Secrets of the Royal Yacht Britannia

Royal yachts are nothing new. In fact, there have been over 80 such vessels since the restoration of the Monarchy in 1660. Commissioned for royal service, these yachts served as a form of transportation before air travel became commonplace, as well as royal residences, providing a suitable space for glittering state visits, official receptions and relaxing royal family holidays.

The latest—and very likely last—of these royal yachts, the Royal Yacht Britannia, was launched from the John Brown & Company shipyard in Scotland in 1953. The ship’s maiden voyage took her from Portsmouth to Malta, with the Queen and her husband, Prince Philip, first sailing in 1954 from Tobruk, Libya.

“For Great Britain, she was a majestic symbol of the Commonwealth and a proud ambassador generating billions of pounds in trade deals," states Casey Rust, Marketing Director of The Royal Yacht Britannia & Fingal Hotel. "For the royal family and 220 dedicated crew of royal yachtsmen, she was home.”