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A New Royal Yacht Is Coming

• By Phil Draper
• January 7, 2022

There are yachts, and there are superyachts, but royal yachts tend to be something else again. The United Kingdom hasn’t had a royal yacht for almost 25 years, but the British government just announced its intention to replace Her Majesty’s Yacht Britannia .

No firm details have been released of what this replacement could be, but design proposals were recently invited. Time is of the essence, given that the official policy statement came with a proposed launch date just three years away.

The open brief suggests that what is needed now is less yacht, more national ship—a world-first build. Prime Minister Boris Johnson says he sees the vessel as more of a floating embassy to support royals and government ministers alike.

That concept is broadly familiar. During its 44-year service life as a ship of state, Britannia racked up more than 1 million nautical miles and 696 foreign visits. Every itinerary was about promoting the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth, and trade promotion was always a part of the job description. For instance, Britannia made several trips to the United States, including both coasts and Chicago via the St. Lawrence Seaway. Various presidents and their wives were guests aboard, including Dwight D. Eisenhower, Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton.

But what defines a royal yacht?

It’s not just about scale, although the eight-deck, all-steel Britannia was one of the biggest yachts in the world when it launched. It was built at Scotland’s John Brown and Co. of Clydebank, the same yard that built the ocean liners RMS Queen Elizabeth and RMS Queen Mary . Britannia entered service in January 1954, one year after Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation. Her late husband, Prince Philip, was a former naval officer and enthusiastically oversaw Britannia’s specification and construction.

The yacht, beyond its routine duties, could rapidly convert to a 200-bed hospital ship or an offshore refuge for the royal family in case of nuclear war. Britannia is 412 feet length overall, has a 55-foot beam and measures 5,862 gross tons. Thanks to two turbine sets producing up to 12,000 hp, Britannia was capable of a continuous 21 knots throughout its service years.

Those were the days when a yacht of that size was unusual: There are now almost 30 giga-yachts afloat with more gross tonnage than Britannia . Only a quarter of them have any obvious royal affiliations.

But in its day, Britannia was an operation to behold. The yacht was home to 21 officers and 256 sailors of the British Royal Navy and could host functions with 250 guests. The staterooms and staff quarters were aft, and the crew were forward. The yacht’s complement included a Royal Marines guard detachment in separate onboard barracks, a 26-strong military band, and a full general surgery team with an operating theater. The permanent noncommissioned crew were known affectionately as the “yotties.”

Britannia was where the most senior members of the royal family stayed when on suitable official visits. It was not where they would normally spend vacations, although Prince Charles and Princess Diana famously used Britannia for a honeymoon cruise in the Mediterranean. They had the yacht’s only double bed installed aboard.

As for Britannia’s successor, various sources have quoted ballpark figures for the build in the low hundreds of millions of dollars. The final specification will depend on how much space is practical for conference and entertainment areas, the number of guest staterooms, the crew complement, helicopter use, tenders, provisions, technology, and security. Johnson also says he wants the vessel to incorporate cutting-edge green technologies and showcase best practices with regard to sustainability.

The new yacht is expected to have a service life of at least 30 years. Given that trillions of dollars’ worth of trade deals were reportedly secured aboard Britannia , the cost for that lifespan is not expected to be a concern.

Construction could start as early as next year, following consultations with the royal family, the Royal Navy and various government departments. The vessel will officially be the responsibility of the Ministry of Defense and classified as if it were a warship.

Floating History

Now retired, royal yacht Britannia lies permanently in Edinburgh, Scotland. This vessel has been one of the Scottish capital’s most popular tourist draws for more than 25 years. It is open daily and sees more than 1,000 visitors a day. Guided tours take in all areas, including a view into the queen’s bedroom, private sitting rooms, state dining room and drawing rooms, sun lounge and veranda, bridge, crew decks, and engine room.

The First Royal Yacht

The wooden wheel aboard Britannia came from the only other royal yacht to bear the name, the much older 122-foot gaff-rigged cutter Britannia . Built for Prince Albert Edward, who later became King Edward VII, it was famously campaigned at big-boat

regattas by him and his son, King George V. The yacht launched in spring 1893 and was a near-sister to Valkyrie II , which unsuccessfully challenged the Nathanael Greene Herreshoff-built Vigilant for the America’s Cup that same year. Both Valkyrie II and Britannia

were designed by George Lennox Watson and built at the D&W Henderson Shipyard in Scotland. Following George V’s death and per his wishes, the vessel was stripped of its spars and fitting, and scuttled in deep water off England’s South Coast on July 10, 1936.

