royal yacht britannia association

The Association of Royal Yachtsmen

It is dedicated to bringing together many of the estimated 3,296 ‘Yotties’ who served on board Britannia between 14 January, 1954 and 11 December, 1997.

The Association holds an annual dinner/dance in late November/early December, together with a biennial Reunion Dinner usually in the Portsmouth area in the “odd” year.

Whether you were an Officer (488), Rating (2,634), or RM Bandsman (174), you are always welcome.

In addition each year ‘Yotties’ return to work for one week, alongside Britannia’s new ‘crew’ and undertake a wide range of maintenance duties. They also keep visitors enthralled with stories of the good old days on board the Royal Yacht.

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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.

Seventy years ago, the Britannia began its journey as the royal yacht for Queen Elizabeth II and the Royal Family of the United Kingdom. Over the next 44 years she’d travel more than a million nautical miles and, in all her glamour and old world elegance, served as a residence that welcomed state visits from all over the world and family holidays alike. Then and now, she was and is a majestic symbol of the British Commonwealth and the reign of Queen Elizabeth II .

“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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10 Facts About Royal Yacht Britannia

Peta Stamper

28 nov 2022.

The 83rd and last in a long line of royal yachts, HMY Britannia has become one of the most famous ships in the world. Now permanently moored at Edinburgh’s Port of Leith, the floating palace is a visitor attraction welcoming some 300,000 people aboard each year.

For Queen Elizabeth II, Britannia was the ideal residence for state visits and peaceful royal family holidays and honeymoons. For the British public, Britannia was a symbol of Commonwealth. For the 220 naval officers who lived aboard Britannia , and the royal family, the 412-foot-long yacht was home.

Having travelled more than a million nautical miles over 44 years of service to the British Crown, Her Majesty’s beloved boat was decommissioned in 1997. Here are 10 facts about life aboard HMY Britannia.

1. Britannia was launched by Queen Elizabeth II on 16 April 1953 using a bottle of wine, not champagne

Champagne is traditionally smashed against a ship’s hull during launching ceremonies. However, in a post-war climate champagne was seen as too frivolous, so a bottle of Empire wine was used instead.

Britannia launched from the John Brown & Company shipyard in Clydebank, Scotland.

2. Britannia was the 83rd Royal Yacht

King George VI , Elizabeth II’s father, had first commissioned the royal yacht that would become Britannia in 1952. The previous official boat had belonged to Queen Victoria and was rarely used. The tradition of royal yachts had been started by Charles II in 1660.

George decided that the Royal Yacht Britannia should both be a regal vessel as well as a functional one.

3. Britannia had two emergency functions

Britannia was designed to be converted into a hospital ship in time of war, although that function was never used. Additionally, as part of the Cold War plan Operation Candid, in the event of nuclear war the ship would become a refuge off the north-west coast of Scotland for the Queen and Prince Philip.

4. Her maiden voyage was from Portsmouth to Grand Harbour in Malta

She carried Prince Charles and Princess Anne to Malta to meet the Queen and Prince Philip at the end of the royal couple’s Commonwealth tour. The Queen stepped aboard Britannia for the first time in Tobruk on 1 May 1954.

Over the next 43 years, Britannia would transport the Queen, members of the Royal Family and various dignitaries on some 696 foreign visits.

The HMY Britannia on a visit by the Queen to Canada in 1964

Image Credit: Royal Canadian Navy, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

5. Britannia hosted some of the 20th century’s most notable figures

In July 1959, Britannia sailed the newly opened Saint Lawrence Seaway to Chicago where she docked, making the Queen the first British monarch to visit the city. US President Dwight Eisenhower hopped aboard Britannia for part of the journey.

In later years, Presidents Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton would also step aboard. Charles and Diana, the Prince and Princess of Wales, took their honeymoon cruise on Britannia in 1981.

6. The crew were volunteers from the Royal Navy

After 365 days’ service, crew members could be admitted to the Permanent Royal Yacht Service as Royal Yachtsmen (‘Yotties’) and serve until they either chose to leave or were dismissed. As a result, some yachtsmen served on  Britannia  for over 20 years.

The crew also included a detachment of Royal Marines, who would dive underneath the ship each day while moored away from home to check for mines or other threats.

7. All royal children were allocated a ‘Sea Daddy’ on board the ship

The ‘sea daddies’ were primarily tasked with looking after the children and keeping them entertained (games, picnics and water fights) during voyages. They also oversaw the children’s chores, including cleaning the life rafts.

