royal yacht squadron cowes membership fees

Yachting World

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Inside the Royal Yacht Squadron – we get a rare view of this most exclusive club

• Belinda Bird
• May 18, 2015

Sarah Norbury jumps at a rare chance to see inside the Royal Yacht Squadron, that unique and intriguing yacht club at the centre of Cowes, in its 200th anniversary year

Photo: Paul Wyeth

The Royal Yacht Squadron’s Castle clubhouse is best known to most sailors as the centre of the action at Cowes Week. Puffs of smoke in the aftermath of the bangs waft across the water towards the fleets of yachts, their crews’ faces pinched with concentration as they plan their beat up the rocky Island shore.

No first-timer to Cowes Week can fail to be awestruck by the Castle. Competitors mill around before their starts, staring at the flags and course-boards, getting a sight down the startline straight into the windows.

Looking is as near as most sailors ever get to this most aristocratic of clubs. Members will repair to the Squadron after racing, taking tea on the lawn, before entering the Castle for cocktails before a party or the fabulous Squadron Ball, but for the rest, the Castle itself, built by Henry VIII to repel the French, is a visual symbol of the club’s exclusivity.

The Platform, from where Cowes Week starts are signalled. Photo: YPS/Boat Exclusive

The most prestigious club in Britain, possibly the world, is wreathed in mystique. The only way to join this club of Kings, Lords, Hons and Sirs is to be invited by a member and be subject to a secret ballot. The fact that the membership list reads like Debretts is an indication of most sailors’ chances of being invited.

It’s said that wealthy tea merchant Sir Thomas Lipton was blackballed for being ‘in trade’, which is why his 1898 bid for the America’s Cup was sponsored by the Royal Ulster YC. He was allowed in eventually, but died just two years later so scarcely had time to enjoy the Castle’s delights.

Some accept a blackballing with grace, others kick up a stink, like the owner of a 150-ton schooner who, the story goes, sent a message to the club that he was anchored within close range and would commence shelling unless he received a personal apology from Percy Shelley, son of the famous poet, who had blackballed him.

Flying the white ensign

The appeal of being a member is obvious. Who wouldn’t want to fly the white ensign from their stern? The Squadron is the only yacht club with a Royal Navy warrant to do so, granted in 1829. And who wouldn’t want to walk boldly in to meet and drink with the great and the good?

I asked the current commodore, the Hon Christopher Sharples why, when a number of royal clubs are struggling to find new members, the Squadron has a healthy waiting list. “It’s a very fine club,” he responded. “People enjoy the standards and the tremendous history. Members treat the Castle as a much-loved country home.”

RYS commodore, the Hon Christopher Sharples

Originally named The Yacht Club, it was founded on 1 June 1815 by a group of 42 gentleman yachting enthusiasts. Five years later, member King George IV conferred the Royal in the club’s title and in 1833 King William IV renamed the club the Royal Yacht Squadron. Members met in the Thatched House Tavern in St James’s, London, and in Cowes twice a year for dinner.

Today there are 535 members and dinner is served in the magnificent Members’ Dining Room, under the painted gaze of illustrious past admirals and commodores. The room is adorned with silver trophies and scenes of the high seas, and waiters bring course after course from the kitchens and wine cellars below. There are bedrooms for overnight stays, a room for members to keep their ‘mess kit’ or black tie, which is required dress on Saturday nights, and even gun lockers for shooting parties.

But sailing is the club’s raision d’être and neither a title nor a fortune are a guarantee of entry. The club professes that “any gentleman or lady actively interested in yachting” is eligible for nomination.

The Library, a peaceful sanctuary as well as an important archive. Photo: YPS/Boat Exclusive

The Squadron was where yacht racing was born. In the early 1800s the aristocracy came to Cowes to socialise and cruise in their boats. The first races were duels between the yachts of the day, then rules for fleet racing were drawn up. The first club regatta, later to become Cowes Week, was in 1826. For more than a century the reigning monarch would be there to present the King’s or Queen’s trophy.

