royal yacht britannia falklands war

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WHY THE RN DOESN’T NEED A ROYAL YACHT DUTY

(because they don’t defend trade or counter Russian submarines & aircraft carriers)

Featured image:

During the Silver Jubilee Fleet Review in 1977, the destroyer HMS Birmingham follows the Royal Yacht Britannia carrying H.M. Queen Elizabeth II.

Photo: Jonathan Eastland/AJAX.

Back in the day who among those who had the honour of sailing aboard warships in company with the Royal Yacht Britannia could not but admire her beauty and feel huge pride at being chosen to protect the Sovereign. But that was then and this is now. The Royal Navy of today is a shadow of its former self. Twenty or so years ago it had enough warships and people to handle the supreme honour of riding shotgun on Britannia.

In 1992 the Royal Navy had 13 destroyers and 37 frigates and 63,000 personnel. Today the RN has 17 operational destroyers and frigates, just over half the number of people and is struggling already to find enough people and ships to handle present and future tasks.

The old Royal Yacht Britannia (retired in 1997) required a complement of 250 and also a dedicated frigate as escort. That was in times when a potential threat to shipping from Al-Qaeda or ISIL did not exist. Britannia also had a protection team of Royal Marines and required a helicopter to be on hand. That all added up to another 400 (or more) people.

Do you think any of those advocating the resuscitation of the old Royal Yacht – currently a museum ship at Leith on the Forth – or construction of a new vessel ponder the full scale of what they are asking?

Bringing the 62-year-old Britannia back into service would require many millions of pounds for reconstruction to make her meet modern environmental safety requirements and also new propulsion (electric rather than steam). Even if a brand new vessel were constructed – all with the aim of becoming a flagship for post-Brexit Britain to drum up global trade – the idea of using scarce defence funds to build her would be an outrage.

Daring Class (Type 45) destroyers have to wait years for the money to pay for their own new propulsion upgrades, while there is neither the money or the people to run assault ships Albion and Bulwark at the same time. There are only an average of six frigates and destroyers on deployment safeguarding British interests, trade and citizens globally at any one time – not forgetting counter-piracy, anti-terrorism and facing down the Russians.

The idea of devoting one of them to babysitting a Royal Yacht is ludicrous. With no slack to spare, overstretch of ships and people has been a fact of life for years. Only a generation of politicians who have allowed the Royal Navy to decline precipitously over the past two decades with barely a murmur of protest could start waxing lyrical about new Royal Yachts. They have allowed the main guarantor of protection for 95 per cent of British trade that goes by sea to wither away.

Yet, when it looks like there may be a few votes in a new Royal Yacht, up they pop. Where were these people when successive cuts in RN warship numbers undermined the very basis of secure trade for the UK?

There have been suggestions a new Royal Yacht can be built with private money, providing work for British shipyards, which is all well and good. Scottish shipyards are currently constructing three Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs) as a job preservation project to ensure the skills are there when the Type 26 frigate programme finally gets under way. Are the Royal Yacht advocates suggesting that vessel should take precedence over the warships?

A CGI illustration of the Type 26 future RN frigate . Image: BAE Systems.

The Royal Navy also needs a new battle damage repair ship, but currently there are no plans to buy one while the order for new Type 26 frigates has been reduced by five vessels, to just eight. They will not even replace the Type 23 frigates on a one-for-one basis. If a new Royal Yacht could be dual purpose, so that she could serve as a hospital ship, for example, might that help justify her?

During the 1982 Falklands War HMY Britannia was not allowed to perform that secondary duty. It angered a lot of people in the Navy who were going off to possibly die in defence of the realm. Perhaps the Merchant Navy rather than the Royal Navy could operate a private Royal Yacht, but she would still be a prime target (whether carrying Royals or not). She would still require protection by the Navy.

Odin considers the proposal for a new Royal Yacht and the enthusiasm for it by certain politicians and others a gross insult to the hard-working Royal Navy. It is expected to make and mend, to send warships approaching their sell-by-date to face danger with some of their systems potentially not fully operational (or fully modern) – and with possibly not a full outfit of weaponry. What the Royal Navy and the UK needs is not a new Royal Yacht, but a properly funded Fleet with more of Her Majesty’s Warships.

It also needs a boost in recruitment so that it doesn’t have to send Royal Marine cooks to serve in its massive new aircraft carriers or borrow engineers from foreign navies. Britain needs a new Royal Navy. As for a new Royal Yacht…you must be kidding.

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Wartime role of HMY Britannia - query

• Thread starter Purple_twiglet
• Start date Jun 12, 2009

Purple_twiglet

• Jun 12, 2009

Folks Posted here as its a bit busier than the history section. I'm doing some sniffing round some interesting Govt papers at the moment, which hint at what Britannia may or may not have done in wartime. I'd be really interested if anyone could advise here or via PM, firstly what they understood her wartime role to be - hospital ship, or something else? Secondly, I understand she did a lot of ASW exercises post 68, does anyone know what the scenarios were, and how much work was done training the crew to wartime preparation? Finally, does anyone here have similar knowledge about what RFA Engadine may or may not have done? There is method to this madness, and any answers are much appreciated. PT  

Britannia was always suppossed to be able to be used as an Hospital ship during times of war. During the Falklands she was unable to be used due to the fact that she used different fuel to the rest of the fleet :twisted:  

Served on RFA Engadine many times :wink: :wink: :wink: :wink: Your clue is 747 Sqdn :roll:  

Thanks Slim - the Hospital ship myth appears to have been just that after a certain point in time. Its around the late 1960s that this role was abandoned, but I'd like to work out what happened next.  

TimeToJoinUp

The Royal Yacht Britannia was designed as a dual function vessel - a Royal Yacht in peacetime and a hospital ship in times of hostility. There was extensive consultation with the Medical Director General of the Royal Navy during the design phase both to determine the requirements for the ship in the hospital ship role; and to ensure that the conversion could be performed in the most economic manner with minimal alteration to the existing structure and equipment. As a hospital ship Britannia had accommodation for 200 patients with the wards in the after part of the ship where the Royal Apartments are usually located. While most patients were anticipated to be medical and surgical cases provision was made to cater for patients with tuberculosis and infectious diseases. Provision was made for operating theatres, ophthalmic facilities, physiotherapy facilities, X-ray facilities, and pathology laboratories all on the lower deck. Provision was also made for a full dental clinic, including laboratory, on the main deck. In addition the sun deck located aft was specially strengthened to permit the landing of helicopters for casualty evacuations. Although normally manned by a Royal Navy crew, when operating as a hospital ship, Britannia would have been manned by a merchant navy crew in accordance with international law. http://www.triangminicships.com/classic_edition/merchants/ry_hospital_ship.htm Certain features have been embodied in the design which add to the value of the ship as a Royal Yacht, but which are not altogether essential for that purpose. They would however be necessary if and when the ship is used as a hospital ship. Such features include ship’s stabilizers, certain air-conditioning, large laundry facilities and comparatively high speed, none of which could be added on conversion as a hospital ship except at considerable additional expense and long delay in completion. This is a very good techincal paper that discusses Britannia's role as a hospital ship. http://www.royalyachtbritannia.co.uk/docs/technical_paper.pdf  

Deckhead_Inspector

Lantern swinger.

Slim, you are quite correct in quoting the official reason. This caused a little bit of mirth amongst the crews of Uganda and Canberra, (can't speak for the Black Pig,) different company. As they both burned the same FFO as HMY.Also Canberra did carry out at 3 RAS(L)s so there was spare fuel afloat in the RFAs as well. Of course HMY's range inbetween refueling may have been an issue. Think I am correct in saying that HMY's hospital ship potential was only officially recinded in the mid 80s, post Corporate.  

slim said: Britannia was always suppossed to be able to be used as an Hospital ship during times of war. During the Falklands she was unable to be used due to the fact that she used different fuel to the rest of the fleet :twisted: Click to expand...

Although normally manned by a Royal Navy crew, when operating as a hospital ship, Britannia would have been manned by a merchant navy crew in accordance with international law. Click to expand...

If you read the tech report I link to above (2nd one) it details in there how the merchant cabins would have been constructed in the current mess space using partitions to create 2 and 4 man bunks. I have no idea about whether or not using Merchant navy personnel was strictly necessary, sorry. I would however find it difficult to believe that the RN would hand over Captaincy of the ship if they didn't need to.  

Reference the status of hospital ships; more links within this Red Cross link-they'd know! ICRC Harking back to the notion that International Law requires hospital ships to have MN crews in wartime, who drives military ambulances during hostilities? The question is rhetorical.  

kinross_special

Was used at least once though for disaster relief in the 1980s- think it was Hong Kong cyclone or something. Link to follow when/if I find it.  