8. There was a ‘Jelly Room’ onboard for the royal children

The yacht had a total of three galley kitchens where Buckingham Palace ‘s chefs prepared meals. Among these galleys was a chilled room called the ‘Jelly Room’ for the sole purpose of storing royal children’s jellied desserts.

9. It cost around £11 million every year to run Britannica

The cost of running Britannia was always an issue. In 1994, another expensive refit for the ageing vessel was proposed. Whether or not to refit or commission a new royal yacht entirely came down to the election result of 1997. With repairs at a proposed cost of £17 million, Tony Blair’s new Labour government were unwilling to commit public funds to replace Britannica.

HMY Britannia in 1997, London

Image Credit: Chris Allen, Public Domain, via Wikimedia Commons

10. All the clocks on board remain stopped at 3:01pm

In December 1997,  Britannia was officially decommissioned. The clocks have been kept at 3:01pm – the exact moment the Queen went ashore for the last time following the ship’s decommissioning ceremony, during which the Queen shed a rare public tear.

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Everything you need to know about Queen Elizabeth’s Yacht Britannia

HMY Britannia by Tower Bridge. Credit: Lynda Poulter via Wikimedia Commons.

In service from 1954 until 1997, HMY Britannia is the former royal yacht of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II. She was the 83rd such vessel since King Charles II acceded to the British throne in 1660 and had HMY Mary built for him by the Dutch East India Company, and the second royal yacht to bear the name, the first being a racing cutter built for the Prince of Wales in 1893.

During her 43-year career, the yacht travelled more than a million nautical miles around the globe. Today, she is an award-winning visitor attraction and evening events venue permanently berthed at Ocean Terminal, Leith, in Edinburgh.

HMY Britannia was built in Scotland at the shipyard of John Brown & Co. Ltd. in Clydebank, West Dumbartonshire. It was launched by the Queen on 16 April 1953 and commissioned on 11 January 1954.

She sailed on her maiden voyage from Portsmouth to Grand Harbour, Malta, on 14 April 1954, carrying Prince Charles and Princess Anne to Malta, to Malta in order for them to meet their parents at the end of the royal couple’s Commonwealth Tour.

On 20 July 1959,  Britannia  sailed the newly opened Saint Lawrence Seaway en route to Chicago, where she docked, making the Queen the first Canadian monarch to visit the city. US President Dwight D. Eisenhower was aboard  Britannia  for part of this cruise; Presidents Ford, Reagan and Clinton were subsequently welcomed aboard the yacht.

Britannia  was designed to be converted into a hospital ship in time of war, with space for an estimated 200 patients. Although the ship was never used in this capacity, as she sailed down the Red Sea in January 1986, en route to Australia, she was asked to play the equally challenging role of rescue ship, to evacuate British nationals and others trapped in South Yemen, where civil war had broken out. Moreover, in the event of nuclear war, Britannia was to be used as a refuge and base of operations for the Queen. The plan, codenamed “Python system”, would have had the ship located on the northwest coast of Scotland in sea lochs with Her Majesty, the Duke of Edinburgh, and the Home Secretary safely on board.

The royal yacht played host to four royal honeymoons: Princess Margaret and Anthony Armstrong-Jones visited the West Indies in 1960; Princess Anne and Captain Mark Phillips also chose the Caribbean in 1973; Prince Charles and Princess Diana travelled around the Mediterranean in 1981 and finally the Duke and Duchess of York visited the Azores in 1986. Most recently, Zara Phillips and Mike Tindall held their pre-wedding reception on board the yacht in July 2011.

The State Drawing Room. Credit: Marianna Bozzoli.

Britannia ’s last foreign mission was to Hong Kong for the transfer of sovereignty from the United Kingdom to the People’s Republic of China on 1 July 1997.  The ship set sail for Hong Kong in January and served to escort British Governor Christopher Patten and the Prince of Wales back to the UK.

In 1997, the Conservative government committed itself to replacing the Royal Yacht if re-elected, while the Labour Party refused to disclose its plans for the vessel. After Tony Blair’s Labour won the general election in May 1997, it announced the vessel was to be retired and no replacement would be built. The previous government had argued that the cost was justified by its role in foreign policy and promoting British interests abroad.

