A Royal Residence
The Royal Yacht Britannia proudly served the British Royal Family for over 44 years. This famous ship was the last of 83 Royal Yachts, a tradition which began hundreds of years before in the 1660s.
THE ROYAL FAMILY
To Queen Elizabeth II, Britannia provided the perfect Royal residence for glittering state visits, official receptions, Royal honeymoons and relaxing family holidays. For Great Britain, she was a majestic symbol of the Commonwealth and a proud ambassador generating billions of pounds in trade deals. For the Royal Family and 220 dedicated crew of Royal Yachtsmen, she was home.
HISTORICAL EVENTS
Britannia travelled over one million nautical miles on 968 state visits, serving as a highly successful ambassador for the United Kingdom and playing a key role in major historic events. As a floating Royal residence, she became renowned across the globe for hosting magnificent state receptions and banquets, offering guests the same grandeur and sense of occasion found in the Royal palaces. Her elegant State Apartments provided a distinguished setting in which to entertain world leaders, including Sir Winston Churchill, Nelson Mandela, Ronald Reagan and Rajiv Gandhi.
A PERSONAL TOUCH
Commissioned in the hope of boosting the King’s ailing health, the order for the build of Britannia was signed two days before the passing of King George IV. Amongst the new monarch’s responsibilities, was now a new Royal Yacht. Alongside Sir Hugh Casson, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip were able to choose the designs for the yacht with their style clearly seen through the refined country home furnishings that adorned the State Apartments.
A DAY IN THE LIFE
Of Queen Elizabeth II
I NAME THIS SHIP
A Palace At Sea
Britannia was launched from the John Brown & Company shipyard in Clydebank on 16 April, 1953. Queen Elizabeth II became the most travelled monarch the world has ever known, entertaining Heads of Commonwealth countries as if they were at a Royal palace on British soil.
A GLOBAL AMBASSADOR
Britannia was the first—and ultimately the last—truly global Royal Yacht, a palace at sea that carried a little bit of Britain wherever she sailed. As a global ambassador, she hosted Prime Ministers, Presidents, and dignitaries from around the world, calling at more than 600 ports across 135 countries. In every corner of the globe, Britannia embodied the nation she represented, offering a uniquely British setting for diplomacy, ceremony, and royal hospitality.
DECOMMISSIONING
A Sombre Farewell
On 23 June 1994, John Major's Government announced there would be no refit for HMY Britannia as the costs would be too great. 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.