royal yacht britannia king charles

• Search Please fill out this field.
• Manage Your Subscription
• Give a Gift Subscription
• Newsletters
• Sweepstakes

• British Royal Family

King Charles Visits His Mother Queen Elizabeth's Beloved Royal Yacht in Scotland

The impressive vessel even surfaced in season 5 of 'The Crown'

Janine Henni is a Royals Staff Writer for PEOPLE Digital, covering modern monarchies and the world's most famous families. Like Queen Elizabeth, she loves horses and a great tiara moment.

Andrew Milligan - Pool/Getty 

King Charles is back on board the Royal Yacht Britannia before his coronation celebration in Scotland.

On Monday, the King stepped out in Edinburgh for the first Royal Week of his reign. King Charles, 74, is continuing Queen Elizabeth ’s tradition of spending a special summer week in Scotland and made a meaningful visit to the royal yacht on his first day there.

The Royal Yacht Brittania, otherwise known as Her Majesty's Yacht Britannia, was launched in April 1953, one month before Queen Elizabeth’s coronation. The 412-foot vessel was known as the royal family’s "floating residence" during its 44 years of service and sailed over 1 million nautical miles on 968 state visits as they entertained world leaders like Ronald Reagan, Winston Churchill, Nelson Mandela, Ronald Reagan and Rajiv Gandhi. Several royal couples also honeymooned on the ship, including Charles and Princess Diana in 1981, and they later used it for official trips with Prince William and Prince Harry .

Diana Archive/Getty

RELATED: King Charles Is Having a Coronation Celebration! All About What's Happening in Scotland

Though the Royal Yacht Britannia offered the royal family a unique privacy away from their public life and was described by Queen Elizabeth as “the one place I can truly relax,” per ship history , it would not sail forever. As seen in season 5 of The Crown (spoiler alert!), it was decommissioned in 1997 after it was determined the $22 million needed to keep the yacht going for another five years was too much for the government to spend. The Royal Yacht Britannia moved to Leith, Edinburgh, the following year, where it has operated as a tourist attraction since.

The King visited on Monday in honor of the docking’s 25th anniversary, his first formal visit to the ship since 1997. He was welcomed by Bob Downie, Chief Executive of The Royal Yacht Britannia Trust, and toured the engine room, laundry and Rolls Royce garage. King Charles spent time with former crew members and staff before attending a reception with the Trust’s trustees and senior management team in the State Dining Room and Drawing Room, which surely evoked memories of celebrations past.

RELATED: What to Know About the Royal Yacht Britannia Featured on The Crown Season 5

Earlier on Monday, King Charles kicked off Royal Week with a visit to Kinneil House in Bo’ness, where he met representatives from organizations including The Prince’s Trust and planted a tree to mark the 100th anniversary of the estate becoming a public park.

He then moved to the Palace of the Holyroodhouse, the British sovereign’s official royal residence in Scotland, for the traditional Ceremony of the Keys.

According to The Scotsman , the annual ceremony marks the start of the monarch’s stay in Scotland. The sovereign is handed the keys of the city of Edinburgh and welcomed to "your ancient and hereditary kingdom of Scotland,” and then returns them to local elected officials for safekeeping.

Though the first Royal Week of Charles’ reign is only beginning, Monday’s Ceremony of the Keys was not the first of his royal reign.

The King participated in the ritual in September 2022 following the death of Queen Elizabeth at Balmoral Castle on Sept. 8. King Charles, Queen Camilla and Princess Anne were coincidentally in Scotland at the time, and the Queen’s two eldest children arrived at her side before she died.

Earlier, Charles was formally welcomed to the city and Holyroodhouse at the official ceremony of the keys.

Peter Byrne/WPA Pool/Getty

Can't get enough of PEOPLE's Royals coverage? Sign up for our free Royals newsletter to get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more!

Royal Week in Edinburgh will continue on Tuesday when King Charles, Queen Camilla and Princess Anne host a garden party at the Palace of Holyroodhouse.

Chris Jackson/Getty 

Then on Wednesday, the King will be presented with the Honours of Scotland at a National Service of Thanksgiving and Dedication at St. Giles’ Cathedral celebrating his coronation. Queen Camilla, Prince William and Kate Middleton will also be in attendance at the ceremony, which will feature a Royal Procession and a flypast.

King Charles and Queen Camilla will also carry out engagements in Scotland on Thursday.

Related Articles

King Charles III makes a poignant return to the Royal Yacht Britannia – his mother’s beloved home from home

King Charles III (then Prince of Wales) with Princess Diana on the Royal Yacht Britannia at the start of their honeymoon cruise

King Charles III yesterday made a poignant return to the Royal Yacht Britannia. A ‘home from home’ for Queen Elizabeth II, the Duke of Edinburgh and their four children, the Royal Yacht Britannia held an important place in the lives of the Royal Family for more than four decades until it was decommissioned in 1997.

Some expected Prince Harry to be among the congregation when close friend Jack Mann wed in Sussex

Family holidays, honeymoon and precious private time – the Royal Yacht Britannia brought so much to the Windsors. ‘This was the place out of the public eye, they could relax and be themselves. On board Britannia that was their family time and it was our job to make their stay comfortable,’ one former crew member recalled yesterday.

Members of the Royal Yacht Britannia make a toast with King Charles III during a tour of the Royal Yacht Britannia

Boarding the decommissioned yacht, King Charles no doubt would have been transported back through the decades to the countless voyages he shared with his siblings, cousins and parents – and later his wife and their young sons. During the visit – part of a busy schedule of engagements for Holyrood Week – King Charles sipped rum with sailors, met former crew members and attended a reception in the State Dining Room. ‘To all the marvellous Yotties who keep it all going, you are all brilliant,’ he said, toasting the crew.

Also known as Royal Week, Holyrood Week is an opportunity for the King and Queen to celebrate Scottish culture

The history of royal yachts dates back to the reign of Charles II who, when he became King of England, Scotland and Ireland on the restoration of the monarchy in 1660, was gifted a yacht called the Mary by his Dutch allies. There have been a total of 82 royal yachts since. As well as providing monarchs and their families a place in which to relax, they have also been deployed on diplomatic missions; a role that was particularly important before royals were able to jet off on planes.

Prince Charles and Princess Anne with their nanny on board the Royal yacht, Britannia at Portsmouth

Although it was Queen Elizabeth II and her family who enjoyed the use of the Britannia, the vessel had been commissioned by her father, King George VI , as a replacement for the ageing Victoria and Albert which was decommissioned in 1939 having been constructed during the reign of Queen Victoria.

Royals, military power-players and society swans were in attendance when Andrew Parker Bowles wed Camilla Shand in London

George VI, who reigned over Britain during the Second World War, took a practical approach when planning the new vessel, lest the nation should once again find itself in the throes of conflict, and ensured it could easily be turned into a hospital ship if needed. Sadly, the King died before construction was completed and it was his daughter and son-in-law who had the final say on its design.

