The ROYAL YACHT The ROYAL YACHT ‘BRITANNIA’‘BRITANNIA’

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‘’ ’‘’ ’Britannia’ was Britannia’ was unique. She was the unique. She was the first Royal Yacht to be first Royal Yacht to be genuinely ocean-going genuinely ocean-going and able to bring her and able to bring her particular magic to particular magic to maritime nations in maritime nations in every part of the every part of the world.’’ world.’’

HRH Prince PhilipHRH Prince Philip

As 83As 83rdrd in a long in a long line of Royal Yachts line of Royal Yachts that stretches back that stretches back to 1660 and the to 1660 and the reign of Charles II, reign of Charles II,

‘ ‘Britannia’ holds a Britannia’ holds a proud place in proud place in British maritime British maritime history.history.

By the way, By the way,

Charles II (r. 1660-Charles II (r. 1660-1685) himself had 1685) himself had 25 Royal Yachts, 25 Royal Yachts,

while five were while five were simultaneously in simultaneously in service in 1831.service in 1831.

KING ALFRED’S LONGSHIPSKING ALFRED’S LONGSHIPS

Do you know that Do you know that King Alfred used King Alfred used his longships for the his longships for the first time in English first time in English history in 897 history in 897 against Danish against Danish raiders?raiders?

KING ALFRED The GREAT (871-899)KING ALFRED The GREAT (871-899)

It is for his valiant defence It is for his valiant defence of his Kingdom against a of his Kingdom against a stronger enemy, for stronger enemy, for securing peace with the securing peace with the Vikings & for his Vikings & for his farsighted reforms in the farsighted reforms in the reconstruction of Wessex reconstruction of Wessex & beyond, that Alfred – & beyond, that Alfred – alone of all the English alone of all the English Kings & Queens – is Kings & Queens – is known as ‘’The Great”.known as ‘’The Great”.

Plans to build a new Royal Yacht to Plans to build a new Royal Yacht to replace the ‘Victoria and Albert III’ replace the ‘Victoria and Albert III’ began during the reign of King George began during the reign of King George VI. But The King died in 1952, four VI. But The King died in 1952, four months before the keel of the Yacht was months before the keel of the Yacht was laid.laid.

His daughter, Princess Elizabeth His daughter, Princess Elizabeth succeeded him to the throne and the new succeeded him to the throne and the new Queen together with her husband, Queen together with her husband, Prince Philip, took a guiding hand in the Prince Philip, took a guiding hand in the design of the Yacht.design of the Yacht.

PICTURES of HMY “VICTORIA and PICTURES of HMY “VICTORIA and ALBERT III”ALBERT III”

The new yacht was The new yacht was built by the Clyde built by the Clyde shipbuilders Messrs shipbuilders Messrs John Brown & Co John Brown & Co at a cost ofat a cost of

₤ ₤ 2, 098, 000 to 2, 098, 000 to replace her replace her

50-year-old 50-year-old predecessor, predecessor, ‘’Victoria and ‘’Victoria and Albert III.’’Albert III.’’

‘’‘’Britannia’’ was named and launched Britannia’’ was named and launched by The Queen on 16 April 1953 and by The Queen on 16 April 1953 and was commissioned on 11 January 1954.was commissioned on 11 January 1954.

The name was The Queen’s personal The name was The Queen’s personal choice.choice.

In ‘’Britannia’s’’ first Royal voyage In ‘’Britannia’s’’ first Royal voyage The Queen joined the yacht at Tobruk The Queen joined the yacht at Tobruk and sailed up the Thames to the Pool of and sailed up the Thames to the Pool of London in 1954.London in 1954.

Her Majesty Her Majesty declared, ‘’I name declared, ‘’I name this ship this ship BRITANNIA, BRITANNIA, I wish success to I wish success to her and to all who her and to all who sail in her.’’sail in her.’’

Queen Elizabeth, Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother, The Queen Mother, looks on as Prince looks on as Prince Charles and Charles and Princess Anne meet Princess Anne meet the Superintendent the Superintendent of Portsmouth of Portsmouth Dockyard before Dockyard before boarding boarding ‘’Britannia’’ for ‘’Britannia’’ for their first journey their first journey on the Royal Yacht.on the Royal Yacht.

‘‘Britannia’ sailed Britannia’ sailed the oceans for 43 the oceans for 43 years and 334 days.years and 334 days.

During that time During that time she steamed a total she steamed a total of 1,087,623 of 1,087,623 nautical miles, nautical miles, carrying The Queen carrying The Queen on 85 state visits on 85 state visits and calling at over and calling at over 600 ports in 135 600 ports in 135 countries.countries.

SPECIFICATIONS of the ROYAL SPECIFICATIONS of the ROYAL YACHT “BRITANNIA”YACHT “BRITANNIA”

Max speed: 21,5 knotsMax speed: 21,5 knots Gross tonnage: 5769 tonsGross tonnage: 5769 tons Length: 412 ft Length: 412 ft

(125 m) (125 m) Foremast height: 133 ft Foremast height: 133 ft

(40,5 m) from waterline (40,5 m) from waterline Main mast height: 139 ft Main mast height: 139 ft

(42 m)(42 m) Number of overseas visits: 696Number of overseas visits: 696 Number of home visits: 272Number of home visits: 272

‘‘Britannia’ was Britannia’ was designed to designed to accommodate its accommodate its various functions as various functions as family home, Royal family home, Royal palace and naval ship.palace and naval ship.