Some of history’s greatest yachtsmen are on the Squadron’s membership roll: Sir Thomas Sopwith, John Illingworth, Sir Francis Chichester, Sir Alec Rose, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston. Ties with the Navy are strong and some of British maritime history’s most famous names have been Squadron members, not least Nelson’s vice-admiral Sir Thomas Masterman Hardy who commanded HMS Victory at the Battle of Trafalgar, Admiral Lord Cochrane who was the inspriation for C.S. Forester’s Hornblower novels and Admiral Sir Jeremy Black, captain of the aircraft carrier HMS Invincible during the Falklands War.

The public’s more usual view

Perhaps the club is still best known around the world for hosting the race around the Isle of Wight in 1851 won by the schooner America , which took home what became known as the America’s Cup. The Squadron donated the Cup itself in 1851 and mounted a number of challenges to win it back.

More than 160 years later the America’s Cup has still never been won by a British challenger, but now the commodore believes the Royal Yacht Squadron has “the best chance we have ever had” with its sponsorship of Ben Ainslie Racing as official British challenger for the 2017 Cup.

• 1. Flying the white ensign
• 2. Bicentenary celebrations
• 3. Inside the Castle

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20 Premier Yacht Clubs with the Highest Entry Costs

By John Andrews Leave a Comment

Joining an exclusive yacht club often comes with steep entry fees, but the benefits are just as luxurious. These premier clubs offer not only world-class amenities but also access to a prestigious network of fellow members. Here’s a look at some of the most expensive yacht clubs to join, where entry costs reflect their elite status and unmatched services.

New York Yacht Club (Newport, Rhode Island)

Founded in 1844, the New York Yacht Club is one of the most prestigious clubs in the world. Known for hosting the America’s Cup and having a rich sailing history, it offers world-class dining, private marina access, and stunning harbor views. The membership initiation fee starts around $50,000, with annual dues exceeding $15,000. Its exclusive social events and regattas attract elite sailors and socialites alike.

Royal Yacht Squadron (Cowes, Isle of Wight)

Dating back to 1815, the Royal Yacht Squadron is one of the oldest and most prestigious yacht clubs globally. Located on the Isle of Wight, the club has a historic royal charter and offers impeccable facilities for its members. With an entry fee rumored to be well over $100,000, plus annual dues, this club is home to many international races, with facilities that reflect its royal heritage.

San Francisco Yacht Club (Belvedere, California)

This private club is one of the oldest on the West Coast, with an impeccable reputation for hosting international sailing events. Members enjoy access to an exclusive marina, premium dining, and the most scenic views of San Francisco Bay. The entry fees start at around $30,000, with annual dues of $10,000, making it a high-entry-cost club that offers high-end amenities.

Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club (Hong Kong)

Located in one of the world’s busiest harbors, the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club offers unmatched waterfront views and a vibrant sailing culture. The club has a unique blend of Eastern and Western traditions. Joining fees can reach $80,000, and annual fees are also significant, making it a pricey yet rewarding investment for its members.

Yacht Club de Monaco (Monaco)

The Yacht Club de Monaco is the epitome of luxury, reflecting Monaco’s glamorous reputation. Established under the patronage of Prince Albert II, this club offers a modern marina that accommodates some of the world’s most spectacular superyachts. Membership fees are rumored to start around €100,000, plus high annual dues, with access to an array of exclusive social events and high-end amenities.

St. Francis Yacht Club (San Francisco, California)

Known for its perfect location right on San Francisco Bay, the St. Francis Yacht Club offers members the ultimate sailing experience. Members enjoy racing, waterfront dining, and access to world-class sailing instruction. Membership can cost upward of $40,000, with significant annual fees, making it a premier destination for serious sailors.