The Queen and Prince Philip waving on board Royal Yacht Britannia during an official visit to Kuwait

The state room on the Royal Yacht Britannia

The Britannia set sail on her maiden voyage from Portsmouth to the Grand Harbour in Malta on 14 April 1952, carrying Princess Anne and her brother Prince Charles , who reunited with the then Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh at the end of their Commonwealth tour. The late Queen first boarded the yacht at Tobruk in the country then known as the Kingdom of Libya in May 1954, and she famously became the first British monarch to visit Chicago in 1959 when the yacht docked in the city.

King George V’s grandson Prince Michael of Kent is married to the glamazon and author Princess Michael of Kent

It became integral to royal life. As a young boy, Prince Charles is said to have stolen pastries from the kitchen of the yacht, and was captured on film playing on the decks and swooping down a makeshift slide. Sir Winston Churchill and Nelson Mandela were among those who dined in the opulent State Dining Room, while Prince Charles and Princess Diana honeymooned on board. It was also the location of fun-filled family holidays, with private home videos and photos shared from the royal archives over the years revealing how the late Queen relaxed on deck as the family whizzed down waterslides.

Season 5 of The Crown featured the Britannia towards the end of her seaworthy days. The series depicts Queen Elizabeth II (played by Imelda Staunton) tries to strong-arm Prime Minister Sir John Major (Johnny Lee Miller) into footing the bill for a sizeable refurbishment, telling him: ‘From the design of the hull to the smallest piece of china, she is a floating, seagoing expression of me.’ The Duke of Edinburgh (Jonathan Pryce) also does his best to compel Sir John to take action.

The Royal Yacht Britannia in Hong Kong

Ultimately, however, it was decided (as in real life) that the ‘costs were too great’ and, in 1994, it was announced the Britannia would be decommissioned. Three years later, the vessel that had given the late Queen so many happy memories embarked on its final voyage – a farewell tour around the UK. On the day of decommissioning, the enormity of the occasion was clear for the world to see, for Her late Majesty was photographed wiping away a tear during the ceremony; a rare public display of emotion for the stoic sovereign.

Typically stylish, Kate Middleton opted for an '80s-inspired green blazer and white midi skirt for her first outing to Wimbledon this year

Since her retirement, Britannia has been moored in the Port of Leith in Edinburgh and has served as a tourist attraction. It marks the final chapter in a fascinating story of the beloved floating royal residence.

The Queen wiping a tear from her eye at the de-commissioning ceremony for The Royal Yacht Britannia

NEWS... BUT NOT AS YOU KNOW IT

This is what a £250,000,000 superyacht for King Charles could have looked like

Share this with

A design for King Charles’ zero carbon multi-million-pound superyacht that was scrapped last year has been unveiled.

London-based firm Vitruvius Yachts revealed plans for their previously confidential proposal for the Royal Yacht Britannia.

When the British government invited concepts for a new National Flagship vessel, the company was shortlisted as a finalist in the design competition.

Their 125-metre yacht had been in the running for the £250m project, which would have seen it set sail by 2025.

The new Britannia concept is described as a ‘celebration of British society and technology in a vessel designed for the people but fit for a king.’

However, it was reported last year that Chancellor Jeremy Hunt was planning to scrap plans for a new yacht as part of a package of spending cuts.

The plan had been put forward by Boris Johnson when he was prime minister but he faced criticism from MPs at a time when there were other priorities for spending.

The previous Royal Yacht Britannia had been used by the Royal Family since its commissioning in 1954.

US Presidents who had boarded included Dwight D. Eisenhower, Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton.

Famously, Prince Charles and Diana, Princess of Wales, took their honeymoon cruise on Britannia in 1981.

The new design comes from Team FestivAl, a collaboration between Vitruvius Yachts, world-renowned architecture practice Zaha Hadid Architects, and aluminium ship and yacht specialists Ocea.

Vitruvius say key features include a focus on sustainable power and propulsion.

The highly efficient hull design minimises fuel consumption and maximises opportunities for emerging green technologies to create a zero-carbon vessel.

The interior is based on recycled and recyclable materials, and a flexible deck and interior design can switch between exhibition showcase or floating embassy with ease, ‘suitable for everyone from VVIPs to schoolchildren and the disabled’.

The sleek exterior profile includes a distinctive central slice through the superstructure that takes the form of a hoop of glass, flooding the interior with light and providing a key design element that, combined with a distinct LED-lit style line in the profile, hints at the ribbon pattern in the Union flag. This is reinforced in the design when viewed from above.

The vessel features an energy-agnostic propulsion system based on efficient pod drives, which can also enable geostationary position-keeping without damaging sensitive seabeds with an anchor.

Power for the pod drives would come from a large battery bank that could be charged via shore power or onboard generators, initially using renewable diesel/biofuel but allowing for alternative energy sources now and in the future including green hydrogen fuel cells and onboard-harvested solar and wind energy.

Team FestivAl’s National Flagship explain their project draws on several cultural and societal cues, ‘from innovation and sustainability to accessibility and inclusion, to represent the very best of British in design, manufacturing, craftsmanship and diversity’.

The firm say: ‘Indeed, in developing the design, the essence of Britishness takes centre stage through a Union flag ribbon motif in the side and plan view elevations, while reflecting the multicultural society that defines the UK today. ‘

Philippe Briand comments: ‘To design a vessel – a flagship – that will become a benchmark in sustainability as well as demonstrating British excellence and heritage for current and future generations, while also being a symbol of inclusion and diversity, was an enormous challenge that kept me awake at night.

‘The nature and intensity of the project kept me focused but also filled me with pride, not just in the design process itself but for what the flagship stands for.’

He added: ‘The flagship collaboration was an incredible opportunity to act as an architect realising the design of a project that was hugely complex, because it aims to represent not the tastes of one person but the essence of an entire nation.

‘That is actually way more difficult than designing for even the most demanding individual.’

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at [email protected] .

For more stories like this, check our news page .

Sign Up for News Updates

Get your need-to-know latest news, feel-good stories, analysis and more.

Privacy Policy

Get us in your feed

• Royal Deck Tearoom
• Group Visit
• Accessibility
• Annual Pass
• Our Green Tourism
• Weekly Snaps
• Things to do in Edinburgh
• What's On
• Private Events
• Private Dining
• Drinks Reception
• Private Tours
• Burns Supper
• Meet The Team
• Historical Timeline
• Explore Britannia
• Royal Residence
• Life Below Decks

The Royal Yacht Britannia, Ocean Drive, Leith, Edinburgh EH6 6JJ

Tel: 0131 555 5566 Email us: [email protected]

The Royal Yacht Britannia is scheduled to be closed 7 – 10 October for planned building works out with our control

• Search this website

Planning a visit?