Just spoken to the Deputy Captain of Canberra during Corporate, He confirms that Canberra did RAS 7 times. From RFAs Plumleaf,Tidepool and Olna. Her RAS fuel lines ran from the Promenade Deck to the engine room bunker tanks via a lift shaft. So as I said before, fuel for Britannia was available in the South Atlantic.  

A bit out but close enough: 1986 invasion of Aden- Britannia coordinated the evacuation of foreign nationals whilst on passeage to Australia- embarking 1,068 herself. http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=...5ISSCg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1  

If you read the tech report I link to above (2nd one) it details in there how the merchant cabins would have been constructed in the current mess space using partitions to create 2 and 4 man bunks. Click to expand...

TheCommunicator

slim said: During the Falklands she was unable to be used due to the fact that she used different fuel to the rest of the fleet :twisted: Click to expand...

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Why HMY Britannia’s retirement deeply affected Queen Elizabeth II

In looking back at the history of Royal Yacht Britannia, one can trace the emotional journey of Queen Elizabeth II. Her affection for the vessel stemmed from deep-rooted sentiment, making HMY Britannia’s retirement remarkably personal

June 23, 1994, was a dark day for Queen Elizabeth II. While public perception of Her Majesty’s lifestyle revolved around lavish wealth and exclusive travel, of which money was no object, that generalised consensus remained far from the truth. The radiated image of affluence remained largely funded by the public purse. Buckingham Palace belonged to the state, and as providence of the main Royal residence rested with Governmental spending, so too did the Queen’s beloved HMY Britannia . And on that Thursday, the fate of HMY Britannia became apparent. The Conservative government, led by Prime Minister John Major , announced that the refit – so desperately required to keep Britannia on the waves for the upcoming millennium – would not be going ahead. This ship’s days were numbered. The Royal Yacht Britannia was now on borrowed time, with each new engagement working towards that final gut-wrenching journey.

HMY Britannia: A family connection

Her Majesty’s relationship with HMY Britannia was almost as distinguished and lengthy as her association with the crown. Having been ever-present during good times and difficult stretches, Britannia had quickly surpassed mere 'servant' status; it had installed itself as a member of the family. HMY Britannia was described by the Queen as a place where she could “truly relax”. The understated design of Royal apartments, and appointment of personal photographs and items from preceding Royal Yachts, allowed a ‘country house atmosphere’ in which to unwind – away from prying cameras and exhausting public schedules. The Royal Yacht was also a direct connection to her father. It had become apparent that the requirement for a new royal vessel was necessary under the reign of King George VI , and he wanted the ship to be more than only a luxury. The ship was to be two-in-one. It was the King’s request for HMY Britannia to serve as a hospital ship during times of war, even if such an occasion never occurred. There was also hope that the vessel would help assist the King with his ailing health, and provide a viable escape route for the Royal family should oppressors breach the defence lines of Great Britain and claim Albion soil for a new tyranny. Glasgow’s John Brown & Co shipyard in Clydebank received the order for the new vessel on February 4, 1952, only 48 hours before King George VI passed away – setting into motion the reign of Queen Elizabeth II. Scepticism and anxiety echoed through the Scottish shipyard, with the most human of conditions – worry – amplifying any notion that the ship’s tender would either be moved or cancelled completely. However, the Queen had no intentions of uprooting or mothballing her father’s order. Amid the emotional turmoil of taking the throne, Britannia instead provided a welcome distraction.

A personalised opportunity

Arguably, the Queen’s first Royal opportunity was playing an important role in the ship’s design, and she relished the chance to mould HMY Britannia with intimate preference. Unlike the royal residences which Her Majesty had symbolically inherited (with a rich heritage she could not realistically update), Queen Elizabeth II could tailor the ship’s interior to reflect her personal tastes. The occurrence for such customisation would rarely come again. Following her father’s passing, the responsibility of overseeing Britannia’s construction and commissioning fell to the Queen herself. Alongside Prince Phillip (Duke of Edinburgh), she was closely involved in designing the ship’s mantra, overturning the original lavish design for a blueprint that reflected post-war Britain. The Queen and the Duke picked the colours for each wall, the contrast of the woodwork and the aesthetics of the metalwork. Of all the residences bestowed or owned by Queen Elizabeth II, the Royal Yacht reflected Her Majesty’s preferences for what her dream home would look like. The ship was easily the dearest of places for the Queen. Having watched the Yacht’s construction, the vessel had been tailored as a home upon the seas and introduced to the world as something the Queen was rightly proud of – her very own residence.

The Queen’s bedroom shared a connecting door with Prince Philip’s, and both rooms featured a buzzer system that summoned a steward when required. Each bedroom also had an en suite bathroom, fitted with a thermometer to ensure the Royal bath water remained at the correct temperature.

The bedrooms were certainly modest by Royal standards, with Her Majesty’s bedroom based around a ‘floral charm’ – including a silk panel that was specially commissioned for the vessel. Prince Phillip’s was finished in dark timber, offering a masculine look that echoed his naval connections. Launched by Her Majesty on April 16, 1953, HMY Britannia sailed her maiden voyage from Portsmouth to Malta in April 1954, carrying Prince Charles and Princess Anne to Grand Harbour. The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh met the Prince and Princess upon arrival, marking the end of the Royal couple’s Commonwealth tour. It wasn’t until May 1, 1954, that the Queen and her husband first embarked on HMY Britannia. Sailing from Tobruk, she found the new ship to be more than just an ocean-going symbol of British prowess. It was a new safe haven for her family.

A ship of two parts

Besides offering a haven on the seas, HMY Britannia served as a working ambassador for Great Britain – making more than 700 visits to ports in the British Commonwealth and travelling more than one million miles across the globe. King George VI had always envisioned HMY Britannia as a multi-purpose vessel, but rather than aiding as a hospital ship during fresh worldly conflict, the ship instead played a largely diplomatic role throughout peacetime. Serving as a base for state visits and trade missions, the ship also hosted state dinners for the likes of prime ministers Winston Churchill and Margaret Thatcher, alongside presidents Reagan, Clinton, Mandela, and Yeltsin. An invitation to dine aboard HMY Britannia was rarely refused. Even though the Queen adored Britannia as a place to escape the rigours of daily commitments, she was still faced with affairs of state when aboard.

Her Majesty would spend significant portions of her day in the private sitting room working on official communications; documents sent within red briefcases to wherever the Royal Yacht was berthed. Prince Phillip also had his own sitting room, styled to his liking, where he would conduct official business. Two further bedrooms could be found on the Shelter deck, including one known within the family as the unofficial ‘honeymoon suite’ – housing the only double bed on the ship. The room hosted four newly-married Royal couples – Princess Margaret and Anthony Armstrong Jones in 1960; Princess Anne and Captain Mark Phillips in 1973; Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer in 1981; and the Duke of York and Sarah Ferguson in 1986. Further along from the Royal bedrooms, the Verandah deck served as a dual-function leisure area for the family, and also as a reception area for official visits. From the Verandah deck, the Queen could access her favourite room – the sun lounge. It was here that Her Majesty could truly unwind after Royal duties. Relaxation was at the forefront of onboard operations. The ship’s crew (21 officers and 220 yachtsmen) were instructed to carry out their duties without making excess noise. The crew would therefore communicate with sign language and wear trainers to minimise disruption of movement. This format of 'unobtrusive excellence' allowed the Queen to recline and decompress; something she was seldom afforded when on land.

The Queen’s loyal companion

Throughout the latter half of the 20th century, HMY Britannia was a constant companion for Queen Elizabeth II during historic overseas visits. President Eisenhower was hosted on board during a landmark visit to Chicago in 1959, and the Queen used the Royal Yacht for her first official visit to the UAE. A renowned car enthusiast, Her Majesty cherished being able to travel with her bespoke Rolls-Royce and beloved ceremonial Land Rover; nestled safely in the yacht’s garage. The cars usually travelled to Scotland with the family for summer holidays on the west coast of Scotland. Experts on the Royals proclaim that Her Majesty’s happiest times involved travelling to Balmoral, admittedly her favourite hideaway when not aboard Britannia, while taking in the splendour of Scotland’s rugged coastline from the Yacht’s deck. However, despite overwhelming success as an ambassador for Britain, it was becoming evermore difficult to justify the ship’s running costs. During a bleak financial time in the run-up to a general election, John Major’s conservative government announced the decision to decommission HMY Britannia. Naturally, although the Queen fully understood, she was ultimately heartbroken.

Too expensive to continue

In 1986, the ship was dispatched on a rescue mission to save refugees from the Yemen civil war ; something that would have undoubtedly pleased King George VI.