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Royal yacht: Government sunk £2.5m on successor to Royal Yacht Britannia before project was scuppered

Boris Johnson in 2021 announced plans for a new royal yacht as a successor to Britannia, but the project was given the chop around a month ago.

Political reporter

Thursday 8 December 2022 16:00, UK

The government sunk almost £2.5m into commissioning a new royal yacht before scuppering the project, Sky News can reveal.

Figures obtained through a Freedom of Information request found the Ministry of Defence (MoD) splashed £2,476,000 on the vessel, a successor to the Royal Yacht Britannia.

Announced in May 2021 by Boris Johnson and set to be named after the Duke of Edinburgh, the plans were cut adrift last month .

It was paid for by the MoD .

John Healey, Labour's shadow defence secretary, said the money was "blown" on a "Tory vanity project".

A breakdown of the spending obtained by Sky News shows that £648,000 was spent on crown servant and military staff costs.

Some £348,000 was spent on workforce replacement costs.

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Around £40,000 was spent on operating and admin costs, and £809,000 was spent on private sector support.

The government racked up £476,000 in consultancy fees, and £110,000 in branding and digital media costs.

It is not unusual for unrealised projects to cost a lot of money - the garden bridge commissioned by Mr Johnson when he was London mayor cost the taxpayer tens of millions before it too was scrapped.

An MoD spokesperson said: "The initial phase of the National Flagship programme delivered significant value to the maritime industry that will be fundamental to the future success of the British shipbuilding pipeline.

"There are multiple costs involved in commencing a credible, rapid commercial competition, including internal and external staff costs, consultancy spend and private sector support.

"However, as threats continue to evolve it is right that we prioritise delivering capabilities which safeguard national infrastructure."

Mr Healey said: "The Conservatives have blown millions on a Tory vanity project at a time when threats are increasing, and they are cutting the size of our armed forces.

"The scale of waste in the defence department is unacceptable. Ministers are failing British troops and British taxpayers.

"A Labour government would get to grips with these deep-seated problems from day one.

"We would commission the NAO to conduct an across-the-board audit of MoD waste and make the MoD the first department subject to our new Office for Value for Money's new tough spending regime."

All of the vendors were approached for comment, but most either declined to comment or did not reply.

A spokesman for the Royal Institute of British Architects did get back to Sky News, saying: "The MoD contracted RIBA for the provision of specialist architectural services and support related to the design of the National Flagship project."

Related Topics

The new Yacht Britannia

Boris Johnson wants a new ‘national flagship’ for Britain. Is it a good idea?

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What is being proposed?

In July, the Defence Secretary Ben Wallace formally announced plans for a new national flagship to “promote British businesses around the world”. Commissioned at a cost of £200m to £250m, it would be designed and built in the UK. Boris Johnson said it would reflect “the UK’s burgeoning status as a great, independent maritime trading nation”. The boat is to be a replacement for the Royal Yacht Britannia, which reached the end of its working life in 1997. The idea, first proposed in 2001, was taken up by Tory MPs in the aftermath of the Brexit referendum, and has received vociferous backing from The Daily Telegraph . It was supported by Johnson after he became PM, and given the go-ahead in May. The Government said it would be used to host trade fairs, ministerial meetings and diplomatic summits. The vessel would be crewed by the Royal Navy, and is expected to be in service for about 30 years.

Why wasn’t the last one renewed?

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The Royal Yacht Britannia was in service from 1954 until 1997, a period during which it travelled more than a million nautical miles across the globe. But in 1994, the Government announced its retirement, citing the estimated £17m cost of completing a major re-fit (just seven years after the last one), which would only prolong its life by five years. In January 1997, the Conservatives promised to replace the yacht if re-elected that year, but Tony Blair’s victory spelt the end of the plan. His Labour government declined to spend public money on renewing it, citing the fact that the Queen had “made clear” that a yacht wasn’t needed for royal travel. Today, the ship is a tourist attraction in Leith, Edinburgh, with some 300,000 visitors a year.

What would a new one be like?