Please pre-book your tickets to guarantee admission.

Getting Here

Looking for directions? Find out how to find Britannia via tram, bus or car.

STEP ABOARD FOR A GREAT DAY OUT

A Royal residence for over 40 years, The Royal Yacht Britannia sailed over 1,000,000 nautical miles on 968 state visits with the Royal Family where they entertained prime ministers and presidents. Now  Tripadvisor’s No.1 UK Attraction 2023 - 2024 , you can discover across five decks stories of life at sea for both the Royal Family and the 220 Royal Yachtsmen who served on board. Our five-star visitor attraction is located in Leith, just two miles from Edinburgh's city centre.

What will I see?

• Britannia’s five decks with your  free audio guide
• Feel like the captain of the ship in the Bridge
• Follow in the footsteps of Royalty through the State Apartments
• See Queen Elizabeth II's favourite room
• Discover below decks in the Crew’s Quarters
• Admire a tour highlight, the gleaming Engine Room
• Take in the Royal Sailing Exhibition
• Enjoy soups, sandwiches, cakes and scones in the  Royal Deck Tearoom
• Admire the stunning waterfront views from the Best UK Attraction (Tripadvisor)

Ongoing Maintenance

Owned and cared for by The Royal Yacht Britannia Trust, our dedicated Maintenance team work 363 days of the year to ensure Britannia is preserved for future generations. 

Opening Times

*The Royal Yacht Britannia is closed on 1 January and 25 December. The last admission to the Royal Yacht on 24 December is 2:30pm.

**On 6 October 2024, last admission will be at 3.00pm.

Tickets & Prices

We recommend booking in advance. Any tickets purchased in person, please note you can pay via card or contactless only.

**Armed Forces (includes veterans and active duty members), student and carer tickets are only available at the ticket desk. They cannot be pre-booked, but are available on the day of visit.

  See our FAQ page for further details.

Our Hotel, Fingal

Our sister ship, Fingal, is Scotland’s only luxury floating hotel and is a world-class experience from the moment you step aboard. Awarded Tripadvisor's No.1 UK Luxury Hotel and No. 1 UK Small & Boutique Hotel 2024 and AA Hotel of the Year Scotland, the 22 luxurious cabins are inspired by its rich maritime heritage and are an indulgent experience like no other.

Tripadvisor’s No.1 UK Attraction 2023 - 2024

We are delighted to be Tripadvisor’s No.1 UK Attraction 2023 - 2024  and a Best of the Best award winner.  Fewer than 1% of Tripadvisor’s 8 million listings are awarded Best of the Best, signifying the highest level of excellence in travel.

HM The King's visit

On 3 July 2023, His Majesty King Charles III attended a reception on board The Royal Yacht Britannia for the Association of Royal Yachtsmen to commemorate 25 years  since Britannia arrived in Leith.

Stay at our five-star 22-cabin luxury floating hotel, Fingal.

Fingal Hotel

Sustainability.

At Britannia, we are committed to ensuring that we have environmentally sensitive policies and best practice procedures throughout all aspects of our business.

Make memories for a year

Following your visit, you can apply for a complimentary Annual Pass which allows you to return free, for a year. 

Find out more

Visiting Britannia

TRIPADVISOR'S NO.1 UK ATTRACTION 2023 - 2024

The Royal Yacht Britannia is scheduled to be closed 7 – 10 October for planned building works out with our control.

Click on the Visit page  for more information before you visit.

Step aboard to enjoy a great day out!

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. 

TRIPADVISOR'S NO.1 UK LUXURY HOTEL TRIPADVISOR'S NO.1 UK SMALL & BOUTIQUE HOTEL AA Hotel of the Year Scotland, AA five-star hotel and 2 AA Rosettes

Learn more: fingal.co.uk

UK Edition Change

• UK Politics
• News Videos
• Paris 2024 Olympics
• Rugby Union
• Sport Videos
• John Rentoul
• Mary Dejevsky
• Andrew Grice
• Sean O’Grady
• Photography
• Theatre & Dance
• Culture Videos
• Fitness & Wellbeing
• Food & Drink
• Health & Families
• Royal Family
• Electric Vehicles
• Car Insurance Deals
• Lifestyle Videos
• UK Hotel Reviews
• News & Advice
• Simon Calder
• Australia & New Zealand
• South America
• C. America & Caribbean
• Middle East
• Politics Explained
• News Analysis
• Today’s Edition
• Home & Garden
• Broadband deals
• Fashion & Beauty
• Travel & Outdoors
• Sports & Fitness
• Climate 100
• Sustainable Living
• Climate Videos
• Solar Panels
• Behind The Headlines
• On The Ground
• Decomplicated
• You Ask The Questions
• Binge Watch
• Travel Smart
• Watch on your TV
• Crosswords & Puzzles
• Most Commented
• Newsletters
• Ask Me Anything
• Virtual Events
• Wine Offers
• Betting Sites

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in Please refresh your browser to be logged in

£250m design for King Charles’ scrapped superyacht unveiled

London-based firm reveals their proposal for now-scrapped project, article bookmarked.

Find your bookmarks in your Independent Premium section, under my profile

The £250m design for King Charles’ superyacht that was scrapped last year has been unveiled.

Plans for the 125-metre Royal Yacht Britannia were previously confidential but have now been published by London-based firm Vitruvius Yachts.

The superyacht was initially set to sail by 2025, but in October last year it was reported chancellor Jeremy Hunt was planning on scrapping the plans as part of a package of spending cuts.

The concept for the yacht – initially put forward by Boris Johnson - was described as being a “celebration of British society and technology in a vessel designed for the people but fit for a king”.

Vitruvius said a key feature was a focus on sustainable power. The “highly efficient” hull design would have minimised fuel consumption and focused on emerging green technology, they said.

The interior’s design made use of recycled materials and would have had a flexible deck and interior design that could switch between exhibition showcase or floating embassy, with the yacht firm saying it is “suitable for everyone from VVIPs to schoolchildren and the disabled".

The previous Royal Yacht Britannia - used by the royal family since 1954 - had visitors including Dwight D. Eisenhower, Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton. Famously, Prince Charles and Diana, Princess of Wales, took their honeymoon cruise on Britannia in 1981.

The design was put together by Team FestivAl, a collaboration between Vitruvius Yachts, Zaha Hadid Architects, and aluminium ship and yacht specialists Ocea.

The vessel would have featured an energy-agnostic propulsion system based on efficient pod drives, which could have enabled geostationary position-keeping without damaging sensitive seabeds with an anchor, the company said.

Vitrivius Yachts added: “In developing the design, the essence of Britishness takes centre stage through a Union flag ribbon motif in the side and plan view elevations, while reflecting the multicultural society that defines the UK today. “

Yacht designer Philippe Briand added: “The flagship collaboration was an incredible opportunity to act as an architect realising the design of a project that was hugely complex, because it aims to represent not the tastes of one person but the essence of an entire nation.