What would have provided disappointment, however, was that the Britannia was deemed unsuitable for action during the Falklands war some years prior.

While the yacht’s secondary purpose as a ‘hospital ship’ helped to justify its cost to the public purse, that ideology was scuppered when war was declared against Argentina.

Despite the ship’s dual-purpose claim, Britannia was not sent to the Falklands on the basis that the fuel used to power the engines did not match with the rest of the naval fleet. The Royal Yacht also boasted huge symbolic value, making it a prime target for Argentinian efforts to sink British vessels. The fuel situation was no lie, but it also felt like a handy escape clause. This controversy undermined the ship’s costly justification. The taxpayer was not going to fund a ship that held no public use. That sentiment rang true when running costs were published for the public to see. Yearly amounts topped an eye-watering £11 million, on top of around £17 million every decade to update and enhance the ageing ship for contemporary use. By the 1990s, Britannia was already suffering. After more than 40 years of service, the elements had taken a toll on her. On the basis of finance, the decision to decommission HMY Britannia had also been on the cards for some time, and by 1994, the public purse was no longer available for the Royal yacht’s upkeep. During this stretch, a replacement ship was announced, although everyone knew that it was unlikely to happen. With the general elections of 1997 fast approaching, Britannia’s expensive existence once again hit the headlines. Dragging the ship into a game of political point-scoring apparently infuriated Her Majesty. In a bid to regain public favour, the Conservatives performed a U-turn on replacing the Royal yacht and claimed they would not spend public money on something so frivolous. However, when Tony Blair’s Labour government won a landslide election, Britannia’s fate was sealed.

“The yacht last underwent a major refit in 1987. A further refit at an estimated cost of some £17 million would be necessary in 1996–97 but would only prolong her life for a further five years. In view of her age, even after the refit she would be difficult to maintain and expensive to run. It has therefore been decided to decommission 'Britannia' in 1997. The government will now consider the question of whether to replace 'Britannia'.” — Viscount Cranborne, House of Lords Hansard: Written Answers June 23, 1994

Saying goodbye

The decommissioning of Britannia took place in Portsmouth, on December 11, 1997, having completed a final foreign mission to bring the last governor of Hong Kong and the Prince of Wales back from the handover to the People’s Republic of China on July 1. Normally undemonstrative in public, both the Queen and Prince Phillip reportedly shed a tear as the ship’s Royal life came to an end. Leaving the ship for the final time, followed by the lament of a bagpipe-led rendition of Highland Cathedral, Her Majesty’s loss was set to be the public’s gain – with museum status all but secured. The ceremony was attended by nearly every senior Royal family member, creating the biggest outpouring of Royal emotion witnessed in some time. Queen Elizabeth was right to feel emotional. Besides the fatherly connection and loyally steadfast presence through thick and thin, the Queen was losing her crafted home of almost 50 years. The ship had kept her family safe, performed ambassadorial duties with merit, and symbolised the British mantra in the name of the British people. Bidding farewell to her beloved Britannia , the Queen said: "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." Although Buckingham Palace awaited her, those close to Her Majesty felt as though the Queen had effectively lost her once proud home.

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Tide of opinion turns against royal yacht

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The future of the Royal Yacht Britannia has been the subject of intense debate. Yesterday Whitehall sources claimed it will not be replaced. Significantly, there was no official denial. Kim Sengupta reports.

Britannia's valedictory voyage will be around the entire coastline of Britain, a country much changed since the yacht's launch at Clydebank 43 years ago, a country no longer in the mood to pay for a lavish replacement. It is the recognition of this mood by the Government and the Royal Family, according to sources, which is leading to the decision that it will be the last royal yacht.

Officially, royal spokesmen stressed yesterday that the Queen had made it clear that she accepted the decision on whether or not to replace Britannia would be taken purely on the basis of national interest. Royal aides took pains to point out that as early as l994 the then defence secretary, Michael Rifkind, told the Commons: "The Queen has made it known that, in the light of changes in the pattern of royal visits since the yacht was built, she does not consider a royal yacht to be necessary in the future solely for the purpose of royal travel. "

Royal spokesmen also confirmed that discussions had taken place between the Government and senior courtiers, although the final say on Britannia's fate would rest with the Cabinet. Ministerial opinion had been hardening against bearing the high cost of replacing or refitting the yacht. The pounds 60m suggested as the replacement cost by the Tory defence secretary Michael Portillo is estimated to be considerably below the cost now. Ministers and civil servants are sceptical about another scheme, involving public and private partnership for a pounds 50m refit.

Within the Ministry of Defence, too, there is concern that funds needed for the hard- pressed military budget would be diverted to refit a ship expensive to run and prone to problems after modernisation.

Even before the election, Labour strategists were surprised at public hostility to the use of taxpayers' money on a royal yacht, with newspaper polls recording a 20-1 majority against such a scheme. The issue figured more strongly in focus groups than subjects like Europe. The mood is believed to have been heightened by growing antipathy towards pomp after the death of Diana, Princess of Wales. Whitehall sources point out that Britannia's much-discussed "business function" is overstated: only 63 days were devoted to trade promotions between l989 and 1996, and the Queen only used the ship for 11 days last year. It was used by the Prince and Princess of Wales on their honeymoon but even then there was doubt as to whether it was suitable. Jonathan Dimbleby, in his biography of the Prince, wrote: "Even an intimate dinner by candlelight was hardly a private affair, accompanied as it was by the camaraderie of the senior officers at the table and a band of Royal Marines playing `romantic medley' in the background".

It is seen as fitting that Britannia's last appearance on the world stage was as the remnants of empire were folded away at Hong Kong. When the Queen christened it in April l953 there was still a Chief of the Imperial Defence Staff and colonies dotted around the world. The vessel replaced the Victoria and Albert, the 50-year-old ship the Queen's father, George VI, had used; the cost of construction was pounds 2,098,000.

Since then it has sailed almost 1 million miles, ferrying the Queen and Royal Family around the Commonwealth. Its complement of 21 officers and 229 men are specially selected from volunteers. It also carries, for special occasions, a Royal Marine band of 26 musicians. The royal apartments are aft; the crew's accommodation forward. The lower deck houses offices of the "private secretaries" with a reception-room for up to 250 guests.

During the Falklands conflict there was a plan to send Britannia to the South Atlantic as a hospital ship. But it was pointed out that the type of fuel it used was hard to replenish in a war zone. Britannia did see action when it rescued British and other foreign residents caught in the crossfire during the l986 civil war in South Yemen. The ship was then anchored off Aden, the last bastion of Britain's east-of- Suez policy.

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The Story Behind the Royal Family's Yacht, Britannia

The ship hosted four royal honeymoons in its 44 years of service.

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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. 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—it even garnered a prominent place in the fifth season of The Crown . Below, a few of its most notable moments throughout history.

It was the first royal yacht designed for ocean travel.

The ship was built by John Brown & Co at the same shipyard in Clydebank, Scotland in the same location the famous ocean liners the Queen Elizabeth and Queen Mary were constructed. With 12,000 horsepower, the ship could travel at a maximum 22.5 knots (approximately 25 miles per hour), ideal for ocean-going diplomacy. Prior to its launch in 1953, the royal family used ships from the Royal Navy or even passenger liners for the overseas portions of the royal tour.

In its 44 years of service, the HMY Britannia traveled around 1.1 million miles.

It was commissioned just two days before the death of King George VI.

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. However, just two days after the John Brown shipyard in Clydebank, Scotland received the order the King passed away on February 6, 1952.

It would take just over a year for the ship to be completed, during which time its name remained a secret—it wasn't announced until the ship's official launch in April of 1953, less than two months before the Queen's coronation . Elizabeth cracked a bottle of English wine (in the post-war era, 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."

It was created to double as a hospital.

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 any possible future wartime. 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. 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 ship was home to a lot of history.

Long before it became a floating museum, the Britannia had an eye for history. 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 . Likewise, some of the bed linens used by Queen Elizabeth aboard the vessel were originally made for Victoria's bed for one of the previous royal yachts.

Britannia's steering wheel was lifted from her namesake, the racing yacht HMY Britannia , built in 1893 for King Edward VII .

It was redesigned to be less opulent.

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. The interiors were ultimately redesigned by Sir Hugh Casson and received very minimal updates throughout her 44 years of service.

But it still had homey touches—by royal standards.

Suffice to say that even low-key royal living is a fairly high class. 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.

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. 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. Ultimately Elizabeth began using cars provided for her at port instead and the garage was converted into a storage area for beer.

The steering crew couldn't see where they were going.