Royal Cork Yacht Club (Ireland)

The Royal Cork Yacht Club is the oldest yacht club in the world, founded in 1720. It offers a historic atmosphere and premier access to Cork’s idyllic waterways. The initiation fee can be as high as €30,000, and members also pay high annual dues to maintain access to elite sailing programs and social events.

Royal Melbourne Yacht Squadron (Australia)

Located in Melbourne, this club is known for its beautiful marina facilities and rich maritime history. It offers top-tier sailing and racing events, making it a coveted club for enthusiasts. The entry fee is about AUD 30,000, with substantial annual dues, ensuring it maintains its exclusivity.

American Yacht Club (Rye, New York)

This prestigious club, with its stunning location on Long Island Sound, offers high-end dining, sailing, and social events. The initiation fee is around $40,000, with annual dues upwards of $10,000. Its blend of family-friendly activities and elite racing makes it an attractive option for affluent sailors.

Coral Reef Yacht Club (Miami, Florida)

Located in the tropical waters of Miami, this club boasts a luxurious marina and a vibrant social scene. Known for its regattas and waterfront amenities, the entry fee can range up to $70,000, making it one of the more exclusive yacht clubs in the United States. Annual fees are equally steep, but members enjoy premium services and facilities.

Gstaad Yacht Club (Switzerland)

Gstaad may be landlocked, but this exclusive club has access to the best sailing destinations worldwide through partnerships with other elite clubs. Membership fees start at CHF 50,000, plus annual dues, making it a costly yet unique club where members can network with global elites.

Royal Thames Yacht Club (London, UK)

Located in the heart of London, the Royal Thames Yacht Club offers elite members the chance to participate in international regattas. The entry fee is about £50,000, with annual fees also high, ensuring a small, exclusive membership. The club’s events and race programs are world-renowned.

Annapolis Yacht Club (Maryland, USA)

As one of the premier yacht clubs on the East Coast, Annapolis Yacht Club offers a full-service marina, dining, and extensive racing programs. The entry fee starts around $40,000, with significant annual dues, providing its members with unparalleled access to the Chesapeake Bay.

The Cruising Yacht Club of Australia (Sydney, Australia)

Best known for hosting the famous Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race, this club is an icon in the yachting world. The initiation fee can go up to AUD 50,000, with steep annual dues. The club’s location in Sydney’s stunning Rushcutters Bay adds to its desirability.

Royal Vancouver Yacht Club (Vancouver, Canada)

This premier yacht club in the Pacific Northwest offers stunning views and exclusive waterfront amenities. Its membership fees range from $40,000 to $60,000, with high annual dues. Known for its yacht racing, this club is also a haven for social gatherings and fine dining.

Southport Yacht Club (Queensland, Australia)

With its pristine marina and access to the Gold Coast’s best waterways, Southport Yacht Club offers a lavish experience for its members. The entry fees range from AUD 35,000, with high annual dues. Members enjoy racing events, waterside dining, and premium yachting services.

The Royal Swedish Yacht Club (Stockholm, Sweden)

This historic club, founded in 1830, offers its members elite access to the Stockholm Archipelago. The initiation fee is high, reaching up to SEK 500,000, with annual dues to match. Its combination of sailing events and waterfront luxury makes it a coveted membership for sailors worldwide.

Newport Harbor Yacht Club (California, USA)

With its perfect setting on Balboa Peninsula, Newport Harbor Yacht Club is a dream for sailors. The initiation fee is around $50,000, with significant annual dues, offering access to high-end amenities and a vibrant social scene. Members also benefit from exceptional racing programs.

Royal Perth Yacht Club (Australia)

Famous for its role in the America’s Cup, Royal Perth Yacht Club boasts an illustrious history and premium facilities. The initiation fees can be as high as AUD 60,000, making it a prestigious club for Australian sailors and global members alike.

The Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania (Australia)

Located in Hobart, this club is known for its beautiful marina and access to Tasmania’s pristine waters. The entry fee is approximately AUD 30,000, with high annual dues. Members enjoy the finest sailing events in the Southern Hemisphere and world-class facilities.

This article originally appeared on UnifyCosmos .

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The Royal Yacht Squadron at Cowes in the Isle of Wight, founded in 1815, has extensive records. The archive, the main series of which are minutes, accounts, membership records and racing results, is not open to the public. The part-time archivist has very limited time available because of a major cataloguing project and our paid research service has been temporarily suspended. It is hoped these notes and the other leaflets will address the most common queries.

If your ancestors served aboard a yacht belonging to the Royal Yacht Squadron , even if you have photographs of them with “RYS” on their uniforms, we are most unlikely to be able to help. Although yachts “belonged” to the RYS in the sense that their owners were members of the club and they maintained similar standards and pay rates, the men were employed by the yachts’ owners and not by the RYS itself. We hold no records, nor do we have information on the whereabouts of past members’ papers (in fact, if you find any we should be delighted to hear about them). Obituaries for late 19th/early 20th century yacht masters may be in local newspapers.

If you know the name of a yacht , the RYS may be able to tell you who owned it. Alternatively you could establish this, and discover more information such as the yacht’s dimensions and port of registry, from the relevant volume of the annual publication Lloyds Register of Yachts, published from 1878 until 1980. Hunt’s Universal Yacht List was an earlier but less detailed publication.

If you know the name of an owner , the RYS may be able to tell you which yachts he had on the Squadron list during his membership of the club. Further information on past members can often be obtained from standard reference works e.g Debrett’s or Burke’s Peerage or Landed Gentry, Walford’s County Families, the Army List and Navy List, the Dictionary of National Biography, Who’s Who, Who’s Who in Yachting. British Yachts and Yachtsmen (publ. 1907) features many yachting personalities of that time who were RYS members. You may find obituaries for some members in local or national newspapers or yachting magazines.

If you know neither , it may be possible to trace your ancestor, and the yacht, through the records of the Registrar General of Shipping and Seamen. Many RYS yachts were quite large and travelled the world and many paid hands also served in the merchant fleet when not employed on a yacht. Such records are held by the National Archives, Ruskin Avenue, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, TW9 4DU which has information leaflets available; you can search the website at www.nationalarchives.gov.uk . The Mariners website at www.mariners-l.co.uk also has useful guidance.

There are several books on tracing merchant seamen ancestors and ships, for example:

C.T. and M.J Watts: My Ancestor was a Merchant Seaman 2nd edition published 2004 by the Society of Genealogists Peter L Hogg: Using Merchant Ship Records for Family Historians (in Basic Facts About… series) 2nd edition publlished 2002 by the Society of Genealogists Christopher T. Watts and Michael J. Watts: Records of Merchant Shipping and Seamen 2nd edition with appendix published 2004 by the Society of Genealogists

If you seek a yacht’s photograph contact Beken of Cowes Ltd, 16 Birmingham Road, Cowes, Isle of Wight, PO31 7BH; these world famous marine photographers hold an extensive archive of yachting pictures. Always ask for a quotation and be very careful never to infringe their copyright as these photographs are protected by law unless written permission to make a copy (this includes placing an image on the internet) is obtained first. The Beken website is at www.beken.co.uk . The company has also published several books of photographs of historic yachts, for example:

Beken of Cowes: The America’s Cup published 1990 by Collins Harvill, London, ISBN 0-00-272077-9, includes a photograph of Sir Thomas Lipton with the crews of his yachts Shamrock I and Shamrock II.