The details have yet to be fleshed out: the tendering process for design and construction began in July. However, the brief is to deliver “a vessel which reflects British design expertise and the latest innovations in green technology”. (Wallace said that it might have hybrid engines, or even a sail, like some modern superyachts.) The intention is to start building next year in a British shipyard, to create jobs and “help drive a renaissance in the UK’s shipbuilding industry”; at present, Britain has many top yacht designers and a thriving leisure boat industry, but most superyachts are built abroad. The yacht will have a “national security function”, too; Britannia was designed to double as a hospital ship. The ship’s name has yet to be announced: it was reported that the PM wanted to name it after the Duke of Edinburgh in tribute, but that the proposal was greeted with coolness in royal circles.

What’s the point of it?

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Advocates of the ship say it will glide gracefully into ports around the world, where it will be used to wine and dine officials, thereby smoothing the way for trade deals, defence agreements and the like. They cite the example of Britannia, which they say helped bring in an estimated £3bn of trade deals between 1991 and 1995. “The world’s top investors will fall over themselves to visit a new flagship for a new type of commercial diplomacy,” said Johnson. A report last year by the think tank the Henry Jackson Society said the yacht could help “project Britain’s image around the world”; Lord Digby Jones, the former head of the CBI, said it would give the nation a “morale boost” after the pandemic.

Is everybody convinced?

No. Labour leader Keir Starmer labelled it a “vanity yacht” and called on the PM to spend the money tackling antisocial behaviour instead; the former Tory minister Ken Clarke called it “silly populist nonsense”. Many commentators are scathing. “I don’t think the world’s most successful exporting nations – Germany, Japan, China – ever needed a floating gin palace to get the world to buy their cars, steel or smartphones,” said Sean O’Grady in The Independent : quality, price, innovation and reliability, he argued, were more important. The ship doesn’t even enjoy the backing of senior members of the royal family, The Sunday Times reported. “No one wants this vessel at the Palace,” said a royal source. Courtiers, it seems, do not want it to be presented as a new “royal yacht”, which is regarded as “too grand” a symbol for the modern monarchy. They would not use it for their personal travel or holidays – though Wallace hopes it would be used for royal visits, to “showcase the royal family as one of our exports”.

How would it be paid for?

When the idea was originally proposed, the cost was estimated at £100m and was to be covered by private donors, with no burden on the taxpayer. However, the Government has now confirmed that the ship would be paid for out of the Ministry of Defence (MoD) budget – despite insisting that it would be primarily “a trade ship”. The original invitation to tender in July put the budget at £150m. However, a week after that, it was raised to £200m-£250m. Hugo Andreae, editor of Motor Boat & Yachting , thinks that, knowing the economics of superyachts, the price will rise to around £600m – unless the national flagship is to risk being “overshadowed by a tasteless megayacht belonging to some shady despot”.

Will it actually be built?

The project reportedly drew ire from the MoD, where officials asked No. 10 what they could scrap to pay for it. Chancellor Rishi Sunak is also said to be reluctant to pay for it. Johnson , however – a fan of statement projects – is said to “love the plan”. And Wallace is on board, too. He argues that the cost is a fraction of the MoD’s £42bn annual budget, and has dismissed criticism as “basket-weaving, leftie, Islington nonsense”. He insists construction will begin as soon as next year, and it will be “in the water by 2024 or 2025”.

Britannia: the original national flagship

The Royal Yacht Britannia was a symbol of British prestige, said the FT – a “glamorous nod to a lost age of naval superiority and to a different era of deference”. Built in Clydebank, Dunbartonshire, it was used for a combination of “glittering state visits, official receptions, royal honeymoons and relaxing family holidays”, according to its official website.

The ship’s first official engagement was to carry Prince Charles and Princess Anne to Malta in 1954, where they met their parents at the end of a Commonwealth tour. It was the first of 968 state voyages that the ship carried out over its 44 years of service, during which every conceivable effort was made to ensure it was as comfortable and tranquil as possible for the royals: the crew wore soft-soled plimsolls and communicated using hand signals to reduce noise. An on-board garage housed the Queen’s Rolls-Royce and a 26-strong Royal Marines band was stationed on the ship at all times.

People visiting it in Leith today will see that every clock on board has been stopped at 3.01pm – the time the Queen last disembarked following the ship’s 1997 decommissioning ceremony in Portsmouth. The Queen is said to have been at her happiest on the ship, and at that event, she famously shed a tear.