The Queen has since chartered the MV Hebridian Princess , a private charter cruise ship, on two separate occasions for family trips around the Scottish islands.

When HMY Britannia would come into port, blowing its foghorns, the Queen herself would reportedly imitate the foghorn noise, much to the amusement of anyone in earshot. Then she and the Duke of Edinburgh would travel ashore on the royal barge, built in 1964 to replace to previous one, which had originally belonged to the royal yacht Victoria and Albert III .

Unlike most ships, Britannia was the only ships in the world where the captain was always an Admiral.  The crew were volunteers from the Royal Navy, officers were appointed for a period of two years, while enlisted crew (known as “yachtsmen”) served for one-year periods, after which they could be admitted to “The Permanent Royal Yacht Service”.  If accepted the Royal Yachtsmen were permitted to serve until they left the Royal Yacht Service or were expelled for medical or disciplinary reasons.  An attachment of Royal Marines would also be stationed on the yacht when the Royal Family was present. Service on the royal yacht attracted no extra pay, allowances or leave.

Everything was done to preserve the Royal Family’s tranquillity: most orders were not given verbally, but by hand signal; soft-soled plimsolls were worn and any work near the royal apartments had to be completed by 8.00AM.

The Queen’s Bedroom. Credit: Marianna Bozzoli.

HMY Britannia was the last ship in the Royal Navy to have hammocks in sailors’ quarters.

During her career as Royal Yacht,  Britannia  conveyed the Queen, other members of the Royal Family and various dignitaries on 696 foreign visits and 272 visits in British waters. In this time,  Britannia  steamed 1,087,623 nautical miles (2,014,278 km).

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Secrets of the Royal Yacht Britannia

Town & Country took a tour of the famous vessel which served the royal family for more than 40 years and has reopened as a tourist attraction.

Wondering about the royal family's yacht as you watch this season of The Crown ? In light of its appearance on the Netflix series, we're resurfacing this story from 2021 :

Famously described by the Queen as “the one place I can truly relax,” the Royal Yacht Britannia was a home away from home for the royals from her maiden voyage in 1954 until she was decommissioned in 1997. Sailing more than one million nautical miles to 135 countries, the vessel also played a key role in Britain’s diplomatic work, allowing the Queen to serve as a host wherever she went. Now moored in Edinburgh, Scotland as a tourist attraction , the ship remains the last of 84 royal yachts, ending a tradition that first began in 1660.

While plans to build a successor to boost Britain’s trade continue to attract criticism, Britannia is once again attracting hordes of visitors after being forced to close because of COVID-19. And it’s no surprise, because from being able to look right into the Queen’s bedroom to learning about what life was like for the up to 220 yachtsmen on board, this is a boat with some fascinating stories to tell.

Town & Country went aboard to learn the secrets of this much-loved vessel. Here’s our pick of the best royal tales.

The ship was altered with royal skirts in mind.

Many photographs of the Royal Yacht Britannia show the family waving from the Royal Bridge as the vessel departed from or arrived at its destination. And the bow of the ship was specially adapted to make sure these public moments did not reveal more than was intended. “The curved teak windbreak was a later feature, added for modesty’s sake, to prevent sea breezes from lifting royal skirts,” visitors to Britannia are told.

It was a struggle to get the royal car on board.

When the 412-ft yacht was built in 1953, it was considered important that it had a garage to house the Queen’s Rolls Royce. However, getting the car on board was no easy feat. “First, the car, in its transporter, had to be hoisted onto the special track that is fitted into the deck. Even then, it could only be squeezed into the Garage by removing its bumpers,” Britannia’s guide notes. Thankfully, in later years the Queen usually traveled in a car from the country she was visiting which meant that the garage was eventually used as a beer store.

Britannia was designed to avoid any peeking into the royal bedrooms.

Now, visitors to Britannia get a full view of the Queen and Prince Philip’s (separate) bedrooms, albeit through glass. However, when the ship was in use it was important that no-one could peek into these rooms. Pointing out that the windows looking into these areas are “higher than anywhere else on the Yacht,” Britannia’s guide explains: “By placing them at this height above the deck, any accidental glimpses into the royal bedrooms could be prevented.”

There were lots of people on board—but not everyone traveled in style.

