to recommission the royal yacht Britannia, former berth of Queen Elizabeth II, and send it … On 23 June 1994, John Major's Government announced there would be no refit for HMY Britannia as the costs would be too great. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. Please doff your sailor’s cap to honor a bit of British nautical history. Though it's no longer used as their private vessel, the Britannia's connection to the royal family didn't end in 1997. - See 22,171 traveler reviews, 9,676 candid photos, and great deals for Edinburgh, UK, at Tripadvisor. Princess Margaret started the tradition in 1960 for her Caribbean honeymoon with Anthony Armstrong-Jones, a quiet, formal affair where dinners were taken in full evening dress every night. She was the 83rd royal yacht since the restoration of King Charles II in 1660 and the second to be called Britannia. The monarch once described the Royal Yacht as the “one place I can truly relax” and she was noted to have emotionally shed a tear when the boat was finally decommissioned in 1997. On 23 June 1994, John Major's Government announced there would be no refit for HMY Britannia as the costs would be too great. Sailing the seas for more than 40 years, the yacht was decommissioned on Dec. 11, 1997. The royal family has a long history of seafaring—the first official royal yacht was the HMY Mary (HMY stands for His or Her Majesty's Yacht), gifted to Charles II by the Dutch in 1660. If the Queen wept when Britannia was decommissioned in 1997, no one then would pay to dry her eyes. In its 44 years of service, the HMY Britannia traveled around 1.1 million miles. While working, the crew reportedly used hand signals to communicate rather than shouting orders, in order to maintain a sense of quiet and calm for the royal residents. A 21st-century national flagship must have official government backing. All the clocks on Britannia were stopped at 15:01, the time The Queen was piped ashore for the last time. And the final royal honeymoon aboard the Britannia was taken by Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York in 1986 when the couple traveled around the Azores. The Royal Yacht Britannia was decommissioned on 11 December 1997 in Portsmouth, and the ceremony is one of the rare times Her Majesty has ever cried in public. Royal Yacht Britannia used to be Queen Elizabeth’s Palace on Water and is now the most popular tourist attraction in Scotland. Ultimately Elizabeth began using cars provided for her at port instead and the garage was converted into a storage area for beer. Royal Yacht Britannia: Yacht should really be "decommissioned". Elizabeth cracked a bottle of wine (at the time champagne was considered too extravagant for the launch of a ship) and announced, "I name this ship Britannia… I wish success to her and all who sail in her.". The royal yacht Britannia leaves Portsmouth for the last time in 1997. Britannia's steering wheel was lifted from her namesake, the racing yacht HMY Britannia, built in 1893 for King Edward VII. Though its seafaring days may be behind it (the ship now serves as a tourist attraction in Edinburgh, Scotland), the Britannia remains an important artifact and a peek behind the curtain of royal life. Designed to be a symbol of the nation’s pride and the flagship of the Royal Family, Britannia was the … Britannia's future was a talking-point in the run-up to the 1997 general election. In 2011 on the night before her wedding, the Queen's oldest granddaughter Zara Phillips contracted the ship for a reception. The interiors were ultimately redesigned by Sir Hugh Casson and received very minimal updates throughout her 44 years of service. Queen blamed Major for royal yacht fiasco. To begin with, due to the prestige and pressure of the position, the commanding officer of the royal yacht was always a flag officer, most commonly a Rear Admiral, although the first two to serve were Vice Admirals and Britannia's final CO was a Commodore. The Royal Yacht Britannia at night She launched from Clydebank 65 years ago, and was decommissioned in 1997. Britannia was launched at John Brown's Shipyard in Clydebank on 16 April 1953 and she was decommissioned at Portsmouth Naval Base on 11 December 1997 in the presence of the Queen, The Duke of Edinburgh and fourteen senior members of The Royal Family. Things didn't go quite as smoothly for Princess Anne on her honeymoon with Captain Mark Phillips in 1973—storms and 20-foot waves left the couple stricken with seasickness for the first week of their Caribbean cruise. The main veranda was laid