What Happened to the Royal Yacht Britannia?

Why Was the Royal Yacht Britannia Decommissioned

Britannia was old and costly by the mid-1990s. She was the last steam-powered ship in the Royal Navy, and she needed a crew of about 240, including 20 officers and 220 sailors known as “Yotties.” This was the time when the Navy itself was shrinking.

The decision came down to one costly repair bill. John Major’s government announced there would be no more refits on 23 June 1994. The reasoning was laid out in Parliament:

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 – Viscount Cranborne, House of Lords, 23 June 1994.

On top of the refit, Royal Yacht Britannia’s annual running costs were reported around £11 million. Spending that kind of money on an aging ship, in the run-up to a general election, was a hard chase to make.

Read: How Much Does It Cost to Maintain a Yacht

Royal Yacht Britannia’s Last Job and the Farewell

In July 1997, Britannia sailed to East Asia and brought Chris Patten, the last British Governor of Hong Kong, and the Prince of Wales home after Hong Kong was handed back to China on 1 July 1997.

On her way back she made a farewell tour of Britain. She left Portsmouth on 20 October 1997 and sailed clockwise around the coast, calling at 6 major ports including Glasgow. As she passed John Brown’s shipyard on the Clyde, the yard that built her, she sounded her sirens in salute.

The decommissioning ceremony took place in Portsmouth on 11 December 1997. Nearly every senior royal attended. At the Band of HM Royal Marines played “Highland Cathedral,” Queen Elizabeth II was seen wiping away a tear, one of the very few times she cried in public.

Why No New Yacht Replaced Britannia

A replacement turned into an election issue. Major’s Conservatives were open to building one; Labour was not. After Labour won in 1997, the new government confirmed in October 1997 that there would be no replacement.

Ministers said the money was better spent elsewhere. Since then the idea has been floated and dropped more than once. As of today, no new royal yacht has been built.

How Royal Yacht Britannia Avoided the Scrapyard

Earlier royal yachts were usually broken or scuttled. Several cities competed to keep her. That’s why the government spared Britannia. The winning bid promised to look after her properly with private money rather than public funds.

The final contest came down to Edinburgh (Leith) and Manchester. Defence Secretary George Robertson, who made the call, said the decision had been “very, very close indeed” and was made “on the margins.” He later explained what tipped it toward Leith:

I had to make a difficult decision between two very close schemes… they’d had a slightly more imaginative scheme involving the use of some of the state rooms for very special occasions and secondly because Leith has got that ocean-going tradition that fits in with Britannia’s million mile background – George Robertson, BBC Radio Scotland.

Scottish Secretary Donald Dewar called the choice “entirely fitting.” The Royal Yacht Britannia Trust, a registered charity, took over her care, and she opened to the public on 19 October 1998.

Interesting Things You Can Only Find on Board

• The clocks are stopped at 3:01: Every clock on board is frozen at 15:01, the exact minute the Queen was piped ashore for the last time in December 1997. 
• There was a “Jelly Room:” The ship had 3 gallery kitchens, and one chilled room exited for a single purpose, which was storing jellied desserts made for the royal children. 
• A Land Rover lived on Deck: A series of Land Rover (registration JYV 1D) was carried for shore trips and displayed today. 
• The crew worked in near silence: Sailors wore soft-soled shoes and took many orders by hand signal so they would not disturb the Queen. Standing orders required that the royal gangway was never set on a slope steeper than 12 degrees. 
• Her racing sister is moored alongside: Bloodhound, a 1936 racing yacht once owned by the Queen and Prince Philip, was bought by the Trust in 2010 and is shown next to Britannia. 

Where is Royal Yacht Britannia Now

Britannia is permanently berthed at Ocean Terminal, Ocean Drive, Leith, Edinburgh. She draws over 300,000 visitors a year. Visitors walk 5 decks, from the State Apartments and the Queen’s bedroom down to the engine room and crew’s quarters, and can stop for tea in the Royal Deck Tea Room. The charity pays for her maintenance entirely through ticket sales and even bookings. No public money is used.

Also Read: Top 5 Yachts with Stunning Interior Designs

Quick Facts About Royal Yacht Britannia

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Was the Royal Yacht Britannia Scrapped?

No. Unlike most earlier royal yachts, she was preserved. She is now a museum ship and visitor attraction in Edinburgh.

When was Britannia decommissioned?

She was decommissioned on 11 December 1997 at a ceremony in Portsmouth.

Why did the government retire Royal Yacht Britannia?

The primary reason was to cut costs. A needed refit would have cost about £17 million and only extended her life by 5 years, and her running costs were reported at around £11 million a year.

Can I visit Britannia?

Yes. She has been open to the public at Ocean Terminal in Leith, Edinburgh, since 19 October 1998.

Will there be a new royal yacht?

Not so far. Replacement plans have been raised and dropped several times since 1997, but none has been built.

Sources & References

• The Royal Yacht Britannia Trust: official history, decommission page, and visitor information.
• Hansard, House of Commons, 8 April 1998:  Defence Secretary George Robertson announcing that Britannia would be preserved in Leith.
• Johnstone-Bryden, Richard. The Royal Yacht Britannia: The Official History. Conway Maritime Press, 2003. ISBN 978-0851779379.