“That is actually way more difficult than designing for even the most demanding individual.”

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article

Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.

New to The Independent?

Or if you would prefer:

Hi {{indy.fullName}}

• My Independent Premium
• Account details
• Help centre

To revisit this article, visit My Profile, then View saved stories .

What Happened to the Royal Yacht Britannia?

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. 

“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.

More Great Living Stories From Vogue

Meghan Markle Is Returning to Television

Is Art Deco Interior Design Roaring Back Into Style?

Kate Middleton and Prince William Share a Never-Before-Seen Wedding Picture

Sofia Richie Grainge Has Given Birth to Her First Child—And the Name Is…

The 10 Best Spas in the World

Never miss a Vogue moment and get unlimited digital access for just $2 $1 per month.

Vogue Daily

By signing up you agree to our User Agreement (including the class action waiver and arbitration provisions ), our Privacy Policy & Cookie Statement and to receive marketing and account-related emails from Vogue. You can unsubscribe at any time. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

MORE SECTIONS

• Social Casino

MORE FROM THE SUN

• Newsletters

Inside Royal Yacht that cost £11m-a-year to run & was Queen’s ‘favourite’ home – here’s why clocks are stopped at 3.01pm

• Summer Raemason
• Published : 6:42 ET, Jul 4 2023
• Updated : 6:54 ET, Jul 12 2023
• Published : Invalid Date,

THE luxury Royal Yacht Britannia held a special place in late Queen Elizabeth II's heart - take a look inside her "favourite home".

Measuring 400-foot-long, this floating palace served as the official royal yacht of the British monarchy for 44 years.

It provided comfort to the late monarch and her family, as they famously used it for an annual trip to the west coast of Scotland .

The two-week journey offered time to decompress from ever-demanding royal duties and the late queen once said: “Britannia is the one place where I can truly relax.”

Royal Yacht Britannia sailed over one million nautical miles across nearly 970 state visits.

The impressive luxury vessel transported famous leaders from across the globe namely Winston Churchill, Nelson Mandela, Ronald Reagan and Rajiv Gandhi.

And the Royal Family made full use of it themselves, with Charles and Diana using it on their honeymoon in 1981.

Brothers Prince William and Prince Harry also enjoyed trips on the Royal yacht in their childhood years.

But, by 1997 the ship, which had been launched in 1953, had become too costly to run - at an eye-watering £11million per year.

When the new Labour government was elected a replacement was not ordered.

Most read in Celebrity

School 'shooter' stares blankly in mugshot after 'killing 4 & wounding 9'

Hamas release vid of 2 more murdered Israeli hostages before execution

Who is suspected Apalachee school shooter Colt Gray?

'Polling Nostradamus' gives verdict on 2024 presidential race

After making one last voyage to Hong Kong to convey the colony’s last governor, Chris Patten, and the Prince of Wales for the territory's hand-over, the ship sailed back to Britain.

Here it was 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.

However Brits can still go to see the late monarch's “favourite” home - with some 300,000 visiting every year. 

This comes as King Charles set foot on the royal yacht on Monday to commemorate its 25th year in Edinburgh and commence the start of Royal Family's Holyrood Week.

The monarch is keeping royal traditions alive and travelled there for a week of coronation celebrations during which the 74-year-old will also be handed the nation's crown jewels - the Honours of Scotland ( separate to the UK crown jewels ).

King Charles shared an adorable photograph of himself as a young boy with sister Princess Anne on board.

Dated from 1956, Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip were pictured standing over them donning beaming smiles.

Yesterday, nearly 70 years later, the King joined former Royal Yacht Britannia crew for some rum and made a toast: "To all the marvellous Yachties who keep it all going, you are all brilliant."

As reported by the MailOnline , Mark Carron served on Britannia for four years.

The 49-year-old said after chatting to the King that "He said 'I've always loved the smell of rum, it's a unique smell'."

Read More on The US Sun

1000-Lb. Sisters’ Amy pleads not guilty to drug & child endangerment charges

Georgia 'school shooter' claimed he was hacked after disturbing 2023 threats

"This was the place out of the public eye, they could relax and be themselves", added the formed Yacht hand.

"On board Britannia that was their family time and it was our job to make their stay comfortable."

• Royal Family
• King Charles
• Prince Harry
• Prince Philip
• Prince William
• Princess Anne

Sign Up Today

Start your 14 day free trial today

History Hit Story of England: Making of a Nation

• 20th Century

10 Facts About Royal Yacht Britannia

Peta Stamper

28 nov 2022.

The 83rd and last in a long line of royal yachts, HMY Britannia has become one of the most famous ships in the world. Now permanently moored at Edinburgh’s Port of Leith, the floating palace is a visitor attraction welcoming some 300,000 people aboard each year.

For Queen Elizabeth II, Britannia was the ideal residence for state visits and peaceful royal family holidays and honeymoons. For the British public, Britannia was a symbol of Commonwealth. For the 220 naval officers who lived aboard Britannia , and the royal family, the 412-foot-long yacht was home.

Having travelled more than a million nautical miles over 44 years of service to the British Crown, Her Majesty’s beloved boat was decommissioned in 1997. Here are 10 facts about life aboard HMY Britannia.

1. Britannia was launched by Queen Elizabeth II on 16 April 1953 using a bottle of wine, not champagne

Champagne is traditionally smashed against a ship’s hull during launching ceremonies. However, in a post-war climate champagne was seen as too frivolous, so a bottle of Empire wine was used instead.

Britannia launched from the John Brown & Company shipyard in Clydebank, Scotland.

2. Britannia was the 83rd Royal Yacht

King George VI , Elizabeth II’s father, had first commissioned the royal yacht that would become Britannia in 1952. The previous official boat had belonged to Queen Victoria and was rarely used. The tradition of royal yachts had been started by Charles II in 1660.

George decided that the Royal Yacht Britannia should both be a regal vessel as well as a functional one.

3. Britannia had two emergency functions

Britannia was designed to be converted into a hospital ship in time of war, although that function was never used. Additionally, as part of the Cold War plan Operation Candid, in the event of nuclear war the ship would become a refuge off the north-west coast of Scotland for the Queen and Prince Philip.

4. Her maiden voyage was from Portsmouth to Grand Harbour in Malta

She carried Prince Charles and Princess Anne to Malta to meet the Queen and Prince Philip at the end of the royal couple’s Commonwealth tour. The Queen stepped aboard Britannia for the first time in Tobruk on 1 May 1954.

Over the next 43 years, Britannia would transport the Queen, members of the Royal Family and various dignitaries on some 696 foreign visits.