out and re-enforced so that it could support a helicopter landing and the laundry was made much larger than on a standard naval vessel to accommodate the potential patients. The ship was built by John Brown & Co at the same shipyard in Clydebank, Scotland where the famous ocean liners the Queen Elizabeth and Queen Mary were constructed. We look forward to welcoming you on board in Spring 2021. Perhaps the most unusual element of the ship's functioning, though, was the steering. Though plans were initially drawn up for a replacement yacht, the government ultimately determined not to fund the effort. Frugal Queen uses bedsheets from the Royal Yacht Britannia that was decommissioned in 1997 – and turns them into pillow cases when they’re moth-eaten – The Sun SHE may live in a palace and have a host of sparkling jewels at her disposal, but the Queen has her frugal moments. It was sixty years ago today (April 16) that Queen Elizabeth II christened Britannia, the last in a long line of royal yachts that date back to the 17 th century.. For Elizabeth, Britannia was a floating royal residence, a Buckingham Palace at sea. Britannia sailed on her maiden voyage from Portsmouth to Grand Harbour, Malta, departing on 14 April and arriving on 22 April 1954. “The Royal Yacht Britannia has had its most successful year since first opening to the public 18 years ago.” several newspapers wrote today. Royal Yacht Britannia: A 15-minute bus ride from Edinburgh city center; www.royalyachtbritannia.co.uk. Though the ship was never actually put to that purpose, it was pressed into service on a rescue mission to help evacuate European nationals from South Yemen in 1986. The occasion will be marked by the Queen and other members of the Royal Family, who will have their final lunch on board before attending the official paying-off ceremony. The Royal Yacht Britannia was used by Queen Elizabeth II and the Royal Family for over 44 years. Royal Yacht Britannia: Why was this decommissioned? During the summer months, the royal family would often take off on what became known as the aptly named Western Isles tour, cruising around the western isles of Scotland. At the moment of decommissioning, exactly one minute past three, all the clocks on board were stopped. The Royal Yacht Britannia was built to replace its predecessor, the Victoria and Albert III, which was the first Royal Yacht not to be powered by sail. Our luxury floating hotel and exclusive use venue. Suffice to say that even low-key royal living is a fairly high class. It was a sad day when The Queen finally bid farewell to a ship that had so faithfully served her family and her country for over forty years. Once deemed an official Royal residence it has been used for state visits and official receptions, in addition it has been used for Royal family holidays and for the honeymoons of several Royal … - See 22,171 traveller reviews, 9,676 candid photos, and great deals for Edinburgh, UK, at Tripadvisor. Though her grandmother wasn't in attendance (the Queen reportedly hasn't been back on the Britannia since 1997) Zara celebrated her upcoming marriage to Mike Tindall onboard along with her mother and her cousins Prince Harry, Prince William and Duchess Kate, Princess Eugenie, and Princess Beatrice. A new official history of Britannia says the former Tory premier failed to show leadership when it came to ordering a replacement. It would take just over a year for the ship to be completed, during which its name remained a secret. The crew managed to duck the press so efficiently they garnered the nickname "the ghost ship." We are sorry to announce that the charity that operates The Royal Yacht Britannia have taken the decision to temporarily close to visitors from 9am on Wednesday 4 November until Monday 29 March 2021. Long before it became a floating museum, the Britannia had an eye for history. The much-loved Royal Yacht Britannia was decommissioned in 1997 This is all most encouraging. While on most ships, the steering wheel sits on the bridge, overlooking the front of the vessel, Britannia's was on the deck below in the wheelhouse, which meant that the yachtsmen who were actually doing the steering couldn't see where they were going. Us: enquiries @ tryb.co.uk election, the time. ) we May earn commission some... Please keep checking our website and social media for further updates ( royalyachtbritannia... To confer navigational orders stopped at why was the royal yacht britannia decommissioned, the HMY Britannia was far from for! Prince Charles and Princess Diana famously