If you seek information on the history of the Royal Yacht Squadron and yachting , the first four books on the following list were written after extensive research in the RYS archive:

Montague Guest and William B Boulton: Memorials of the Royal Yacht Squadron published 1903 by Murray, Albermarle Street, London. This contains an appendix entitled ‘List of Royal Yacht Squadron Members and Their Yachts 1815 – 1901’. J B Atkins: Further Memorials of the Royal Yacht Squadron (1901-1938) published 1939 by Geoffrey Bles, 37 Essex Street, Strand, London. Ian Dear: The Royal Yacht Squadron 1815-1985 published 1985 by Stanley Paul & Co Ltd. (Century Hutchinson Ltd), ISBN: 0-09-162590-4. Alex Martin: Making Waves, A History of the Royal Yacht Squadron 1815-2015, published by Unicorn Press ( www.unicornpublishing.org ), ISBN: 9-7819-1078-7359.

A snapshot of early Victorian yachting which lists yachts and yachtsmen is:-

The Yachting Season of 1845 , an illustrated facsimile reprint of George Frederick Bonner’s The Yachtsman’s Annual and General Register published 1971 by The Nautical Publishing Company, ISBN 0 245 50701 9.

A book which gives a flavour of the yachting and social scene during the days of the very large yachts is:- 

Anthony Heckstall-Smith: Sacred Cowes or the Cream of Yachting Society, published 1955 by Allan Wingate, London.

Such books may only be available through your library or secondhand / antiquarian booksellers. If visiting the Island:

Cowes Library at Beckford Road has an extensive nautical books section including Lloyds Registers and old yachting magazines The Classic Boat Museum has a growing collection of yachting books and magazines. The IW Record Office has some records for Cowes registered yachts.

Royal Yacht Squadron

The Castle, Cowes, Isle of Wight, P031 7QT

Tel: +44 (0) 1983 292 191

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Hints of the Modern Invade Royal Yacht Squadron

By Christopher Clarey

• Aug. 14, 2015

COWES, England — At the Royal Yacht Squadron, they still wear black tie and toast the queen every Saturday night. They still fire the cannons from their battlements to start the Rolex Fastnet Race and scores of other races throughout the year.

But as it celebrates its 200th anniversary in 2015, the Squadron — as it is known in Britain and in much of the sailing world — is not quite the same club of old.

It remains seriously exclusive and thickly populated by royals: from Prince Philip, the now 94-year-old husband of Queen Elizabeth II, to Juan Carlos, the former king of Spain, to the Aga Khan.

Yet the Squadron elected its first three female full members this year, even if their names have yet to be released publicly. The club also has adopted a palpably more open approach to those who dwell outside Cowes Castle, the Squadron’s clubhouse on the Isle of Wight that was first used for defensive purposes when built by Henry VIII in 1539.

“I think we’re more relaxed about it all,” the club’s commodore, Christopher Sharples, said in a recent interview in the castle. “There used to be the feeling that you mustn’t put your head above the parapet or you’re certain to be shot. And I think they’ve got quite good parapets here.”

They do indeed, as well as a memorable, concentration-sharpening sign affixed to them: “Warning. Starting cannon may fire at any time.”

“I think there was a notion for quite a few years that the Squadron was a bunch of sort of pompous old guys together, very much the blue-blood, old-school type of thing,” said Mike Broughton, a British navigator and former British naval officer. “To be honest, I think over the last 10 years in particular, they’ve worked hard to modernize and also to modernize in terms of professional racing. They’ve modernized their racing management, which has been great to see actually, and they’ve worked hard to keep up with the times.”

That does not mean, however, that the time has come for an outsider with a profound love of the sea (and fancy dinners) to ring up the Squadron and ask to be emailed a membership application.

“The first thing to say about that is you get invited; you don’t apply,” Sharples said.

The club’s regular membership is now capped at 535, and there is a four-year waiting list. “There are also about 70 naval members who come in from a slightly different category,” Sharples said. “They come in through a side door and don’t have to queue up, and that’s because of our longstanding relationship with the Royal Navy.”

The club remains the only one whose member yachts are allowed to fly the white ensign of the Royal Navy.

