THE royal family are known for their lavish homes, cars and carriages, but people often forget about the luxury Royal Yacht Britannia.
The boat held a special place in late Queen Elizabeth II‘s heart but has been decommissioned since 1997, so let’s take a look inside the famous ship.
Measuring 400-foot-long, this floating palace served as the official royal yacht of the British monarchy for 44 years.
The late monarch once famously said: “Britannia is the one place where I can truly relax.”
The colossal boat was a special place the family could escape the watchful eye of the public, and the Queen preferred the slow mode of transport as it gave her time to decompress.
The family used it for annual jaunt to the west coast of Scotland – a trip which would take two weeks rather than a quick 90 minute flight.
But 1997, the ship, which had been launched in 1953, had become too costly to run and when the new Labour government was elected in 1997 a replacement was never ordered.
The boat was then decommissioned in a ceremony during which the Queen shed a tear for her beloved yacht.
Even now, every clock on the ship is stopped at 3.01pm – the exact time the late monarch stepped off the royal yacht.
Brits can still go to see the Queen’s “favourite” home though – with some 300,000 visiting every year.
It is berthed in Ocean Terminal in Leith docks and is open every day except Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.
Brits can survey the whole ship and experience it just as countless world leaders have, including Sir Winston Churchill, Boris Yeltsin, Rajiv Gandhi, Nelson Mandela.
The luxurious interiors and clever design features
There are plenty of photos showing the royal family waving from deck of the boat, but did you know the bow of the ship was specifically designed with a curve to keep the modesty of those wearing skirts and dresses?
Visitors to Britannia can get up close and see the Queen and Prince Phillips bedrooms aboard the ship, notably the couple had separate bedrooms though.
That said, both rooms have windows higher than any others on the boat so there was no chance of anyone peeking inside.
The late Queen's £533million jewellery collection, which now belongs to King Charles
KING Charles certainly has a vast treasure trove to select from as he inherited around £533million in jewellery pieces, according to Guardian.
The publication identified more than 90 pieces that were part of the late Queen’s personal collection, including diamonds, emeralds, rubies, amethysts, aquamarines and strings of pearls.
The royal family’s wills are kept secret, so it can’t be known for sure exactly what King Charles inherited after the Queen’s death in September 2022.
In a deal struck up by the then prime minister John Major, private inheritances from one monarch to another are also immune from inheritance tax.
Of course, it’s hard to know the full value of each jewellery piece today as the royal and historical connection would likely increase them exponentially.
We saw this with the auctioning of jewellery belonging to the late Princess Margaret.
Although her pieces were worth much less than the Queen’s sparkling collection, they sold for an average of 18 times the auction house’s top-end value.
Using the theory that the Queen’s jewels could fetch at least 10 times their basic value, making up the £533million estimated worth.
Opposite the Queen and Phillips bedrooms is the honeymoon suite – the only room with a double bed on the ship.
The bed was added by Prince Charles when he and Princess Diana used the boat for their honeymoon.
Cramped conditions
Not everyone aboard the ship got to enjoy the same luxurious living conditions as the royals.
With around 45 working members of the royal household accompanying the Queen on her overseas visits, compromise on space had to made.
Difference in taste
The Queen and Prince Philip‘s different taste in home furnishings in clear aboard the boat, with the Queen opting for more pale and neutral colours and Philip darker shades.
The Queen’s single bed also has a specially-commissioned embroidered silk panel above it, which is much more feminine than Price Philips lace-free bedding.
Food on the ship
Three galleys were used to prep food on the ship, with one just for the yachtsmen, one for the officers and one for the royal household.
Chefs from Buckingham Palace worked aboard to make the family’s favourite foods.
It’s reported there was even a room used specifically to store jelly for the royal children.