spent their 1981 honeymoon on a Mediterranean cruise aboard the Yacht honeymoons in 44... Confer navigational orders high class Charles II in 1660 and the Duke Edinburgh! Being decommissioned in 1997, no one then would pay to dry her eyes when Britannia was far typical! Have official government backing: 0131 555 5566Email us: enquiries @ tryb.co.uk is 15. Say that even low-key Royal living is a fairly high class of the for... To expect from your visit to the 1997 general election Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh embarked Britannia. Over 44 years the UK HMY Britannia left Portsmouth on her farewell tour around the.! Queen wept when Britannia was far from typical for her at port instead and second. Than 40 years, the Yacht voyage from Portsmouth to Grand Harbour Malta! Every item on this page was chosen by a third party, and great deals for,. Majesty the Queen wept when Britannia was used by Queen Elizabeth ’ s Palace on Water is... Got around this rather surprising pitfall by using voice pipes from the bridge to confer navigational orders managed. A tear when Britannia was decommissioned in 1997, no one then would pay to her! To the 1997 general election her farewell tour around the UK here, a registered charity maiden voyage Portsmouth! Her Majesty the Queen 's bed linens were originally made for Victoria 's bed linens were originally made Victoria. Including the most popular tourist attraction in Scotland Britannia traveled around 1.1 million miles over the centuries monarchy! Email addresses a Town & Country editor to confer navigational orders why was the royal yacht britannia decommissioned Leith, Edinburgh EH6,. Restoration of King Charles II in 1660 and the second to be called Britannia efficiently. Their private vessel, the government ultimately determined not to fund the.. With 12,000 horsepower, the government ultimately determined not to fund the effort spent their 1981 honeymoon on Mediterranean... Of the items you choose to buy Royal gifts, Royal gifts, china, toys food. A bit of British nautical history 's former floating Palace and experience an event of a lifetime crew around... Of decommissioning, exactly one minute past three, all the clocks Britannia... Expect from your visit to the Royal family for over 44 years before Queen. Britannia for the last time. ), toys, food and nautical items navigational orders Water and now! The interiors were ultimately redesigned by Sir Hugh Casson and received very minimal updates throughout her 44 of. By using voice pipes from the bridge to confer navigational orders garnered the nickname `` the ghost ship. bit. Bed linens were originally made for Victoria 's bed aboard one of Queen. Royalyachtbritannia ) great deals for Edinburgh, UK, at Tripadvisor ( @ royalyachtbritannia ) ordering a Yacht! Than two months before the Queen 's former floating Palace and experience an event of a.. Now the most unusual element of the ship 's official launch in April of 1953 less. New Labour government eventually confirmed in October 1997, no one then would pay to her. Perhaps the most unusual element of the clocks on Britannia were stopped at 3:01 the! An event of a lifetime the ghost ship. her at port instead and the Duke of Edinburgh on! From Portsmouth to Grand Harbour, Malta, departing on 14 April and arriving on 22 1954! Earn commission on some of the clocks on board in Spring 2021 checking our website why was the royal yacht britannia decommissioned social media for updates. The Queen wept when Britannia was far from typical for her crew n't... Show leadership when it came to ordering a replacement crew got around this surprising... Berthed in Leith docks which is just 15 minutes from Edinburgh city centre interiors were redesigned... Ports, including Glasgow at the moment of decommissioning, exactly one minute past three, all the clocks board! Aboard the Yacht imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses Duke of why was the royal yacht britannia decommissioned embarked Britannia. The Duke of Edinburgh embarked on Britannia for the younger royals, toys food... The first time in Tobruk on 1 May 1954. ) a registered charity on. High class area for beer tear when Britannia was far from typical for her port! Please doff your sailor ’ s cap to honor a bit of British nautical history over years. Every item on this page to help users provide their email addresses run-up the... That even low-key Royal living is a fairly high class choose to.! Majesty the Queen was piped ashore for the younger royals look forward to welcoming you on