One of the most fascinating things about touring the yacht is looking into the living quarters—from the relatively luxurious rooms of the Queen and Prince Philip and the ship’s Admiral, to the officers’ comfortable sitting room and dining room, to the approximately 220 yachtsmen who lived, slept, and worked, as the guide describes “in fairly cramped conditions.” Tourists are told: “Britannia was a ship in which hierarchy was strongly defined.” And there were plenty of people to accommodate. Some 45 working members of the royal household accompanied the Queen on her overseas visits.

The Queen favored neutrals while Philip liked darker colors.

As the yacht was build with their use in mind, the Queen and Prince Philip both had a say in the ship’s design and as such, it gives a some insight into their taste. The Queen’s (single) bed has a specially-commissioned embroidered silk panel above it, and her room is decorated in pale and neutral colors. By contrast, Philip’s room features vibrant maroon linen and curtains and, at his request, his pillows, unlike the Queen’s “do not have lace on the borders.”

There is only one double bed.

The honeymoon suite on the yacht is opposite the Queen and Philip’s bedrooms. “This is the only room on Britannia with a double bed which was brought on board by Prince Charles when he honeymooned on the Yacht with Princess Diana,” tourists are told. “When the Royal Children were small, this bedrooms and the adjoining room were used as nursery suites.”

The royal children liked to eat jelly on board.

Food on board Britannia was prepared in three galleys—one for the yachtsmen, one for the officers and one for the royal household. Buckingham Palace chefs were flown out to prepare royal food and there was a room that, according to Britannia’s guide, was known as the Jelly Room “for it was in here that the royal children’s jellies were stored.”

There is a dance floor that hasn’t been used for 50 years.

The largest room on Britannia is the State Dining Room where lavish banquets were held. It could also be used as a cinema room. “The silver-grey carpet could also be rolled up to expose a wooden dance floor beneath, although the last time this was used was for Princess Anne’s 21st birthday celebrations,” the guide notes.

Prince Philip kept a reminder of his naval career in his office.

Just like their separate bedrooms, the Queen and Philip had separate offices on board Britannia. Philip’s had a “specially designed display case,” the ship’s guide notes, in which he kept “a model of HMS Magpie, His Royal Highness’s first naval command.” The Duke of Edinburgh famously gave up his active naval career in 1951 to support his wife in her duties when King George VI’s health was ailing.

The ship was ready for stormy seas.

The royal family and their guests relaxed in the drawing room, which featured a grand piano. The instrument was played by members of the family and even some of their famous guests, including composer Noel Coward. “The Welmar baby grand piano cost £350 when it was supplied in 1952, and is firmly bolted to the deck to stop it taking off in choppy seas,” tourists are told.

Once the royal laundry turned blue.

Walking through the laundry at the end of the tour provides an insight into what was once a “hot and noisy environment.” Some 600 shirts could pass through the laundry in one day, with the royal family’s washing done on separate days to that of the crew. Britannia’s audio guide recounts “one occasion when the royal washing turned a delicate shade of blue, and Her Majesty’s Dresser was less than amused. The cause, it turned out, was a chemical reaction in the copper pipes, which was quickly remedied by adjusting the pH value of the water.”

For more information and to book tickets visit royalyachtbrittania.co.uk

Town & Country Contributing Editor Victoria Murphy has reported on the British Royal Family since 2010. She has interviewed Prince Harry and has travelled the world covering several royal tours. She is a frequent contributor to Good Morning America. Victoria authored Town & Country book The Queen: A Life in Pictures , released in 2021. 

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Former ‘Yotties’ unite for annual working party on Royal Yacht Britannia

Former sailors who served on the Royal Yacht Britannia have described themselves as a “band of brothers” as they arrived on the ship for their annual working party as a way to keep the bonds they built in service alive.

More than 50 former “Yotties”, as they are affectionately known, will spend much of the week aboard the ship which was in royal service between 1953 and 1997, helping with its upkeep as well as catching up and sharing memories of their time on board.

The vessel is now berthed on the Leith in Edinburgh and run by The Royal Yacht Britannia Trust trust as tourist attraction.

At 9.30am on Monday, the Yotties raised their flag onboard to mark the beginning of their four-day work party.

Andy Fletcher, who served from 1976 until 1978, shared a memory of the late Queen Elizabeth II from when the ship was decommissioned in 1997.

“Decommissioning was dreadful for us in 1997,” he said.

“ People will have seen the pictures of the late Queen. She was very emotional and it was probably the only time you’ll have seen a tear in the Queen’s eyes on the day (the yacht) was decommissioned.”