The naval, functional The naval, functional areas of the ship, areas of the ship, looked very much like looked very much like a working naval a working naval warship. This was warship. This was where the crew where the crew accommodation was accommodation was located and was very located and was very much the ‘engine’ of much the ‘engine’ of the ship.the ship.

Grand Staircase of the Royal Yacht Grand Staircase of the Royal Yacht ‘’BRITANNIA’’‘’BRITANNIA’’

The rooms included The rooms included a modest Drawing a modest Drawing Room, containing a Room, containing a piano, which was piano, which was often played during often played during receptions , some of receptions , some of the furniture used the furniture used on ‘Britannia’ came on ‘Britannia’ came from its from its predecessor.predecessor.

Equipped with Equipped with reception rooms for reception rooms for up to 250 guests up to 250 guests and and accommodation for accommodation for staff accompanying staff accompanying The Queen, The Queen, ‘Britannia’ served ‘Britannia’ served as an official and as an official and private residence private residence for the Queen and for the Queen and other members of other members of the Royal family.the Royal family.

Members of the Members of the Royal family Royal family gather on the gather on the Verandah Deck Verandah Deck on ‘Britannia’ on ‘Britannia’ for the for the traditional traditional family family photograph photograph during the final during the final Western Isles Western Isles cruise in 1997.cruise in 1997.

The Royal tradition of the week-long Western The Royal tradition of the week-long Western Isles Cruise prior to the family’s summer stay at Isles Cruise prior to the family’s summer stay at Balmoral was begun in 1955.Balmoral was begun in 1955.

The Royal family were also keen to explore The Royal family were also keen to explore outlying areas of Scotland, and the annual trip outlying areas of Scotland, and the annual trip provided a welcome break from official duties and provided a welcome break from official duties and from the gaze of the public.from the gaze of the public.

Royal children, who were generally unable to Royal children, who were generally unable to swim in the sea for fear of a crowd forming swim in the sea for fear of a crowd forming around them, could swim in sheltered bays which around them, could swim in sheltered bays which could be spotted from the Yacht, and often could be spotted from the Yacht, and often impromptu barbeques or picnics were arranged.impromptu barbeques or picnics were arranged.

Prince Philip, The Prince Philip, The Duke of Edinburgh, Duke of Edinburgh, took a four month took a four month voyage on voyage on ‘Britannia’, ‘Britannia’, including a trip to including a trip to the Antarctic.the Antarctic.

He had created the He had created the book ‘’Birds from book ‘’Birds from ‘Britannia’. It was ‘Britannia’. It was published by published by LONGMAN (UK) LONGMAN (UK) in 1962.in 1962.

’’Britannia’ was Britannia’ was designed to be used as designed to be used as a Royal Yacht in a Royal Yacht in peacetime and as a peacetime and as a hospital in time of war.hospital in time of war.

In 1986 she was called In 1986 she was called upon to assist with an upon to assist with an evacuation from the evacuation from the beaches of Aden beaches of Aden during a civil war in during a civil war in the former People’s the former People’s Democratic Republic Democratic Republic of Yemen.of Yemen.

‘‘Britannia’ became Britannia’ became one of the best known one of the best known ships in the world, ships in the world, travelling over a travelling over a million miles and million miles and visiting every visiting every continent and most continent and most Commonwealth Commonwealth countries.countries.

The Royal Yacht also The Royal Yacht also conveyed The Queen conveyed The Queen to Russia in 1994 for to Russia in 1994 for the first visit there by the first visit there by a British Sovereign, as a British Sovereign, as well as the first since well as the first since the dissolution of the the dissolution of the USSR in 1991.USSR in 1991.

The Royal Yacht The Royal Yacht was was decommissioned in decommissioned in December 1997.December 1997.

The flags were The flags were lowered for the last lowered for the last time and from that time and from that moment HM Yacht moment HM Yacht BRITANNIA was BRITANNIA was no longer in no longer in commission.commission.

She is now known She is now known as BRITANNIA.as BRITANNIA.

The Government The Government decided that the final decided that the final destination for the destination for the Royal Yacht would be Royal Yacht would be at Leith, in at Leith, in Edinburgh.Edinburgh.

The Yacht, as a The Yacht, as a ‘national treasure’, is ‘national treasure’, is now open to the now open to the general public. general public. ‘Britannia’ is an ‘Britannia’ is an exhibition ship. exhibition ship. She attracts around She attracts around 300,000 visitors a 300,000 visitors a year and The Yacht year and The Yacht is a conference centre is a conference centre from August 1998.from August 1998.

Ideas and project Ideas and project coordination an coordination an English teacher English teacher Nataliya Nataliya BalakinaBalakina

Khimki, Moscow Khimki, Moscow region, 2006.region, 2006.