Life on board the HMY Britannia was far from typical for her crew. 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.

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. It was also the last ship in the royal navy where the crew members slept in hammocks, a practice that they maintained until 1973.

Perhaps the most unusual element of the ship's functioning, though, was the steering. 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. The crew got around this rather surprising pitfall by using voice pipes from the bridge to confer navigational orders.

It was a royal honeymoon essential.

No fewer than four royal couples celebrated their honeymoons in the HMY Britannia 's honeymoon suite (the only room onboard with a double bed.)

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. 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. Prince Charles and Princess Diana famously spent their 1981 honeymoon on a Mediterranean cruise aboard the yacht. The crew managed to duck the press so efficiently they garnered the nickname "the ghost ship." 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.

And a family vacation spot.

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. During the summer months, the royal family would often take off on what became known as the Western Isles tour, cruising around the western isles of Scotland. During the trip, the family would play games and have barbecues on the islands. The stairway off of the veranda was sometimes even converted into a waterslide for the younger royals. The tour often included a stop off at the Castle of Mey to visit the Queen Mother, then making berth in Aberdeen so that the Queen could travel to her favorite summer home, Balmoral .

The Queen openly wept when HMY Britannia was decommissioned in 1997.

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. Though plans were initially drawn up for a replacement yacht, the government ultimately determined not to fund the effort. 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 . All of the clocks on board remain stopped at 3:01, the exact time that Her Majesty disembarked for the last time.

It was used for a reception for Zara Phillips before her wedding.

Though it's no longer used as their private vessel, the Britannia 's connection to the royal family didn't end in 1997. In 2011 on the night before her wedding, the Queen's oldest granddaughter Zara Phillips contracted the ship for a reception. Though her grandmother wasn't in attendance Zara celebrated her upcoming marriage to Mike Tindall onboard along with her mother and her cousins Prince Harry, Prince William and Kate, Princess Eugenie, and Princess Beatrice.

Lauren Hubbard is a freelance writer and Town & Country contributor who covers beauty, shopping, entertainment, travel, home decor, wine, and cocktails.

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Logistics in The Falklands War

February 9th, 2017 --> In Book Reviews   Issue Volume 25 No. 1 Doi No https://doi-ds.org/doilink/05.2021-81638217/JMVH Vol 25 No 1

Captain Arthur M. Smith

The recent Australian Defence White Paper 2016 defined the unique security challenges facing thenation. Strategic planning within the document includes recognition of the regional and global nature of the nation’s security interests, and the very different sets of challenges that are created for the defence force by state, and also non-state actors such as terrorists. The White Paper suggests that the defence budget should grow to 2 percent of gross national product, a significant part of which would be applied to the development of maritime capability.

Emblematic of this commitment is the recent commissioning of the two 27,800 ton amphibious assault ships (LHDs) of the Canberra class – Canberra and Adelaide – now progressing toward initial operating capability. At full operational capability, the ships will enable the embarkation of a full Amphibious Ready Group based upon the Second Battalion of the Australian Army and their supporting arms, reflecting a transition for the unit from a strictly ground force to an amphibious force. The two LHDs will join the existing capabilities borne by the 16,000 ton dock landing ship Choules, which will soon be upgraded from a command-and-control, as well as a weapons, perspective. The three ships together will hopefully constitute a flexible and deployable amphibious force.

Amphibious forces in the future, however, face the possibility of arriving in a future combat theatre and finding themselves facing an arsenal of advanced, disruptive technologies that could turn previously perceived technological advances and plans for force generation “on their heads”, where Australian armed forces no longer have uncontested theatre access or unfettered operational freedom to manoeuvre The next century will see foes striving to target concentrations of troops and material ashore, while concurrently attacking forces at sea and in the air. The lessons learned from previous conflicts have never been more important; with increasing numbers of out-of- area operations required in remote trouble spots, and at short notice. Given this reality, the adaptive logistical requirements necessary for sustaining any expeditionary interventions require sober assessment and pragmatic planning.

Where are the precedents to help find such guidance? There have been no amphibious assaults to speak of since Inchon in the Korean War, and Suez in 1956. The British expeditionary assault upon the Falklands in 1982, however, provided many lessons, given the inadequate training, little intelligence, no contingency plans, a politically driven rush, and an 8000 mile logistical tether from the homeland. It is not surprising, then, that logistics during the UK “Operation Corporate” were confusing and challenging. It is one of the best examples of “lessons learned” for addressing both anti-access and area denial in a modern conventional conflict.

There is a saying attributed to various past military commanders of the mid-20th century, that “amateurs or juniors discuss tactics, while their seniors and other professionals discuss logistics”. There is also a, perhaps apocryphal quote attributed to the former Chancellor of Germany, Otto von Bismarck, stating, “Fools state that they learn by experience. The wise man learns from the mistakes of others”. As such, the story of the British assault upon the Falklands, as recorded in the book, “Logistics in the Falklands War”1 – by Major General Kenneth Privratsky, US Army (Retired) should be mandatory reading for all those who will partake in instituting preparations, as well as implementation, of future ADF amphibious operations. Surprisingly, in this tome written by an American General Officer/ professional logistician, with credible guidance from, among others, Major General Julian Thompson, the Commander of the 3 Commando Brigade at the Falklands War, the book details the saga of British efforts to supply the modern logistical equivalents of “Beans, Bullets, Black Oil and Bandages” to the invasion force.

The British ultimately won the war, chiefly because of their ability, in an improvised military campaign (for which they had no prior planning), to project and sustain a Task Force consisting of a Carrier Task Group and an Amphibious Task Group, across a distance of 8,000 miles. A vital role was played by the small British territory of Ascension Island in the South Atlantic, just over half way distance (3800 miles) to the Falklands. The 26 ships (later rising to 44) of the Royal Navy that took an active part in the campaign were supported by 22 ships of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary, including 6 specialist Landing Ships (Logistic), by two ships of the Royal Maritime Auxiliary Service, and by 54 requisitioned civilian “ships taken up from trade”, known as STUFT vessels, from 33 different civilian companies. Many of the civilian STUFT ships used had to be fitted with extra equipment, including helicopter landing decks, specialist communications apparatus, and water treatment plants for the long voyage. In addition, the cruise liner SS Uganda was requisitioned and converted to serve as a hospital ship.

In the rush to sail, many of the ships of the Task Force were not “tactically loaded” or “combat loaded”. Most ships of the Task Force used a short halt at Ascension Island to redistribute personnel, stores and equipment before continuing to the Falklands. But, there were many reported cases of staff or equipment being assigned to more than one ship either at the start of the voyage, or at Ascension, and then losing contact with their parent unit or being unable to secure other transport.

The circumstances of the amphibious assault at San Carlos on the western side of the Falklands forced the British Navy and land forces to remain relatively fixed in place during the amphibious assault and beachhead buildup. This is when the Argentine air force unleashed its attack on British naval forces supporting the landing force. Within an hour of the first waves of Argentine aircraft attacking, it became evident that it was the ships, and not the men ashore, that were the targets. Because of the aggressive air attacks, the waters around the landing area and beachhead were referred to as “Bomb Alley”. Flying just above the wave tops, the Argentine based attack aircraft made repeated attacks on the British Task Force with bombs and Exocet anti-ship missiles. The Argentine air attacks initially sank one British destroyer, 2 frigates, and caused the sinking of one critically and logistically important container ship, Cunard’s Atlantic Conveyor. The attack upon Conveyor ultimately had a vastly negative effect upon British strategic mobility, by eliminating the main source of heavy lift helicopters which it was transporting for the landing force, all of which were lost at sea. Additionally, two more Destroyers, three frigates and three logistic landing ships were damaged.

Enemy action had an effect on the buildup in a way that simply was not anticipated. The entire brigade’s operations had been planned on the assumption of keeping its logistics afloat. Nevertheless, the air assault forced the UK to create huge dumps on land at Ajax Bay. The Argentine Air Force also attacked the beach head and dropped 12 bombs on the brigade maintenance area, killing 6 men and wounding 27, as well as starting a major fire in 45 Commando’s heavy weapons ammunition dump. The various stores ships were withdrawn, with only those unloading allowed in the area. The air attacks reduced the rate of off-loading supplies at San Carlos, which in turn slowed the start of the land campaign, thereby delaying logistics, resulting in the loss of manoeuvre opportunity in terms of time and speed. Political as well as military considerations also limited the use of two large ocean liners which had been used as troop transporters, SS Canberra and RMS Queen Elizabeth 2, neither of which could be risked as a target for any length of time. Likewise, they were designed for pierside loading and discharge, and would prove slower to unload in the South Atlantic than the Royal Fleet Auxiliary Logistic Landing Ships.