The recent decision to add female members is part of a wave of similar moves by long-established British clubs: the Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews in Scotland elected its first female members in 2015 after 260 years of existence.

“I’m a firm believer that if a club wants to be a single-sex club only, it can be, but not if it’s connected to sport,” Sharples said. “I think if you have a social club in London, I liken it to bull elephants hanging around a watering hole. Well, nobody seems to mind about that do they? But if on the other hand you are connected to a sport where you have facilities that sportsmen use, it seems to me much better that you give equal opportunity to ladies to use and access those facilities.”

When the club was founded by 42 gentlemen in 1815 in a gathering at the Thatched House Tavern in London, prospective members were required to own a vessel of at least 10 tons.

Today, boat ownership — at any tonnage — is not a requirement. “You have to be somebody who is actively involved in sailing,” Sharples said. “If you have access to a boat or regularly sail on somebody’s boat, that’s fine.”

To become a candidate, one needs a proposer, a seconder and three other initial letters of support, plus eight additional letters: all of these from club members. Only then does one join the list with a chance to eventually face an election, which involves the full membership.

Avoid too many blackballs and you will join a club with a uniquely rich maritime history whose members and their boats played a role in both World Wars. The membership roll has included the Arctic polar explorers Robert Scott and Ernest Shackleton, a Russian czar, British kings, the round-the-world solo-sailing pioneers Francis Chichester and Robin Knox-Johnston, as well as Ben Ainslie, Britain’s biggest sailing star of the moment, who the club hopes can finally bring the America’s Cup back to the Squadron.

It left here in 1851 when the yacht America — owned by a syndicate of New York Yacht Club members — defeated a fleet of yachts representing the Squadron in a race around the Isle of Wight.

The Cup, a silver ewer, had been purchased for the competition by a Squadron member, Henry William Paget, First Marquess of Anglesey, who had had his right leg amputated after being wounded by one of the last cannon shots of the Battle of Waterloo in 1815.

Cowes Castle was Paget’s summer home, and it became the Squadron clubhouse after his death in 1854.

The cup purchased by Paget was eventually renamed the America’s Cup. Though the Australians at last managed to wrest it away from the New York Yacht Club in 1983 and yacht clubs from New Zealand and Switzerland have since won it, the British have yet to reclaim possession.

Ainslie, an honorary Squadron member and four-time Olympic gold medalist, helped Larry Ellison’s Oracle Team USA retain the trophy in 2013 by playing a major role in the epic comeback in San Francisco against Emirates Team New Zealand. But he is now head of his own team, Ben Ainslie Racing, which will represent the competitive arm of the Royal Yacht Squadron in the 2017 America’s Cup competition in Bermuda.

That will come in the final year of Sharples’s four-year term, which has already included the bicentennial celebration.

“I suppose my ultimate aim, if you like, is to help Ben bring the Cup back to this club before I step down,” Sharples said.

The Royal Yacht Squadron

Frequent reference to the Royal Yacht Squadron will be found elsewhere in this work, and under this particular heading no attempt can be made to give anything further than the merest outline of this club’s history.

The Squadron dates from 1815. For some few years prior to that date the pastime of sailing had been growing in favour in the Solent, and a number of visitors were attracted to Cowes every summer to indulge in the sport. It was only natural that these first yachtsmen should ultimately form a club to carry on their sport in an organized fashion, and so we find that a meeting was held at the Thatched House Tavern in St. James’s Street on June 1, 1815, under the presidency of Lord Grantham, when it was decided to form the Yacht Club, which was to consist of men interested in the sailing of yachts in salt water.

The qualification for membership was the ownership of a vessel not under 10 tons, and the original subscription was two guineas, with an entrance fee, afterwards imposed, of three guineas.