The HMY Britannia on a visit by the Queen to Canada in 1964

Image Credit: Royal Canadian Navy, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

5. Britannia hosted some of the 20th century’s most notable figures

In July 1959, Britannia sailed the newly opened Saint Lawrence Seaway to Chicago where she docked, making the Queen the first British monarch to visit the city. US President Dwight Eisenhower hopped aboard Britannia for part of the journey.

In later years, Presidents Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton would also step aboard. Charles and Diana, the Prince and Princess of Wales, took their honeymoon cruise on Britannia in 1981.

6. The crew were volunteers from the Royal Navy

After 365 days’ service, crew members could be admitted to the Permanent Royal Yacht Service as Royal Yachtsmen (‘Yotties’) and serve until they either chose to leave or were dismissed. As a result, some yachtsmen served on  Britannia  for over 20 years.

The crew also included a detachment of Royal Marines, who would dive underneath the ship each day while moored away from home to check for mines or other threats.

7. All royal children were allocated a ‘Sea Daddy’ on board the ship

The ‘sea daddies’ were primarily tasked with looking after the children and keeping them entertained (games, picnics and water fights) during voyages. They also oversaw the children’s chores, including cleaning the life rafts.

8. There was a ‘Jelly Room’ onboard for the royal children

The yacht had a total of three galley kitchens where Buckingham Palace ‘s chefs prepared meals. Among these galleys was a chilled room called the ‘Jelly Room’ for the sole purpose of storing royal children’s jellied desserts.

9. It cost around £11 million every year to run Britannica

The cost of running Britannia was always an issue. In 1994, another expensive refit for the ageing vessel was proposed. Whether or not to refit or commission a new royal yacht entirely came down to the election result of 1997. With repairs at a proposed cost of £17 million, Tony Blair’s new Labour government were unwilling to commit public funds to replace Britannica.

HMY Britannia in 1997, London

Image Credit: Chris Allen, Public Domain, via Wikimedia Commons

10. All the clocks on board remain stopped at 3:01pm

In December 1997,  Britannia was officially decommissioned. The clocks have been kept at 3:01pm – the exact moment the Queen went ashore for the last time following the ship’s decommissioning ceremony, during which the Queen shed a rare public tear.

You May Also Like

How a find in Scotland opens our eyes to an Iranian Empire

Do you know who built Petra?

The Dark History of Bearded Ladies

Did this Document Legitimise the Yorkists Claim to the Throne?

The Strange Sport of Pedestrianism Got Victorians Hooked on Coca

Puzzle Over These Ancient Greek Paradoxes

In Ancient Rome, Gladiators Rarely Fought to the Death

Archaeologists Uncover Two Roman Wells on a British Road

Young Stalin Made His Name as a Bank Robber

3 Things We Learned from Meet the Normans with Eleanor Janega

Reintroducing ‘Dan Snow’s History Hit’ Podcast with a Rebrand and Refresh

Don’t Try This Tudor Health Hack: Bathing in Distilled Puppy Juice

Get a Rare Glimpse Inside Prince Charles and Princess Diana's Honeymoon Yacht

The vessel, which was used for other Royal visits, also had an emergency bunker.

We know all about Queen Elizabeth's residences: There's Windsor Castle , Balmoral Castle, Sandringham House, and, of course, Buckingham Palace . But when she had to travel the world, she made her home-away-from-home(s) the spectacular Royal Yacht Britannia. From 1954 to 1997, the massive yacht sailed over 1,000,000 miles around the world , taking Her Majesty, royal family members, and other dignitaries on 696 foreign visits and 272 visits in British waters.

One such journey was the honeymoon of Prince Charles and Princess Diana. In August 1981, the yacht brought the couple on a tour of the Mediterranean, stopping at Greek islands for beach picnics. While photos of the trip are a rarity, we can imagine what it looked like at the time in these images from the period.

The drawing room:

A sitting room:

The Duke of Edinburgh's sitting room:

The dining room, set for dinner:

The anteroom, with the drawing room in the background:

The sun room:

The yacht also hosted a few other royal honeymoons for Princess Margaret and Antony Armstrong-Jones, Princess Anne and Captain Mark Phillips, and the Duke and Duchess of York. But not every planned journey was as glamorous — the Royal Yacht Britannia was also intended to be Queen Elizabeth's refuge in the event of a nuclear attack .

In 1997, the yacht was decommissioned at an event where Queen Elizabeth visibly cried . Visitors can tour the vessel where it is berthed in Edinburgh, Scotland. Earlier this year, there were rumors of plans to take the yacht out of commission for post-Brexit purposes. However, more recent rumors suggest that there might be a successor to the Royal Yacht Britannia. Whatever happens, we'll always remember the yacht's glamorous past.

The Royal Family

I Styled A Cover Shoot with King Charles

How Was a Penis Mowed into the Royal Crescent?

The Message Behind the Coronation Anointing Screen

Kate Middleton and Daughter Wore Matching Crowns

The Meaning Behind the Colors at the Coronation

King Charles III's Golden State Coach

What Camilla's Coronation Crown Will Look Like

What King Charles III's Coronation Cost

Who Isn't Attending the King's Coronation?

12 of King Charles III’s Royal Residences

The 700-Year History Behind the Coronation Chair

Coronation Souvenirs to Get Ahead of the Big Day

What Really Happened On King Charles & Princess Diana's Honeymoon?

It's hardly news that King Charles and Princess Diana didn't have a very happy or fulfilling marriage, but not everyone realizes that things between the two were already souring when they set out on their honeymoon in 1981. After hosting one of the most lavish weddings of all time, and certainly the most popular of modern royal weddings, the pair boarded the royal yacht Britannia to spend several weeks cruising the Greek islands.

The trip was complicated by a number of factors, including Diana and Charles' age difference (twelve years), Charles' ongoing relationship with Camilla Parker Bowles (his second wife and now queen), and Diana's battle with bulimia, which she later admitted began around the time she and Charles got engaged. While the sailing journey could have been an incredible one for the couple, it seems it simply wasn't meant to be.

After making it back to the United Kingdom, Charles and Diana spent a few days at Balmoral, the royal family's home in Scotland. Here is a look at what happened on their honeymoon, and what went wrong between the two.

King Charles and Princess Diana got married on July 29, 1981

King Charles and Princess Diana were married in a lavish ceremony on July 29, 1981. As many now know, the circumstances leading up to their wedding day were less than ideal. In the 2020 ITV documentary "The Diana Interview: Revenge of a Princess," Diana's astrologer Penny Thornton shed some light on what kind of conversations Charles and Diana were having before the big day.

Per People , she explained, "One of the most shocking things that Diana told me was that the night before the wedding, Charles told her that he didn't love her. I think Charles didn't want to go into the wedding on a false premise. He wanted to square it with her, and it was devastating for Diana." Diana reportedly wanted to call off the entire wedding, but the show had to go on.