The original logistics plan called for a small base to be established ashore but for most brigade supplies to be kept afloat off the beachhead, including two LSLs carrying resupply, and the cruise ship/ troop transport SS Canberra for immediate although not Geneva Convention protected medical support. Sea transport along the coast was further limited, however, by the limited numbers of landing craft, together with powered rafts known as Mexeflotes, and other smaller craft, as well as by British reluctance to risk larger vessels close inshore.

Following the first landings at San Carlos, it became obvious that the plan to hold most supplies offshore and afloat was impractical in the face of Argentine air attacks. Ajax Bay was chosen for the logistics base ashore, as it was the largest of the very limited beach landing areas, and with the only buildings, foremost being a disused mutton refrigeration plant. The fleet auxiliary and STUFT ships had to be brought in under cover of darkness to unload, mostly sailing away before each morning’s air attacks. Most of the STUFT ships did not have the capability to unload by helicopter at night, despite the fact that unloading using landing craft and Mexeflote rafts was a long and difficult process.

The only suitable location for a field dressing station was at Ajax Bay, known as the “Red and Green Life Machine”, housed within the disused refrigeration plant next to a large ammunition dump. In consequence, the British decided not to mark the dressing station with a Red Cross for protection under the Geneva Convention since it was so close to the ammunition dump, and at one point it functioned with two unexploded bombs lodged in its roof. In four weeks, 725 patients were treated, including among them 40% Argentine casualties. By the time that the Argentines had surrendered, the “Red and Green Life Machine”, while under the supervision of then Surgeon Commander Rick Jolly, performed over 300 major surgical procedures upon both British and Argentine casualties, even though some arrived in such bad condition that they required as much as 5 units of blood to stabilise them prior to surgery. Within the facility, two British army and two Navy surgical teams worked side by side. The lighting was deemed inadequate, and there was no sterile water, no autoclave, no diathermy machine, and a limited supply of linen. Gloves were worn but not often changed from one operation to the next.

In preparation for the Falklands assault, the British lacked a capable hospital ship. The only vessel in the Royal Navy earmarked as a potential hospital ship was the Queen’s Royal Yacht Britannia, but, because she required special furnace oil upon which to operate, and only had a 200 bed capacity, planners deemed her unsuitable to support the task force. There were no friendly places to provide medical support in the vicinity of the Falklands closer than Montevideo Uruguay, (four and a half sailing days or 1000 miles) to the north-west. The projected inability to care for potential casualties therefore led to the requisitioning of the cruise ship Uganda. At the time, Uganda was in the Mediterranean at Alexandria, on an educational cruise carrying a thousand school children. After her owners received requisition instructions, Uganda proceeded to Gibraltar for modifications to accommodate a major surgical facility, an intensive care unit, a specialised burn ward (14% of all injuries incurred were burns), x-ray facility, as well as clinics and laboratories to treat patients, in addition to the installation of a helicopter deck to receive casualties. Uganda also lacked the capacity to produce fresh water for drinking or washing. Reverse osmosis fresh water generators were installed. Completion of Uganda at Gibraltar, complete with Red Cross markings to adhere to the Geneva Convention, occurred at a pace comparable to Canberra – in a mere 65 hours! While modifications were nearing completion, a 135 person medical team boarded Uganda to help store 90 tons of medical supplies for the new 500 bed floating hospital.

Uganda would provide the highest level of care in theatre. Following agreement among the warring parties, and with assistance of the International Committee of the Red Cross, she would be located in a restricted neutral navigational area designated a “Red Cross Box” at sea about twenty miles north of Pebble Island, along with two of Argentina’s hospital ships, Bahia Paraiso and Almirante Irizar. Both countries had agreed that any casualties evacuated there should not participate further in the war.

The only communications available aboard Uganda was via maritime satellite. Three British fast dispatch vessels, former ocean survey ships Hydra, Hecla and Hecate, would transport 60-100 British and Argentine casualties each, those patients requiring additional or long term care, from Uganda to Montevideo, Uruguay. From there, the British casualties were transported by VC-10 medical evacuation planes, which would airlift the British casualties to the United Kingdom via Ascension Island.

Exposure to the cold weather was a problem for all troops in the Falklands and the boggy and rugged terrain also caused multiple cases of Trench foot and endemic mild diarrhoea from drinking the water. Battle casualty treatment and resuscitation at the unit level and evacuation functioned well, resulting in a very high survival rate for casualties treated. Of over 1,000 casualties evacuated back to the designated hospital ship SS Uganda, including over 300 Argentineans, all but three men survived. Worthy of note, however, was that the vast majority of British casualties occurred not on land, but at sea due to exploding fuel and the difficulty of reaching injured sailors in burning passageways and compartments. Ultimately, the war cost 255 British servicemen killed, 777 wounded with 10 percent of those permanently disabled, 6 ships lost, many other ships damaged, and 20 aircraft destroyed. For Argentina, it suffered an estimated 750 killed, 1100 wounded, and vast amounts of equipment lost.

As noted by British General Julian Thompson, on the scene in the Falklands, “Surely one of the strangest things in military history is the almost complete silence upon the problems of supply”. Forces in the future, however, will again be expected to deploy quickly and operate over great distances in austere areas. When that happens, logisticians will need to provide support without reliance on fixed  infrastructure, deep draft ports or airfields. The British experience at the Falklands highlights the difficulty of providing logistics over long distances into austere environments, particularly in situations of significant threat and especially for amphibious operations.

British Field Marshal Archibald Wavell stated, in 1944: “It takes little skill or imagination to see where you would like your army to be, and when; it takes much knowledge and hard work to know where you can place your forces and whether you can maintain them there. A real knowledge of supply and movement factors must be the basis of every leader’s plan; only then can he know how and when to take risks with those factors; and battles and wars are won only by taking risks.”

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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. 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.

There is additional information about Britannia's specifications and construction contained in the technical paper .

VICTORIA & ALBERT III

Britannia's predecessor was the Victoria & Albert III - the first Royal Yacht not to be powered by sail. It was built for Queen Victoria, but she never stepped on board, concerned about the yacht's stability. King Edward VII did sail on the Victoria & Albert, mainly in local waters and the Mediterranean. Having served four sovereigns over 38 years and not left Northern Europe since 1911, the Victoria & Albert was decommissioned in 1939. She was eventually broken up for scrap at Faslane in 1954

THE LAST ROYAL YACHT

It was decided that a new Royal Yacht should be commissioned that could travel the globe and double as a hospital ship in time of war. It was also hoped a convalescence cruise would help the King's ailing health. The John Brown & Co shipyard in Clydebank received the order from the Admiralty for a new ship on 4 February, 1952. Sadly King George VI passed away two days later. Not only did Queen Elizabeth II now have to prepare for her new role, but she also had responsibility for the commissioning of the new Royal Yacht.

BUILT IN SCOTLAND

John Brown & Co was one of the most famous shipyards in the world, having built the famous liners Queen Elizabeth and Queen Mary. The keel of the new, as yet unnamed, Royal Yacht was laid down in June 1952. One of the last fully-riveted ships to be built with a remarkably smooth painted hull, she was finally ready to be launched on 16 April, 1953. The ship's name was a closely guarded secret, only being revealed when Queen Elizabeth II smashed a bottle of Empire wine (Champagne was considered too extravagant in post-war Britain) and announced to the expectant crowds "I name this ship Britannia… I wish success to her and all who sail in her". You can read more about getting Britannia ready for Royal service by downloading Letters from a Fish to his Admiral (below), a series of notes and letters written by Acting Captain J S Dalglish, the Officer in charge of commissioning Britannia. John Brown continued as a shipyard until they sadly closed in 2001.

BRITANNIA COMMISSIONED

After the launch, Britannia's building work continued as her funnel and masts were installed, before beginning sea trials on 3 November 1953 off the West Coast of Scotland. On successful completion, she was commissioned into the Royal Navy on 11 January 1954. On 22 April, Britannia sailed into her first overseas port as she entered Grand Harbour, Malta. During 44 years in Royal service Britannia sailed the equivalent of once round the world for each year, calling at over 600 ports in 135 countries, including the United States of America, Australia, Canada and New Zealand.

ROYAL HONEYMOONS

Britannia was an ideal Royal honeymoon venue. The Royal Yacht was very private and could sail to secluded locations. Four Royal honeymoons were enjoyed on board, Princess Margaret and Anthony Armstrong-Jones being the first in 1960.