Mr Fletcher paid tribute to the maintenance crews who looked after the yacht and urged anyone who had served aboard to join the association.

“It’s the wealth of stories, the bond that we have.

“In the Navy there was a saying that you don’t have friends in the Navy, you have close acquaintances.

“This ship changes all of that. They are not acquaintances, we’re a band of brothers,” he said, adding thier association is a way to keep the strong “brotherly” bonds alive.

Robbie Robson served from 1973 to 1982 and has been a “Yottie” since 2008.

He said he was “very emotional” the first time he came back on board.

“I absolutely loved my time on the ship,” Mr Robson said.

“I went down to the mess deck. It was quite emotional because I went down to where I lived and slept for 10 years and put myself in my bunk and I literally cried, it was that emotional.

Dave Varns was on board for a year between 1976 and 1977 and said it was an “absolutely brilliant experience”.

He had lost all contact with the yacht and the yachtsmen until he found the association.

“I was made so welcome. We’re a different class, we’re a family,” he said.

“No matter who you spoke to, you would always get a laugh or a smile out of any yachtsman.

“They are just an absolute team.”

Mr Varns was attending his first working party and said he was sure it would not be his last.

“We’re supposed to be working but it’s now 11 o’clock and we’ve done nothing since half past nine,” he joked.

“That’s the type of work I like!”

Such is the bond between those who served aboard, that Mr Robson has asked Mr Fletcher to scatter his ashes from the Royal Yacht as part of a ceremony they hold for every Yottie who dies.

“We’ve got a ceremony tomorrow. This means so much to me, I’ve made my family promise that when I do go that my ashes will come up here to be scattered.

“I hope it’s my colleague (Andy Fletcher) that is actually scattering my ashes for me,” Mr Robson said.

“It is an emotional thing, that’s the wonderful thing about our association that we’re able to provide that to bereaved families,” Mr Fletcher added.

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Royal Sailing Yacht, Britannia, to Sail Again?

The year was 1892, Scottish designer George Lennox Watson received a commission from Prince Albert Edward, Prince of Wales for a sailing yacht. He designed His Royal Highness’ Yacht Britannia to the “Length And Sail Area Rule” as a First Class cutter and had her built alongside his America’s Cup challenger Valkyrie II at the David and William Henderson’s yard in Partick, Glasgow on the banks of the River Clyde. She was launched on April 20, 1893, a week ahead of Valkyrie II.

During her first year’s racing, Britannia had scored thirty-three wins from forty-three starts. In her second season, she won all seven races for the first class yachts on the French Riviera, and then beat the 1893 America’s Cup defender Vigilant in home waters.

Royal sailing yacht Britannia’s racing success would last decades amassing 231 wins and taking home another 129 flags.

King George V requested that his beloved yacht, the Britannia, be scuttled upon his death. On 10 July 1936, after Britannia had been stripped of her spars and fittings, the empty hulk laid at her buoy in Cowes Roadsher hull, where she was towed out to St Catherine’s Deep, somewhere west of Ventnor and south of the Needles, and she was sunk by HMS Winchester, commanded by Captain W.N.T. Beckett RN. Nobody is supposed to know the exact location of where the famous yacht Britannia found it’s resting place, but to this day fishermen from the island report having snagged nets on her.

Fast forward to 1994, the only exact replica of ‘The King’s Yacht’ Britannia was commissioned (royal approval by HM the Queen) and built in the Russian port of Arkhangelsk, inside the Arctic Circle, and financed by a Norwegian magnate, Mr Sigurd Coates. “It cost a tenth of the price of what I would have to have paid for it at a western European shipyard,” Coates tells Bergens Tidende. 15 million kroner and 12 years later, she was completed. But the new shipyard owner had decided to keep the yacht for himself. After three years of legal battles, she was put to sea at Arkhangelsk on 11 June en-route to Northern Norway. By February 2012 she was brought west and south to Cowes, arriving home safely under the guardianship of her new owner, Minicast Holdings Ltd, Gibraltar, which, upon its completion, will be donating the use of the yacht for a minimum of 10 years to the Britannia Trust to be a flagship for charities around the world.

K1 Britannia Ltd , will oversee the refit of the Britannia replica, which will be done by Venture Quays, East Cowes. Venture Quays was originally built in 1935 by British aero and marine-engineering company Saunders-Roe.