The wedding cost approximately $48 million at the time and was watched on TV by 750 million people around the world. The two had announced their intention to marry only five months prior, during an interview with the BBC. The interview became notorious after Charles was asked if he and Diana were in love, and he replied, "Whatever in love means." Diana later claimed that Charles' dismissive comment was "traumatizing." 

King Charles and Princess Diana honeymooned onboard the royal yacht

When it came time to take their honeymoon, King Charles and Princess Diana set sail on the royal yacht Britannia. The two boarded the ship in Spain and immediately set sail for Greece and the surrounding islands. While the idea of a private cruise to the Greek islands might be a dream come true for many of us, the reality is that the trip was anything but pleasant for the already feuding couple.

The pair weren't the only royals to use the yacht for their own purposes. Queen Elizabeth II was especially fond of the vessel, which was so important to her that it was largely regarded as one of her homes. In fact, between 1954 and 1997, the yacht sailed over one million miles as it ferried members of the British royal family around the world.

Other royal couples also boarded the yacht for their own honeymoons. These included Princess Margaret and Antony Armstrong-Jones, Princess Anne and Captain Mark Phillips, and Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson, then the Duke and Duchess of York. In 1997, the yacht was decommissioned during an emotional ceremony that even brought Queen Elizabeth to tears.

King Charles and Princess Diana spent two weeks in the Mediterranean

King Charles and Princess Diana spent half a month in one of the most beautiful parts of the world: the Mediterranean, and in particular, the Greek islands. Unfortunately, that setting wasn't enough for the doomed pair, who reportedly spent most of their honeymoon fighting or just not getting along. 

In addition to their fighting, the pair were also spending their honeymoon with people who worked for them, whether they were part of the ship's crew or security detail. While that's an understandable necessity, it might not have created the most romantic environment for the newlyweds, especially when it seemed that the pair already had so much stacked against them. This crew reportedly included at least 200 people working the ship, as well as at least 20 members of the British Navy.

Once the pair returned to the United Kingdom, they spent the rest of their honeymoon at Balmoral, the royal family's home in Scotland. Diana was said to be particularly disappointed by this part of the trip, and even cried for six hours the day they arrived.

King Charles had to be in constant contact with Camilla during the honeymoon

Part of the reason that King Charles and Princess Diana had such a dismal honeymoon appears to be that Charles insisted on being with Camilla Parker Bowles as much as possible. In fact, despite the fact that Camilla had been married for eight years and Charles was on his honeymoon with his own wife, he still somehow found ways to call his girlfriend on the phone, all the way from the middle of the ocean.

As former royal valet Stephen Barry told Tina Brown for her book "The Diana Chronicles": "The Prince simply had to be in contact with Camilla or he couldn't function properly. If he went without his daily phone call, he would become tetchy and ill-tempered." Diana was already well aware of the fact that Camilla was in her new husband's life, and soon found a gift from Camilla that made everything painfully obvious.

The honeymoon was when Diana spied a pair of cufflinks that belonged to Charles. She reportedly thought the interlocking Cs were Chanel before realizing that they were initials for Charles and Camilla. As Diana told Panorama, "On our honeymoon, cufflinks arrive on his wrists. Two C's entwined like the Chanel 'C'. Got it. One knew exactly. So I said, 'Camilla gave you those, didn't she?' He said 'Yes, so what's wrong? They're a present from a friend'" (via Reader's Digest Australia ).

King Charles did not enjoy his wedding night with Princess Diana

It's never been clear if Princess Diana had many boyfriends before she began a relationship with King Charles, but what has been clear is that she was fairly naive when she married the 33-year-old at age 19. This fact about Diana wasn't lost on her new husband, but it doesn't seem that he felt the need to attempt to be particularly sensitive to her naivete or inexperience on their wedding night. In fact, Charles did quite the opposite. A 2007 article in The New Yorker noted that Charles told a friend the night was "nothing special."

It's possible that the intimate troubles between Diana and Charles were compounded by Diana's bulimia, which she later admitted was very difficult to bear at the time. In his biography "Diana: Her True Story," author Andrew Morton wrote that Charles had commented on Diana's waist ahead of their marriage and noted that she was, by his estimation, "chubby." As reported by Reader's Digest Australia , this sent Diana spiraling. She told Morton that this "triggered something in me" and "I was desperate, desperate. I remember the first time I made myself sick. I was so thrilled because I thought this was the release of tension."

King Charles and Princess Diana fought about what they did on the ship

King Charles and Princess Diana were also at odds during their honeymoon about how to spend their time on board the ship. The pair had a 12-year age difference, something that a number of sources have since indicated caused issues for them during the honeymoon and beyond. Author Penny Junor wrote in her book "The Duchess" that Charles had brought a number of items, including watercolor books and stacks of books, that he intended to enjoy on the trip. Diana was less than pleased with his plans, and instead hoped that he would spend more time with her.

Reader's Digest Australia has detailed one particularly intense fight between the two that culminated in destruction. The outlet shares that Junor documented the event in her book, writing, "One day, when Charles was painting on the veranda deck of Britannia, he went off to look at something for half an hour. He came back to find she'd destroyed his painting and all his materials."

King Charles and Princess Diana tried to take a second honeymoon

In 1991, King Charles and Princess Diana traveled with their young sons, Prince William and Prince Harry, to Italy to attempt to take what the press dubbed their "second honeymoon." The pair again sailed on a yacht to the Mediterranean and opted to travel to Italy with their friends as well as their children.

The trip was meant to celebrate the couple's tenth wedding anniversary, a feat that likely surprised the pair. At this point, the marriage between Charles and Diana was already souring; they would end up announcing their separation the following year. It's also been noted that Diana spent 1991 and 1992 recording tapes with Andrew Morton, who later used those recordings to write his book, "Diana: Her True Story." Of course, it isn't known if Diana began the interviews before or after the trip.

History Extra  has reported that while it's never been made clear what did or didn't happen on the second honeymoon, Diana and Charles had already spent some time apart before heading out on the trip. The outlet noted that when the two went on a trip to Czechoslovakia in May of 1991, they slept on separate floors of the home they occupied in Prague.

Recommended

• King Charles III
• Prince William
• Kate Middleton
• Prince Harry
• Meghan Markle

Ruling Britannia: King Charles boards the royal yacht for reception to mark 25 years since her arrival in Edinburgh ahead of his Coronation 2.0

• READ MORE: King Charles 'removes part of the late Queen's huge collection of equestrian ornaments on display in her private rooms' 

By Jessica Green For Mailonline

Published: 14:40 EDT, 3 July 2023 | Updated: 20:57 EDT, 3 July 2023

View comments

The King has enjoyed a tour and reception on the Royal Yacht Britannia to mark 25 years since her arrival in Edinburgh.

His Majesty's visit forms part of the Royal Family's Holyrood Week, which will see the monarch stay in the capital for several traditional events in Scotland. 

The week also includes a special ceremony of thanksgiving at St Giles' Cathedral on Wednesday, where Charles, 74, will be presented with the Honours of Scotland - the nation's crown jewels.