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Andrew Winch reveals designs for Royal Yacht Britannia successor

British studio Winch Design has revealed its original designs for the successor to the Royal Yacht Britannia , which were shelved in 1997. The 150 metre design was commissioned by GEC Marine in anticipation of the royal yacht being fully withdrawn from service.

Designer Andrew Winch has chosen to release the designs after a recent campaign to revive the original Britannia and turn her into a floating embassy resulted in a House of Commons debate.

Although foreign secretary Boris Johnson has admitted that funding a new royal yacht is “not a priority” for the government, the campaign is still gathering momentum.  The Daily Telegraph reports that a consortium of private investors recently pledged £250,000 towards a cost-benefit analysis of building a new royal yacht, which will be carried out by Deloitte.

The Winch design for Britannia 's successor provides us with a tantalising insight into what the royal yacht could have looked like if the plans had not been scrapped by the Labour Party 19 years ago.

The red hull, navy topsides and white superstructure are suitably patriotic, while the glass dome amidships adds a regal flourish to the design. Key features include an aft-deck superyacht helipad and a spectacular superyacht staircase leading into the central foyer.

"Our interior configuration for Britannia allows for the greatest flexibility so that the space is suitable for many purposes," Winch added. "The interior design is timeless and understated — a showcase for the best of British craftsmanship and design, both traditional and contemporary." Winch estimates that a fully modernised version of the design would cost around £100 million to build.

Superyachts currently under development at the British design studio include the 111 metre Project TIS , which was recently given a technical launch at German yard Lürssen ahead of its planned 2018 delivery.

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The Royal Yacht Britannia

Experience Tripadvisor's Best UK Attraction 2023. Follow in the footsteps of Royalty and explore this floating Royal residence with a fascinating audio tour of five decks (available in over 30 languages).

Tripadvisor's Best UK Visitor Attraction (AGAIN) 2023-2024 and Tripadvisor Travellers' Choice Best of the Best award winner 

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

Visit this award-winning attraction, just two miles from Edinburgh's city centre at Ocean Terminal.  The Royal Yacht Britannia played host to some of the world’s most famous people, from Nelson Mendela to Winston Churchill, but above all was home for the British Royal Family for over 40 years. Now you can discover the heart and soul of this most special of Royal residences.

You'll receive a truly warm welcome at Britannia's Visitor Centre before you board this famous ship where you will discover the history of Royal Yachts and view displays and historical photographs of Britannia's fascinating past before boarding Queen Elizabeth II's former floating palace.

What will you see?

• Tour Britannia’s five decks
• Feel like the captain of the ship in the Bridge
• Follow in the footsteps of Royalty through the State Apartments
• See Queen Elizabeth II's favourite room- the Sun Lounge
• Discover below decks in the Crew’s Quarters
• Admire a tour highlight, the gleaming Engine Room
• Take in the Royal Sailing Exhibition
• Enjoy soups, sandwiches, cakes and scones in the Royal Deck Tearoom and admire the stunning waterfront views.

The tour is available in:

• Audio handset tour, available in over 30 languages
• Children’s audio tour
• Audio tour for those with sight loss
• ASL and BSL tablet
• Braille script ​​​​​​ ​​​​​

Complete the Britannia experience with a visit to the  Gift Shop in Ocean Terminal, where you’ll find exclusive Britannia souvenirs, china, toys, gifts and nautical items.

Berthed just moments away, Britannia's sister ship, floating hotel Fingal, offers 22 luxurious cabins inspired by the former Northern Lighthouse Board tender's rich maritime heritage. For further information, visit Fingal's website .

HELPFUL INFORMATION:

-  All weather experience -  Highly accessible for wheelchair users, single buggies and those with limited mobility. Read our accessibility statement here . -  Free Annual Pass for 12 months admission included -  The entrance to Britannia is temporarily on the Ground Floor of Ocean Terminal shopping centre.

How to get here?

By tram: Take the tram to stop 'Ocean Terminal' (Newhaven direction).

By bus:  Regal Tour Bus and Lothian Buses 10, 16, 34 and 35 run from the city centre towards Ocean Terminal. Regal Tour buses depart regularly from Waterloo Place / St Andrew Square in the centre of Edinburgh. The Majestic Tour is operated by Edinburgh Bus Tours .

By train:  Arrive in the city centre at Edinburgh Waverley Train Station, just 2 miles from Britannia. 