In 1817 the Prince Regent became member of the organization, and he was the first of the long list of Royal patrons which have honoured the club. Upon the Prince Regent becoming King in 1820, he consented to give a royal title to the club, and from that date it was known as the Royal Yacht Club – the first yacht club to enjoy that distinction. For some years after the formation of the club but little was done in the way of organized racing; but in the year 1826 a regatta was held, on August 10, at which a gold cup of the value of £100 was competed for. The winner of this, the first cup ever competed for under the auspices of the Royal Yacht Club, was Mr. Joseph Weld’s famous cutter,  Arrow.

In the following year, in addition to cups presented by the club and by the town of Cowes, the regatta was made memorable by the presentation of a cup by King George IV. This was the first royal trophy presented for competition in a yacht race, and was won by Mr. Maxse’s cutter  Miranda.

The club continued to be known as the Royal Yacht Club until the year 1833, when, in July of that year, King William IV, as a mark of approval of an ‘institution of such national utility,’ authorized the name to be altered to that of the Royal Yacht Squadron, the name by which it has ever since been known. His Majesty followed the example set by King George IV, and gave a cup to be competed for every year, and this custom has been observed by the reigning monarch ever since.

Up to the year 1829 there had been several alterations in the flag flown by yachts belonging to the club, but in that year the Admiralty issued a warrant authorizing members to fly the white ensign, and at the same time the white burgee, as we know it to-day, was adopted.

The application of steam power to yachts was viewed with much disfavour in the Squadron in earlier days, and at a meeting held at the Thatched House Tavern in 1827 the following resolution was passed : ‘Resolved that as a material object of this club is to promote seamanship and the improvements of sailing vessels, to which the application of steam-engines is inimical, no vessel propelled by steam shall be admitted into the club, and any member applying a steam-engine to his yacht shall be disqualified thereby and cease to be a member.’ In 1844 this rule was somewhat modified by admitting steam yachts to the club of not less than 100 horse-power, and in 1853 all restrictions in regard to steam were removed.

The present quarters, the Castle, were taken possession of in 1858.

The first Commodore was the Earl of Yarborough, who held the post from 1825 to 1846. He was succeeded by the Marquis of Donegall, who occupied the position for two years, and was in turn succeeded by the Earl of Wilton, who retained the post from 1849 to 1881. In 1882 the office was filled by H.R.H. the Prince of Wales, and retained by him until 1901, when, upon becoming King, His Majesty became Admiral, and the Marquis of Ormonde was elected to the Commodoreship.

The Vice-Commodores during the same period have been : The Earl of Belfast, from 1827 to 1844, and afterwards (as the Marquis of Donegall) from 1845 to 1846; Sir Bellingham Graham, Bart., from 1847 to I850 ; C. R. M. Talbot, Esq., M.P., from 1851 to 1861; the Marquis of Conyngham, from 1862 to 1875; the Marquis of Londonderry, from 1876 to 1884 ; the Marquis of Ormonde, from 1885 to 1901 ; the Duke of Leeds, 1901 to present day.

The Royal Yacht Squadron has often been referred to as the most exclusive club in the world. Its list of Royal members, past and present, is an imposing one, and includes : H.M. King George IV; H.M. King William IV; H.R.H. the Duke of Gloucester; H.M. Queen Victoria; H.R.H. Prince Albert (Prince Consort); H.I.M. Nicholas, Emperor of Russia; H.R.H. Prince Louis de Bourbon; H.I.H. the Grand Duke Constantine; H.M. William III, King of the Netherlands; H.M. Napoleon III; H.M. King Edward VII; H.R.H. the Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha; H.R.H. the Duke of Connaught; H.R.H. Prince Henri de Bourbon; H.M. Oscar I, King of Norway; H.I.M. William II, German Emperor; H.R.H. Prince Henry of Prussia; H.R.H. Prince Henry of Battenberg; H.R.H. the Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin; Prince Ibrahim Halim Pacha; H.M. the King of the Belgians; H.R.H. the Duke of Abruzzi; H.R.H. the Prince of Wales; H.M. Alfonso XIII., King of Spain.