To mark his tour of Britannia, the Royal Family's Instagram account  shared a throwback image this evening, of a young Charles, then Prince of Wales, with his sister, Princess Anne , and their parents Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip on-board the yacht in 1956.

The King - who swapped the traditional tartan kilt and sporran that he was seen in earlier in the day for a smart navy suit - joined former Royal Yacht Britannia sailors in reviving an old navy tradition - and drank a tot of rum.

The King, who donned a stylish suit for the occasion, could be seen grinning widely during his visit to the Royal Yacht Britannia

To mark his tour of Britannia, the Royal Family's Instagram account shared a throwback image (pictured) this evening, of a young Charles, then Prince of Wales, with his sister, Princess Anne, and their parents Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip on-board the yacht in 1956

Charles returned to the vessel the royal family called home at its dock in Leith in Scotland and reminisced with the men who kept things ship shape above and below deck before it was decommissioned in 1997.

Standing on deck for the first time in more than 25 years, the King was toasted by the old sailors and returned the tribute, saying: 'To all the marvellous Yachties who keep it all going, you are all brilliant.'

When Britannia ruled the waves: Why the Queen adored her 'country home at sea'

The Queen once described Britannia as the one place in the world she felt she could truly relax.

She was often seen wandering the decks in an old headscarf and slacks, and the royal apartments were filled with photographs of her family and heirlooms — including an ingenious nautical side-table designed by her great-great-grandfather, Prince Albert.

Britannia was commissioned for the Queen's father King George VI, but he died before the keel could be laid. One of his daughter's first acts on becoming monarch was to reject the designs for its royal apartments as too stuffy and opulent.

She opted instead for white-painted walls, mahogany woodwork and brass metalwork, with homely touches including chintzy sofas and armchairs.

'The overall idea was to give the impression of a country house at sea,' said Sir Hugh Casson, Britannia's architect. 'There was no question of her saying 'That will do'. She had definite views on everything, from door handles to the shape of the lampshades.'

On April 16, 1953, the Queen launched Britannia from Clydeside with a bottle of Empire wine. At 412ft long, and weighing nearly 6,000 tons, she was then the largest yacht in the world.

Many summers saw her travelling to the Cowes Week regatta off the Isle of Wight, and then on to Scotland for the Royal Family's holiday in Balmoral.

But her main task was to take the royals on the 968 official voyages she completed during more than a million miles and nearly 44 years of service.

Sailors in the Royal Navy were issued with a daily ration of rum until 1970 when the practice came to an end, and the late Queen was the only person able to continue the alcoholic treat for Britannia's seamen on special occasions with the words 'splice the mainbrace'.

A laugh went up before procedures began when someone dropped a glass, and after taking a sip of the drink - traditionally three measures - Charles puffed out his cheeks as the Pusser's Rum - labelled gun powder proof - went down.

The Association of Royal Yachtsman, formerly known as the Royal Yacht Britannia Association, is drawn from the men who worked on the royal ship during its 43 years at sea, and every year many return for a few days to give staff who maintain Britannia as a visitor attraction a helping hand.

Mark Carron, 49, served on Britannia from 1994-98 doing a variety of tasks to keep the ship running smoothly and later became a policeman in his home county of Kent before taking early retirement.

He said after chatting to the King: 'He said "I've always loved the smell of rum, it's a unique smell".'

Mr Carron added: 'This was the place out of the public eye, they could relax and be themselves. On board Britannia that was their family time and it was our job to make their stay comfortable.'

Upon his arrival this evening, the monarch was greeted by Bob Downie, Chief Executive of The Royal Yacht Britannia Trust, and introduced to Rear Admiral Neil Rankin, Chairman of the Trust, and to Commodore Anthony (Tony) Morrow, Chairman of the Association of Royal Yachtsmen (ARY). 

He also met former crew and staff before joining a reception with the Trust’s Trustees and Senior Management team in the State Dining Room and Drawing Room.

In 1998, the year after the yacht was decommissioned, Royal Yacht Britannia docked in Leith, Edinburgh where it has been for 25 years. Charles last formally visited the yacht in 1997.

HMY Britannia was built at John Brown’s Shipyard, Clydebank and was launched on 16th April 1953. 

The Royal Yacht was commissioned into the Royal Navy on 11 January 1954 and proudly served the nation for 44 years, undertaking nearly 1,000 state visits to 135 countries, and sailing over 1 million nautical miles, until it was decommissioned on 11 December 1997.

Britannia would normally have had a complement of 22 Offices and approximately 220 crew members. 

The King looked dapper as he was escorted to the dinner table by Bob Downie, Chief Executive of the Royal Yacht Britannia, ahead of tonight's festivities 

King Charles led the guests into a toast to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Britannia's arrival in Edinburgh 

Former members of the crew watched on while the King waved as he made his way back to  land 

King Charles III meeting guests during a tour of the Royal Yacht Britannia, to mark 25 years since her arrival in Edinburgh 

The monarch, who looked dapper in a navy suit, shook hands with some guests onboard the Britannia 

To mark the 25th year of the ship's arrival in Edinburgh, the King was treated to a tour of the Britannia 

King Charles also enjoyed a conversation with some of the former royal yachstmen working on the ship 

The dapper monarch was seen sharing a laugh with members of the crew upon arriving on the Britannia  

The King was all smiles as he raised his glass with members of the royal yacht tonight in Edinburgh 

The former yachstmen raised their glass to the King during his tour of the yacht tonight in Edinburgh 

On state visits, a Royal Marine Band of 26 musicians would also have accompanied the Royal Family. 

In April 1998, Britannia was purchased by The Royal Yacht Britannia Trust. Since opening to the public in October 1998, Britannia has become a multi award-winning 5-star visitor attraction that has welcomed over 6.5million visitors over the last 25 years.

Earlier today, the King took part in the historic Ceremony of the Keys - the traditional opener to Holyrood Week for the Royal Family.

What is the Ceremony of the Keys?

As part of the Ceremony of the Keys, the King is welcomed into the city of Edinburgh, His Majesty's 'ancient and hereditary kingdom of Scotland', by the Lord Provost, who offers him the keys of the city.

The monarch then ceremoniously returns the keys, entrusting them to the elected officials of the city.

He also inspects a guard of honour, provided by the Royal Regiment of Scotland.

Holyrood week celebrates Scottish culture, history and achievement.

Today's event saw the King handed the keys of the city and welcomed to his 'ancient and hereditary kingdom of Scotland'. A Guard of Honour was formed by members of Royal Company of Archers.  

During the ritual, the monarch ceremoniously returns the keys, entrusting them to the elected officials of the city. 

Ahead of the ceremony, Charles visited Kinneil House in Bo'ness, Falkirk, to meet representatives from charities including his own, The  Princes Trust , as well as Cycling Without Age Scotland and Sustainable Thinking Scotland.