By car: Follow signs to Edinburgh and Leith or North Edinburgh. Then follow brown tourist signs for Britannia. Free car parking at Ocean Terminal (level C is nearest). For satnav our postcode is EH6 6JJ. Go inside the shopping centre for Britannia’s entrance and the start of the tour. By plane: Britannia is approximately 40 minutes’ drive from Edinburgh Airport.

For further information on finding Britannia, please see here .  

OPENING TIMES

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

Please check the Britannia website for full opening times and prices. EVENING EVENTS Exclusive dinners and receptions can be hosted on board. Call our events team on +44 (0) 131 555 8800 and see how we can create your event of a lifetime, or visit the events section of our website .

PRIVATE TOURS A private tour on board The Royal Yacht Britannia is an exclusive experience, giving you access to Britannia’s five decks, and a unique insight into the history of the Royal Yacht and how the Royal Family and crew lived and worked on board. Both Morning and Evening tours are available. Call our events team on +44 (0) 131 555 8800 or for more information visit click here . PRESERVING BRITANNIA Britannia is cared for by The Royal Yacht Britannia Trust , a self-funding charity registered in Scotland (SC028070). By visiting Britannia you will be helping us to preserve this important piece of history for future generations.

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The Royal Yacht Britannia

Britannia Crest Whisky Iona Tumbler

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Our Britannia whiskey glasses are available in our ship and crest designs. Crafted locally by Glencairn Crystal, our tot glasses allow you to enjoy your drink from crystal with complete clarity.

Delivery arrangements: Please note that shipping rates do not apply for event ticket items. All tickets will be emailed to you directly by our Events Team after purchase. 

All parcels are sent by Royal Mail and Parcelforce and may require a signature on delivery. If for any reason an item cannot be delivered, a card will be left at the delivery address and the package will be returned to the local depot for collection or redelivery. Any items not collected within three weeks will be returned to us, and you may be liable for delivery charges.

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If you would like items sent to more than one address, please complete a separate order for each address. Please note a delivery charge will be made for each address.

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We are happy to issue a refund for unused and unmarked goods in their original packaging. All items must be returned with the sales invoice within 28 days of the purchase date We will offer a full refund if the goods that we supplied to you are found to be defective in any way. Unfortunately, we are unable to exchange items. Please return your original item for a refund and submit a new order.

Due to health and hygiene reasons. No refunds are available on pierced earrings.  We also cannot accept the exchange or refund of necklace and earring sets. Please telephone our Mail Order Department on  (+44 (0) 131 555 5566) or email [email protected]  for further information. All items must be returned to the address below: The Gift Shop The Royal Yacht Britannia Ocean Drive Leith Edinburgh EH6 6JJ

Please remember that the returned goods are your responsibility until they reach us. For your own protection, we recommend that you use a delivery service that offers insurance cover.  Return postage will be at your own cost, unless the item is faulty.

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We aim to process refunds within two working days from the date of our receipt of the returned item.

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

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Hogmanay aboard Britannia

Experience a New Year's Eve to remember aboard The Royal Yacht Britannia.

Arrive to a spectacular fire dancer as you board the Royal Brow, an entrance previously reserved for the Royal Family. 

A glass of  Champagne in hand, tour the State Apartments with Britannia's knowledgeable guides as they tell captivating stories of life on board and enjoy exquisite canapés.

Take your place in the State Dining Room as the room fills with laughter and conversation where presidents and prime ministers were entertained by the Royal Family. U sing only the best ingredients, a  four-course dinner of  e xquisite dishes, prepared in the original Royal Galley, will be served. Our Sommelier will select wines to perfectly complement the menu. 

Head up to the Royal Deck for a countdown to the Bells with a traditional rendition of Auld Lang Syne. Dance in the new year and welcome in 2025.

£480 per person (inc VAT) To book click here.

Enhance your new year with our special two-night Hogmanay package with our sister ship, luxury floating hotel Fingal. 

For more information call 0131 555 8800 or email  [email protected]

• A red carpet welcome, stepping aboard via the Royal Brow.
• Fire dancer on arrival.
• Champagne & Canapé reception.
• Tour of the State apartments.
• A four-course dinner, served in Queen Elizabeth II's former State Dining Room.
• Scottish storytelling.
• Dance into 2025 on the Royal Deck.

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