THE FIRST DAY AT SEA

As well as hosting state functions, Britannia was an ambassador for British business, promoting trade and industry around the globe. These British overseas trade missions were known as ‘Sea Days’ and an invitation to come aboard proved irresistible to the world’s leading business and political figures. The Overseas Trade Board estimated that £3 billion was made for the Exchequer as a result of commercial days on Britannia between 1991 and 1995 alone.

EVACUATION OF ADEN, SOUTH YEMEN

At 20:00 on 17 January 1986, the Yacht dropped anchor at Khormaksar Beach. Civil war had broken out in South Yemen and ships were urgently required to evacuate British nationals and others trapped by fighting. As a non-combatant Royal Navy ship, Britannia would be able to enter territorial waters without further inflaming the conflict.

DECOMMISSION

"Looking back over forty-four 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. View the entire Paying-Off Ceremony letter below.

OPENED AS A VISITOR ATTRACTION

After arriving in Leith, Edinburgh on 5 May 1998, The Royal Yacht Britannia opened as a visitor attraction on the 19 October 1998.

BRITANNIA WELCOMED 5 MILLION VISITORS

The Royal Yacht Britannia, now a five-star visitor attraction and exclusive evening events venue, celebrated welcoming 5 million visitors since opening in 1998.

OUR LUXURY FLOATING HOTEL, FINGAL, OPENED

In January 2019, our luxury floating hotel Fingal opened to the public. Fingal, a former Northern Lighthouse Board tender, had undergone a £5 million development to become a 22 cabin five-star floating hotel, berthed moments away from Britannia. In September 2023, Fingal was awarded AA Hotel of the Year Scotland.

TRIPADVISOR'S NO.1 UK ATTRACTION 2023

The Royal Yacht Britannia was voted Tripadvisor's No.1 UK Attraction 2023. What a wonderful accolade for our team who passionately provide a five-star customer experience to ensure each and every visitor has a memorable time on board. Britannia had previously been awarded this prestigious accolade in 2014.

CELEBRATING BRITANNIA'S 25 YEARS

19 October 2023 marks 25 wonderful years since Britannia opened to the public as a visitor attraction. During this time we have welcomed over 7 million visitors, a brilliant milestone to mark the occasion. We thank each and every visitor who has stepped aboard and look forward to welcoming many more to share our history.

Visiting Britannia

Tripadvisor’s No.1 UK Attraction 2023

Due to upcoming construction work at Ocean Terminal Shopping Centre , Britannia will be closed 11 - 23 March and 25-28 June.

Click on the Visit page  for all you need to know 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. 

AA Hotel of the Year Scotland, AA five-star hotel and 2 AA Rosettes

Learn more: fingal.co.uk

Not the Royal Yacht Britannia: Waiving the Rules

Otto English celebrates another costly Boris Johnson project because this time the British people might just cotton on to the cavalcade of nonsense…

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Not The Royal Yacht Britannia Waiving the Rules

Otto english celebrates another costly boris johnson project because this time the british people might just cotton on to the cavalcade of nonsense….

Brace yourselves because I’m about to declare that Boris Johnson has done something brilliant. And, no, it’s not the vaccination programme or Brexit or any of that stuff. I’m talking about the new royal yacht.

It’s a fabulous idea. But, before I explain why I think that, let’s catch up with the story so far. 

If you have a long memory, you will recall that, back in 1997, the wicked Labour Government under Tony Blair, stripped the Queen of her beloved yacht, Britannia. That boat was the last in a long line of royal yachts stretching back to the time of King Charles II.

Manned by a Royal Naval crew and supplemented by a detachment of Marines that sometimes included a military band, Queen Elizabeth II and her family used the vessel for state visits, family holidays and honeymoons – clocking up well over a million nautical miles in the process.

It also had a secondary purpose as a ‘hospital ship’ which justified its cost to the public purse. During the Falklands War in 1982, there was a plan to deploy the boat in that capacity. But, when it was revealed that Britannia used different fuel to the rest of the fleet, the idea was dropped. The yacht had huge symbolic value and would have made an enticing target so perhaps the different fuel story – which was completely true – was also a useful get-out clause. Either way, the controversy rather undermined the justification for its cost: if the ship couldn’t be deployed in its military role, why should the taxpayer fund it?

In 1986, the ship did serve a useful humanitarian function when it helped to evacuate 1,000 people from 26 different countries out of war-torn Yemen.

But, by the early 1990s, HMY Britannia had become a relic of another age; the British Empire equivalent of one of those Japanese imperial soldiers who kept fighting World War Two decades after it had ended.

THE Apotheosis of Apophenia Conspiratorial Minds

Its running cost was an eye-watering £11 million a year to run and it needed a refit of around £17 million every 10 years to keep it going.

In 1994, John Major’s Government announced that the ship would be decommissioned but that that plans would be considered for a replacement.

When the end came three years later, almost the entire Royal Family turned out to say goodbye and it was one of only a handful of times in her long reign that the Queen was seen to (almost) cry .

Even before it was decommissioned, the rumblings started. In the run-up to the 1997 General Election, the Major Government promised that it would build another ship if it was re-elected. That announcement reportedly infuriated the Queen, who objected to being dragged into a game of political point-scoring.

The Glorious Return

Ever since 1997, the ‘royal yacht’ issue has had totemic value on the Conservative right.

It’s the sort of notion that plays well with a certain kind of Express and Telegraph reader; a curious, cultish logic whereby the ship – which once represented all that was great about Great Britain – can somehow be conjured up once more by shamanic ship-builders in Union Jack overalls to restore the country to its place as top nation.

The Telegraph ’s Christopher Hope has long campaigned to bring it back and, perhaps with an eye on that newspaper’s readership, Boris Johnson began backing the plan while he was Foreign Secretary in 2017.

It has now been announced that the project will go ahead at an initial cost of £250 million, with the eventual price tag likely to be far higher than that. Running such a vessel over the proposed 30 years that follow will undoubtedly cost many hundreds of millions more. The Guardian has suggested that it could cost as much as £10 million a year.

There’s just one small – but not insignificant – problem with the whole royal yacht thing: the Queen still doesn’t want one and nor do her family.

The idea that it might be named after her late husband Prince Philip was snubbed by Buckingham Palace and, last week, a senior royal told The Sunday Times that a royal yacht was “too grand” a symbol for use in the modern age. “It is not something we have asked for,” they added.

None of that seems to have dented the Johnson Government’s enthusiasm and it is going ahead with it anyway. It doesn’t matter that the Royal Family don’t want it; or that it is completely impractical in the 21st Century; or that most of the world’s major capitals are not ports. The Prime Minister has decided to build the vessel and build it he jolly well will.

Just as the Boris Johnson Garden Bridge brought so much joy to London, the Boris Johnson Boat will make all the difference. We shall be the envy of the world. Here will be proof, to use Boris Johnson’s own words, that we are once more “a great independent, maritime nation!”

The Swiss, Hungarians, Afghanis and Czechs will shout “hurrah” as Liz Truss gracefully descends the gang plank – piped along her way by the Royal Marines band – handing out trade deals like confetti.

“But hold on,” I hear you saying. “I thought you said it was a good idea?”

Well, I do.

Because maybe – just maybe – as this cavalcade of nonsense goes on and the pointlessness of the enterprise become apparent, the British people will start to question the sanity of a Government which seems to have left its brain in another age. If it takes a £250 million boat to do that, then I for one am in favour.

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'WELL DONE,' A GRATEFUL BRITAIN SAYS AS QE2 BRINGS HOME FALKLAND SURVIVORS

By Steven Rattner, Special To the New York Times

• June 12, 1982

Her decks lined with nearly 700 survivors of the fight for the Falkland Islands, the Queen Elizabeth 2 steamed home from war today and a grateful nation responded with a tumultuous welcome.

After 30 days and almost 15,000 miles, the 963-foot ocean liner slid alongside the concrete pier at precisely noon and poured forth - into the arms of relieved family members who had jammed the quay since early morning - the crews of three ships destroyed by Argentine planes.

Thousands of small Union Jacks fluttered in the stiff sea breeze, a Royal Marine band played ''Heart of Oak,'' red carpeting covered the gangway and champagne flowed freely amid the tears, laughter and love.

''Welcome Home Alan - You Have Done Us Proud,'' read one of the dozens of banners held aloft to cheer the arriving sailors.

Accounts of Courage

The esteem grew as the captains of the three ships recounted the courage of their men. They told of seamen in the frigid waters holding the injured afloat, the calm that was maintained aboard the frigate Antelope after a bomb exploded deep within her, and crew members on the stricken ships shooting at attacking planes as flames raced around them.

''A lot of people saved a lot of lives by being very brave that day,'' said Capt. David Hart-Dyke of the destroyer Coventry, his face badly burned.