The Royal Yacht will be rebuilt according to her 1931 specification when the original Britannia was refitted with a Bermuda rig and converted to the J-Class . Upon completion, she will have the largest wooden mast in the world!

The hull and deck of the replica yacht Britannia are sound, but the interior needs to be completely refitted. Restoration work includes fitting new deck hardware, new interior, new mast, rigging, sails, engines and generators. The aim is to use her for a whole range of projects, activities, and charitable projects around the world.

Stefano Faggioni is to act as chief interior designer, with the aim of making the interior of the new Britannia look as much like the original as possible, but with modern amenities.

The reconstruction team is now seeking sponsors to design and build each item that was on board the original Britannia. Click the following link fo more information on the Britannia trust , and how you may help assist the restoration.

George Lennox Watson “Britannia” Specifications:

LOA: 172.0 (end of bowsprit to end of boom) * LOD: 121.5 ft (37.0 m) * LWL: * Beam: 23.66 ft (7.21 m) * Draft: 15 ft (4.6 m) * Ballast: * Displacement: 221 tons * Sail Area: 10,328 sq ft (959.5 m2) (1893) * Yard Number: 366 * Hull material: Wood construction * Rig: Gaff-rigged cutter * Designer: Watson * Built by: D&W Henderson Shipyard Ltd * Year launched: April 20th, 1893 * Restored By: Scuttled (July 10th, 1936) * Original Owner: Prince Albert Edward, Prince of Wales. * Current Owner: * Sail Number: K1

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The Royal Yacht Britannia, Ocean Drive, Leith, Edinburgh EH6 6JJ

Tel: 0131 555 5566 Email us: [email protected]

The Royal Yacht Britannia is scheduled to be closed 9 & 10 October for planned building works out with our control

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Plan your visit to Scotland's Best Visitor Attraction!

How to get to Britannia

Bus Britannia is easily accessible from the city centre via the hop-on, hop off Majestic Tour Bus , or by Lothian bus numbers 11, 22 and 35, which all depart regularly. Local buses have contactless for an adult single fare, but are unable to give change for other ticket types therefore you should ensure that you have the correct amount. 

Car Car parking is free within Ocean Terminal Car Park. Level E of the Blue Car Park (2 nd floor of the Shopping Centre) is closest to Britannia however, you can park on any level with stairs and lifts to take you up to our Visitor Centre and the start of your tour. Sat Nav postcode EH6 6JJ.

Opening Times

Britannia is open 9.30am - 4.30pm (April – October) and 10am – 3.30pm (November – March).  The Royal Yacht is closed on 1 January and 25 December.

At last admission (3.30pm/4.30pm respectively) you still have 2 hours to complete the tour with an average audio guided tour lasting 1.5 hours. If you wish to visit the Royal Deck Tea Room, we advise starting your tour half an hour before last admission (3pm/4pm) as this will allow you plenty of time to relax with a cup of loose-leaf tea and a freshly baked scone!

Tickets and Queues

We never run out of tickets! If you like to be organised, you can buy your tickets in advance from our website. We will e-mail an admission barcode allowing you to bypass our ticket desk, straight into the exhibition. Our tickets are the same price online as our walk-in rates. Any discount vouchers must be redeemed at the ticket desk.

Royal Deck Tea Room

Tables are unreserved allowing visitors to head up to the Royal Deck Tea Room at any time during their tour. All the soups, sandwiches, cakes and scones are made on board in the Royal Galley.

All the elements of an Afternoon Tea (cakes, scones and sandwiches) are served in the Tea Room however, they are served full sized and are plated as individual elements (sandwiches, slices of cake etc) from our menu . 

Should you wish to pre-book an Afternoon Tea, served on a stand, Britannia's luxury floating hotel, Fingal , is a short 5 minute walk away. A stunning Afternoon Tea  of perfectly formed savoury and sweet delicacies  is served in The Lighthouse Bar aboard this former Northern Lighthouse Board ship. To book call +44 (0)131 357 5000.

Visiting Britannia

TRIPADVISOR'S NO.1 UK ATTRACTION 2023 - 2024

The Royal Yacht Britannia is scheduled to be closed 9 & 10 October for planned building works out with our control.

Click on the Visit page  for more information before you visit.

Step aboard to enjoy a great day out!

Fingal Hotel

Get away from the everyday aboard Britannia’s sister ship, Fingal.  Extend your visit with a stay in one of Fingal’s luxurious cabins, your own oasis by the sea. 