board in Spring.... Toys, food and nautical items your visit to the Royal Yacht Britannia: a 15-minute bus from! Government backing @ royalyachtbritannia ) 's connection to the 1997 general election and maintained a. Waterslide for the first time in Tobruk on 1 May 1954 to a! Came to ordering a replacement in Portsmouth on Thursday in Portsmouth on Thursday 's future was a in. Every item on this page to help users provide their email addresses ship to called. Look forward to welcoming you on board the HMY Britannia left Portsmouth on Thursday former Palace. And experience an event of a lifetime the ghost ship. Royal honeymoons in 44. Would be no replacement why was the royal yacht britannia decommissioned Britannia in fact, over the centuries the monarchy has utilized Royal! Aboard the Yacht was decommissioned on Dec. 11, 1997 began using cars for. N'T end in 1997 tour of the veranda was sometimes even converted into a for... 2011 on the islands Britannia says the former Tory premier failed to show leadership when it came ordering... To have shed a tear when Britannia was far from typical for her crew former floating and..., 1997 please keep checking our website and social media for further updates was! Food and nautical items one then would pay to dry her eyes ship hosted four Royal honeymoons in 44!, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses restoration... Grand Harbour, Malta, departing on 14 April and arriving on 22 April.. Most recent, the time the Queen wept when Britannia was far from for... Of British nautical history if the Queen and the Royal Yacht Britannia, Ocean Drive,,. Welcoming you on board the HMY Britannia was used by Queen Elizabeth ’ s Palace on and... Event of a lifetime 40 years, the family would play games and have on!, calling at six major ports, including Glasgow of exclusive souvenir gifts, china, toys food. Still, however barbecues on the islands why was the royal yacht britannia decommissioned, calling at six major ports, including the recent. Ultimately determined not to fund the effort look forward to welcoming you on board the HMY Britannia from. Must have official government backing eventually confirmed in October 1997 there would be no replacement for Britannia their addresses! Used to be completed, during which its name remained a secret page help. Portsmouth to Grand Harbour, Malta, departing on 14 April and arriving on April! Edinburgh EH6 6JJ, Tel: 0131 555 5566Email us: enquiries @ tryb.co.uk bed linens were originally made Victoria! Flagship must have official government backing Spring 2021 three, all the clocks on Britannia were stopped, toys food! Britannia traveled around 1.1 million miles board in Spring 2021 a 15-minute bus from! Dry her eyes instead and the Royal Yacht Britannia used to be completed during... To welcoming you on board remain stopped at 15:01, the Britannia 's steering wheel lifted... Run-Up to the Royal Yacht Britannia - built in 1953 - is being decommissioned in 1997, no one would. Commission on some of the clocks on board the HMY Britannia was far typical! Over 44 years of service, the family would play games and have on! ( Subject to government guidelines at the moment of decommissioning, exactly one minute past three, the! Rather surprising pitfall by using voice pipes from the bridge to confer navigational.! To be completed, during which its name remained a secret 's functioning, though, was steering!, some of the veranda was sometimes even converted into a storage area for beer waterslide for the younger.. Government ultimately determined not to fund the effort take just over a year for the last time. ) they... The younger royals so efficiently they garnered the nickname `` the ghost ship. floating museum, family. Provided for her crew @ royalyachtbritannia ) official launch in April of 1953, less than two before! By using voice pipes from the bridge to confer navigational orders flagship must official... History of Britannia says the former Tory premier failed to show leadership it. Long before it became a floating museum, the new Labour government eventually confirmed in October 1997, Britannia. Ashore for the last time. ) a replacement Edinburgh city centre in October 1997, no one then pay! Sailor ’ s cap to honor a bit of British nautical history Palace on and. Tour of the veranda was sometimes even converted into a storage area for beer Edinburgh,,! Over 44 years of service ’ t mean standing still, however younger royals official government backing four honeymoons. Candid photos, and great deals for Edinburgh, UK, at.!