''Every captain always says his men are the best,'' said Cmdr. Alan West of the frigate Ardent as he turned away weeping. ''I know mine were.''

Steven Alves, 18 years old, a seaman aboard the Ardent, said: ''It was very scary and not something I'd like to go through again. All of my mates died.''

At least for a few hours today, Britons forgot the bad news about many new deaths on the Falklands in the last two days. They also forgot the reason the returnees had come home - the loss of their ships. Surge of Patriotism

Throughout the country, the Falkland crisis has provoked a deep surge of patriotism among Britons whose self-respect was badly battered by their nation's long decline.

Against the backdrop of the QE2, riding high in the water, the welcome poignantly evoked those of wars long past when troopships - including the old Queen Elizabeth and Queen Mary -were commonplace for this island nation.

For the new Queen, the warm reception actually began Thursday night, as she rounded the Cornish coast. There, Thomas Stanley, a navy veteran and proprietor of the Lizard Hotel, used a lantern to flash:''Well done, welcome home. God bless.''

This morning, as the ship neared the Isle of Wight, Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, resplendent in an outfit of ocean blue, went aboard the royal yacht Britannia to carry royal greetings and congratulations. A Welcoming Flotilla

At the entrance to Southampton harbor, a flotilla of tugs, yachts, speedboats and even sailboats surrounded the giant ship and escorted the 67,500-ton vessel into her home port as brilliant midday sunshine broke through cool and overcast morning skies. A fireboat sent up sprays of water. Overhead, a Royal Air Force jet saluted.

Only a few outward signs of war marked the Queen's seven-day conversion from luxury liner to troop carrier for the Fifth Infantry Brigade. Most clearly visible were the huge helicopter pads welded into place at bow and stern, and the rust from them that marred the white and blue paint below.

From the mast, the white ensign -the flag of the Royal Navy - flew regally alongside both the red ensign of the British merchant fleet and the flag of the Cunard Line, which pronounced itself ''very proud to have been of service to the country.''

As the ship neared Pier 39, the same jetty from which the Queen's odyssey began, the QE2's civilian captain, Peter Jackson, blew three quick bursts on the ship's horn, his traditional signal to his wife, Pamela, that he had returned. For their part, the men aboard and the families ashore began exchanging cheers. Girls Hand Out Red Roses

First off were the 255 men from the Coventry, then 177 from the Ardent and, finally, 197 from the Antelope. Many had only light baggage remaining; others were wearing new clothes flown out to the Queen Thursday night. As they came down the gangway, young girls handed out red roses.

Then most ran into the cavernous terminal and into the arms of their loved ones. The air was filled with hugs and kisses and shouts of joy. ''Oh God,'' said Kirsti Ware, half laughing and half crying as she greeted her husband Paul from the Antelope. ''Isn't it wonderful?''

In the crowd was Jane Williams, 24, from Devon, with twins Hayley and Victoria, born three weeks ago and about to meet their father, Michael Williams of the Antelope, for the first time.

Also on hand was Kim Norris, married to Patrick Norris just two days before the Ardent sailed, and at least one American, Debbie Wright of Newport News, who was engaged to Gary Effemey, a petty officer on the Antelope. Iceberg-Filled Seas

From another exit came the 700 members of the civilian crew of the Queen. More accustomed to tropical cruises, they told with obvious amazement of braving iceberg-filled seas and running without lights to avoid Argentine forces.

At the same time, they were disappointed at not being used some more, according to their captain. ''The crew felt we should go back to the Falkland Islands in case we could be of any more assistance there,'' he said.

The ship will now be transformed back into a passenger liner. Cunard announced today that she would leave Aug. 14 on her first civilian voyage since returning - a trip to New York.

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The Royal Yacht Britannia : A History of Queen Elizabeth II’s Favorite Palace

By Lisa Liebman

The christening of The Royal Yacht Britannia serves as a cheeky season opener to  The Crown . Black-and-white Pathé News–style footage shows a soon-to-be-crowned Queen Elizabeth II (Claire Foy) cheered on by shipbuilders as she launches her new 412-foot yacht. “I hope that this brand-new vessel, like your brand-new queen, will prove to be dependable and constant. Capable of weathering any storm,” she says about the royal replacement for the  Victoria and Albert III . By the series’ season finale, set 44 years later, both the sovereign and the floating palace she christened  Britannia will have hit rough seas—the cost of repairing the creaky old vessel and the modern role of the monarchy both in question. Ultimately, the yacht that undertook 968 official voyages all over the world, hosting dignitaries—including 13 US presidents—at receptions and banquets, was dry-docked near Edinburgh, Scotland, where it continues to be a popular tourist attraction. Here are some of the most buoyant facts about the palace the Queen famously said was “the one place where I can truly relax.”

The sun room on the Royal Yacht Britannia as photographed in 1981. 

In a nod to the country’s post-war austerity, Elizabeth scaled back the design of the ship that her father, King George VI, had commissioned just two days before he died. Rather than following the opulent plan laid out by the Scottish firm McInnes Gardner & Partners, she opted for the understated elegance envisioned by architect Sir Hugh Casson, who described “running a lawn mower over the Louis XVIl adornments” in favor of simple white walls, lilac-gray carpeting, and “a bit of gilding in grand places.” Elizabeth and her husband, Prince Phillip, were said to have personally chosen the furniture—much of it, including linens, recycled from the  Victoria and Albert —fabrics (florals, chintz, toile), and paintings. 

Prince Charles and Princess Diana on board the Royal Yacht Britannia as they prepare to depart on their honeymoon cruise in 1981.

As a former Royal Navy Commander, Prince Phillip also saw to the ship’s technical details, and his Bluebottle racing yacht inspired the Britannia ’s navy-hued hull. Outer decks were made of two-inch Burmese teak. The steering wheel was reclaimed from Britannia ’s namesake, King Edward VII’s 1893 racing yacht; a wheelhouse wheel came from George V’s racing yacht; and a gold-and-white binnacle (housing the ship’s compass) was salvaged from King George III’s yacht and installed on the Veranda deck. Fittings from former royal ships were also reused. 

The drawing room on the Royal Yacht Britannia as photographed in 1978. 

The 4,000-ton yacht had a crew of 220 Royal Yachtsmen who lived on board, about 45 household staff, and occasionally a 26-member Royal Marine embarked to entertain dignitaries. The monarch often welcomed guests from the ship’s grand staircase. (Stairs leading from the Veranda to the Royal deck were sometimes transformed into a water slide for the kids.)  Britannia ’s apartments were designed like those of a first-class ocean liner. A 56-seat state dining room, where many of the gifts given to the monarch (a wood-carved shark from Pitcairn Island, a bejeweled gold statue from Bangkok) were displayed, was the scene of formal dinners with guests such as Sir Winston Churchill, Frank Sinatra, Nelson Mandela, and Bill and Hillary Clinton. More intimate gatherings were held in the Queen’s official reception room, a smaller state drawing room with floral upholstered pieces, simple wood tables, an electric fireplace, and a Welmar baby grand piano bolted to the deck—played by everyone from Sir Noël Coward to Princesses Diana and Margaret. The teak-clad sun lounge, with rattan furniture and a toile loveseat, was Elizabeth’s favorite place—where she had her breakfast, afternoon tea, and also enjoyed her favorite Dubonnet and gin cocktails.

The Queen’s sitting room on the Royal Yacht Britannia as photographed in 1981. 

By Katherine McLaughlin

By Sydney Gore

By María Noval-Quílez

A ship elevator reserved for royal use moved between the Upper and Shelter Decks. The latter is where four Royal Apartments (bedrooms), including the Queen and Prince Phillip’s connecting compartments, were located. Hers featured florals, his had red accents. Elizabeth’s understated Upper Deck private sitting room, done in pastels and neutrals, served as the office where she conducted state business. Phillip used his sitting room, with its wood desk facing a model of his first command, the HMS Magpie , as his study. Below deck there was a wine cellar, as well as a cargo hold that could carry a barge, speed- and sailboats, plus a royal Range Rover and Rolls-Royce. The yacht could also be converted into a hospital (though it never was).

The Queen shed a tear at the decommissioning ceremony for thye Royal Yacht Britannia.

As depicted in  The Crown, Britannia ’s final official trip was to Hong Kong in 1997, where Prince Charles attended the handover of the territory to China. By then, Prime Minister Tony Blair’s administration was complaining that the £11 million a year needed to keep the boat afloat couldn’t be justified. With Queen Elizabeth, Prince Phillip, and all of their children in attendance,  Britannia was decommissioned at a ceremony in Portsmouth, England on December 11, 1997, with the monarch seen wiping away a tear. The yacht, now docked in Leith, Scotland, is open to the public as a museum and events space. (Prior to their wedding, Princess Anne and Mark Phillips’s daughter Zara Phillips and her fiancé Mike Tindall had a celebration there.) Visitors will note that every clock on board reads 3:01, the exact time the Queen disembarked her beloved  Britannia for the final time on that December day.