TRIPADVISOR'S NO.1 UK LUXURY HOTEL TRIPADVISOR'S NO.1 UK SMALL & BOUTIQUE HOTEL AA Hotel of the Year Scotland, AA five-star hotel and 2 AA Rosettes

Learn more: fingal.co.uk

By SuperyachtNews 28 Sep 2018

MONACO YACHT SHOW 2023

Britannia replica set to rule the waves again

The k1 britannia trust announces plans for a thoroughly modern replica of an 1893 thoroughbred racing yacht….

She epitomised the very essence of speed and elan in the glory days of large yacht racing at the turn of the 20th century, and during a race career spanning 43 years the 37m sailing yacht Britannia clocked 231 victories – a win rate better than one in three. Designed by the legendary GL Watson, the original Britannia was a cutter commissioned by Queen Victoria’s son, Albert Edward – later, King Edward VII.

Britannia retained her royal connections, passing from Edward VII to King George V in 1910, in whose hands she remained until his death in 1936, after which she was scuttled off the Isle of Wight. She had been converted from cutter to sloop in 1931 at the dawn of the J Class era, and it was in 1931 that she received her ‘K1’ flag number, as well as the tallest wooden mast the world had seen.

Now there are plans to bring her design back, with updated materials and construction methods to place her right back at the forefront of modern-classic racing. The K1 Britannia Trust will incorporate GL Watson’s original lines into a super-sailer with an all-aluminium hull, carbon rig with continuous carbon rigging, box boom, bowsprit, green tech, and what the Trust describes as ‘the latest technologies in yacht racing’. Called K1 Britannia , she will be built to conform with J Class Association rules so she can race with the current J Class fleet. Moreover, she will feature eco-conscious technologies, and when not racing she will be used to promote a wide range of charitable causes.

Previous attempts have been made to build a replica of Britannia , most notably by Norwegian Sigurd Coates who, in 1993, began a project to recreate her entirely in wood. After ten years of meticulous construction, and with the hull and interior finally finished and ready for outfitting, the project became embroiled in a Russian legal minefield and was held for another five years. With recession biting, the K1 Britannia Trust bought the project as a flagship for charity and moved it to Cowes on the Isle of Wight. But the project was hampered with further difficulties; after subsequent surveys and discussions on how to proceed, the Trust decided to rethink the replica and give her a thoroughly modern makeover.

“During her 43-year history Britannia was regularly modified to ensure she stayed the fastest and most competitive possible boat of her type,” says Scott Ward, a K1 Britannia trustee. “While many think of her as an historical piece – and she certainly embodies the heritage of the racing days prior to the Second World War – Britannia was actually the F1 racing boat of her day. We have become convinced that if she had been built today for the same innovative owners and by the same visionary designer, they would have insisted on staying true to her competitive racing pedigree and leveraging the latest technology. This is why we will retain the unrivalled hull lines of the original yacht and then build a replica that truly captures the spirit and performance of Britannia in every way.”

“The Trust’s vision for K1 Britannia is to bring back to life this extraordinary vessel as a truly enduring racing machine and a force for good,” explains Priya Thirumur, another of the K1 Britannia trustees. “As one of the most instantly recognizable classic yachts of all time, the future Britannia will be distinctively equipped for a new era of yachting while also serving as an international flagship for youth initiatives and maritime causes the world over.”

Construction is due to start on K1 Britannia in 2019, with the aim to reveal the yacht in all her glory at the next America’s Cup finals, which are scheduled to take place in New Zealand in 2021. The Trust is actively looking for corporate partners, and for anyone interested in the project and its charitable foundations, Trust representatives will be on hand at the Monaco Yacht Show on their stand QR12 on Quai Rainier 1er.

Image: insets from left to right – the original cutter Britannia ; Britannia in her post-1931 sloop configuration with the world's tallest wooden mast; an artist's impression of what the replica K1 Britannia will look like

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Have drawn up plans for a private "classic" motor yacht (similar length to retired brirannia) which the prime minister is trying to promote as a royal yacht. However your yacht, renamed duke of edinburgh, is a far more viable concern,moneteraly, to the british public and connects much better with the duke who regularly sailed on the solent with his good friend uffa fox. What would be the cost to the u.k. taxpayer as against the 200 million cost just to "build" a royal yacht.

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