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Sailing Yacht Britannia

In April 1893, some 20 years into G. L. Watson ’s trail blazing career, the royal sailing yacht  Britannia was launched. The prestige associated with this order from the Price of Wales, Britannia’s revolutionary design, enduring beauty, speed and a 43 year career in the ownerships of King Edward VII and King George V have all contributed to the Britannia legend.

The Royal sailing yacht Britannia racing Career

Britannia was built at D&W Henderson’s shipyard on the Clyde alongside her near sister, the America’s Cup challenger Valkyrie II . Her spoon bow was controversial and Watson was initially condemned for experimenting on such a prestigious commission, but it was not long before her admirable qualities were recognised and the perfection of hull form became known as the ‘ Britannia ideal’.

In the great season of 1893, Britannia acted as a trial horse for America’s Cup challenger Valkyrie II and saw off the challenge of the Herreshoff designed Navahoe to dominate racing in British waters. The following year when America’s Cup victor Vigilant raced in Britain in what was mooted as a re-run of the America’s Cup races, Britannia dominated; upholding British racing prowess after the loss of Valkyrie II .

The introduction of a new rating rule in 1896 gave Watson the opportunity to out-design Britannia , but the arrival of the Kaiser’s Meteor II killed off both the King’s pleasure and his prospects of winning. In 1898 Edward VII sold Britannia , but soon regretted it and by 1902 she was back in his ownership and once again became a regular sight on the British regatta circuit. Inherited by George V in 1910, Britannia was updated and again raced successfully in the British Big Class. The lead provided by George V in fitting out Britannia for the 1920 season re-established the Big Class in the aftermath of World War I and paved the way for the likes of Cambria , Astra and the J Class.

Conversion to J-Class

Following Watson’s early death in 1904, all leading British yacht designers were involved in the regular updating of the royal sailing yacht  Britannia . In 1930 it was Charles E. Nicholson ’s turn and he designed what remains the world’s tallest wooden mast for her. In 1931 Britannia emerged rejuvenated to race competitively with the J Class against which she would add a further 15 firsts to her racing record.

Britannia’s last season was the summer of 1935, when the American J Class Yankee visited British waters, in what was the last great flourishing of Big Class racing. Then with the King’s health failing she was withdrawn from racing and on 10th July 1936 her great career came to an end. As per the dying wishes of George V, she was towed out to St. Catherine’s Deep off the Isle of Wight and scuttled.

Although not a sailor, King Edward VIII fully appreciated the affection that surrounded Britannia and after she was scuttled, he commanded that G. L. Watson & Co. be presented with a memento of what remains the most successful racing yacht of all time. This souvenir of Britannia is held in the G.L. Watson Archive together with the original drawings.

G.L. Watson & Co. Ltd. 20-23 Woodside Place, Glasgow G3 7QL, Scotland

Tel: +44 (141) 501 0480

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What Happened to the Royal Yacht Britannia?

By Elise Taylor

The Crown season five begins and ends with the same plot point: The Royal Yacht Britannia. The vessel serves as a—fairly obvious—metaphor in the first episode, where Imelda Staunton’s Queen Elizabeth describes it as “a floating, seagoing version of me.” The problem with her metaphorical marine self? It’s in desperate need of multi-million dollar repairs. 

She asks British prime minister John Major, played by Jonny Lee Miller, whether the government might be able to help foot the bill. He, in turn, asks if the royal family might front the cost, given the public pushback they both might receive if such a seemingly extravagant project was approved. In the final episode of the season (a note to the reader: spoilers will follow), Tony Blair and Queen Elizabeth agree to decommission the yacht after Prince Charles’s trip to Hong Kong.

The Crown is known for taking much of its plot material from real-life events. In the case of the Royal Yacht Britannia, though—what really happened to the boat, and how much political controversy did it really cause?

To go back to the beginning, King George VI first commissioned the royal yacht that would become the Britannia in 1952. It was an exciting project, as the previous official boat had belonged to Queen Victoria, and was rarely used. (Queen Victoria, for one, did not like the water and never sailed.) Then, during the early 20th century, England was mostly at war, and making a massive, slow-sailing luxury ship would be a massive security risk in international waters. 

The Royal Yacht Britannia, George decided, should both be an extravagant vessel and a functional one, able to double as a hospital if times of war were to arise again. In 1953, the newly-crowned Queen Elizabeth christened the ship with a bottle of wine, as champagne was still seen as too extravagant post-war. In 1954, she set sail for the first time.

The Royal Yacht fulfilled many functions, most of them leisurely. Over the years, the boat hosted four royal honeymoons, including that of Princess Diana and Prince Charles, as well as many family vacations. In 1969, after his investiture as the Prince of Wales, Charles hosted an intimate party on board to celebrate. (Newspapers at the time wrote that he danced with his dear friend Lucia Santa Cruz —the very person who eventually introduced him to Camilla Parker Bowles.)

It also served as a grandiose mode of transport for many royal visits. In 1959, for example, Britannia sailed to Chicago to celebrate the recently-opened St. Lawrence seaway in Canada, and President Eisenhower joined her on board. Twenty years later, she sailed to Abu Dhabi for her first official visit to the United Arab Emirates, where she held a grand dinner for Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.

And although Queen Elizabeth's reign was not during wartime, the royal yacht did execute a humanitarian mission, as King George VI had always planned for: In 1986, it sailed to Aden to evacuate over 1,000 refugees from the civil war in Yemen.

The New York Times once described the 412-foot Britannia as “an ordinary yacht what Buckingham Palace is to the house next door.” It wasn’t an exaggeration—Britannia was essentially a floating palace. It had a drawing room, a dining room, two sitting rooms, as well as galleys and cabins for all the officers. The stateroom interiors were just as ornate as any other royal estate, while the bedrooms—which all had their own bathrooms and dressing rooms—were designed to feel surprisingly personal. 

By Ana Morales

By Hayley Maitland

By Kate Lloyd

“Within the royal apartments, however, the regal elegance gives way to the homey, patched elbow chic of an English country house, with flowered chintz slipcovers, family photographs, and rattan settees, interspersed with the occasional relic of Empire—shark's teeth from the Solomon Islands here, a golden urn commemorating Nelson's victory at Trafalgar there,” the New York Times found when it boarded the ship in 1976.

The cost of running Britannia was always an issue. Politicians raised questions about its financial value as far back as 1954, when two MPs lobbied for an investigation on why the yacht’s refurbishment would cost 5.8 million pounds, accusing the royal family of waste and extravagance. A government committee later dismissed the accusations. In 1994, the Conservative government ruled the yacht too costly to refurbish, when repairs came in at a whopping 17 million, but then briefly walked back on their decision a few years later. 

However, when Tony Blair’s Labour government won the election, and the new government once again declined to pay for Britannia. Britannia’s final journey was to far-flung Hong Kong in 1997, as Prince Charles turned over the British colony back to the Chinese at the end of Britain's 99-year lease. When they finally decommissioned the boat that summer, the queen cried—one of the few times she’s shown emotion in public. The boat had logged over one million nautical miles.

Today, Britannia sits permanently docked in Edinburgh. Visitors can take tours of its grand galleys, or even rent it out for events. Yet, despite its retirement, the concept of the royal yacht lives on: In 2021, Boris Johnson floated the idea of a new boat. However, a mere eight days ago, Rishi Sunak has scrapped the project—showing that, even now, the concept remains a controversial one.

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THE ROYAL YACHT BRITANNIA: OPENING OF THE ST LAWRENCE SEAWAY 1959

(MP184). Miscellaneous. Signed "Lane 59". Oil on board and dated 59..

Limited Edition: 49 copies worldwide

Original size:18 x 13 ins (45.7 x 33 cms) approx.

Price band (mounted/matted): £70 - £85

Purchase or enquire about this print

Wearing Court Flags and the Canadian Red Ensign (Canada’s National flag until 1965) at the mizzen this delightful painting of HMY BRITANNIA is clearly associated with some stage of the opening of the St Lawrence Seaway in the summer of 1959. Research to refine the exact location and date of this painting continues: former Royal Yacht Officers and Yachtsmen have already helped and it is hoped to enlist advice also from those who served in HMS ULSTER, HMCS GATINEAU, HMCS KOOTENAY and USS FORREST SHERMAN who variously provided escort to HM for this momentous event. Details therefore to follow!