Dressed in a traditional tartan kilt and sporran, he was welcomed by crowds upon his arrival at the house, where he viewed the cylinder of the engine erected by famed Scottish engineer James Watt. 

The house - the historic home of the dukes of Hamilton - and nearby James Watt Cottage were the setting for the engineer's secret development work on the prototype steam engine in 1765-73. 

The King also planted a tree to commemorate the centenary of the estate becoming a public park and met charity representatives and beneficiaries.

Among those he greeted was Bo'ness Fair Queen, Lexi Scotland, who was wearing her ceremonial robes and a crown. 

The visit is the first of a series of engagements in Scotland, marking the first Holyrood Week since his coronation. 

There will be a special ceremony of thanksgiving at St Giles' Cathedral on Wednesday, where Charles will be presented with the Honours of Scotland - the nation's crown jewels.

Each year, the monarch traditionally spends a week based at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh, known as Holyrood Week or Royal Week in Scotland.

In 2022, Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II travelled to Edinburgh to be present at the Palace of Holyroodhouse for what was her final Ceremony of the Keys, despite winding back her official duties due to mobility issues.

The King today took part in the historic Ceremony of the Keys - the traditional opener to Holyrood Week for the Royal Family

Today's ceremony saw the King (pictured) handed the keys of the city and welcomed to his 'ancient and hereditary kingdom of Scotland'

A Guard of Honour was formed by members of Royal Company of Archers. Pictured, Charles at the event

As part of the Ceremony of the Keys (pictured), the King is welcomed into the city of Edinburgh, His Majesty's 'ancient and hereditary kingdom of Scotland', by the Lord Provost, who offers him the keys of the city

King Charles (pictured right) was dressed in a traditional tartan kilt and sporran for today's outing

The late monarch, who passed away in September 2022, and had a deep love for Scotland, was joined by Prince Edward and Sophie - who have since assumed the titles of the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh following her death. 

Dressed in a powder blue silk wool coat and dress by Stewart Parvin, paired with a hat by Rachel Trevor-Morgan, the Queen was symbolically offered the keys to the city by Edinburgh Lord Provost Robert Aldridge.

The tradition dictates that the monarch returns them, entrusting their safekeeping to the city's elected officials.

Meanwhile, the order of service has been unveiled for the event in Edinburgh this week to mark the coronation of the King and Queen.

Charles will be presented with the Honours of Scotland - the country's crown jewels - during the service of thanksgiving and dedication at St Giles' Cathedral in Edinburgh on Wednesday.

The service will feature centuries-old aspects of Scottish royal tradition along with new additions such as pieces of music written specially for the occasion, a psalm sung in Gaelic and the use of passages from the New Testament in Scots.

The Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, Rt Rev Sally Foster-Fulton, will preach the sermon and then provide a blessing to close the service.

Others involved will include violinist Nicola Benedetti, who will be among the musicians playing, and Olympic rower Dame Katherine Grainger who will carry the Elizabeth Sword which is being used in place of the Sword of State.

King Charles III (right) plants a tree to commemorate the centenary of the estate becoming a public park during his visit to Kinneil House

King Charles III greets the Bo'ness Fair Queen, Lexi Scotland, during his visit to Kinneil House, marking the first Holyrood Week since his coronation

King Charles - dressed in a traditional tartan kilt - meets members of the public during his visit to Kinneil House

King Charles is all smiles as he meets beaming members of the public during his first engagement in Scotland

King Charles (pictured shaking hands with a youngster) donned a traditional kilt and sporran for his first engagement in Scotland today

King Charles has arrived in Scotland for Royal Week as he marks a series of 'firsts' since he ascended the throne

King Charles watches as a tree is placed in the ground ready for him to plant at Kinneil House

Meanwhile, the order of service has been unveiled for the event in Edinburgh this week to mark the coronation of the King (pictured today, centre) and Queen

The Prince and Princess of Wales, known as the Duke and Duchess of Rothesay in Scotland, will be among those at the event.

Scotland's First Minister Humza Yousaf will give a reading during the service, while others attending from the world of politics include Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar and Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton.

Rev Calum I MacLeod, minister of St Giles', will provide the Welcome and Call to Worship at the start of the service.

He said: 'It is a great honour and privilege to welcome their majesties King Charles and Queen Camilla to St Giles' on such a joyous occasion.

'His majesty has visited the cathedral many times and this will certainly be a fitting place to have a service of thanksgiving and dedication during his majesty's first visit to Scotland following the coronation in May.

'St Giles' was probably founded by David I in around 1124 so there has been a strong royal connection since the beginning, nearly 900 years ago.'

The service will feature five new pieces of music commissioned to mark the occasion including Balmoral Flourishes, by composer Paul Mealor, which will be performed by the State Trumpeters of the Household Cavalry.

A Gaelic Psalm by Mealor, written especially for the service, will be sung by Joy Dunlop, in recognition of Scotland's linguistic heritage. There will also be contributions from other faiths and Christian denominations.

During the ceremony, the sceptre and crown from the Honours of Scotland will be presented to the King, along with the Elizabeth Sword.

This is a new sword specially crafted to be used in place of the current Sword of State, gifted to James IV by Pope Julius in 1507, which can no longer be used due to its fragile condition.

Dame Katherine will carry the Elizabeth Sword; Lady Dorrian, the Lord Justice Clerk will hold the sceptre and the Duke of Hamilton the Crown of Scotland.

Mrs Foster-Fulton said: 'What a joy to welcome their majesties the King and Queen back home to Scotland and to participate in the national Service of thanksgiving and dedication on July 5.'

Charles (pictured today) will be presented with the Honours of Scotland - the country's crown jewels - during the service of thanksgiving and dedication at St Giles' Cathedral in Edinburgh on Wednesday

King Charles III (left) during his visit to Kinneil House, marking the first Holyrood Week since his coronation

Dressed in a traditional tartan kilt and sporran, he was welcomed by crowds upon his arrival at the house (pictured), where he viewed the cylinder of the engine erected by famed Scottish engineer James Watt 

The house (pictured) and nearby James Watt Cottage were the setting for the engineer's secret development work on the prototype steam engine in 1765-73

Later today, Charles (pictured left) will also attend the Palace of Holyroodhouse, where he will take part in his first ever Ceremony of the Keys as monarch

King Charles III (centre right) during his visit to Kinneil House, marking the first Holyrood Week since his coronation

King Charles III meets members of the public during his visit to Kinneil House

King Charles waves to the welcoming crowd during his visit to Kinneil House today

The King (pictured visiting Kinneil House) opted for a striped tie and navy blazer when wearing a traditional tartan kilt today

Charles (pictured during today's outing) will be presented with the Honours of Scotland - the country's crown jewels - during the service of thanksgiving and dedication at St Giles' Cathedral in Edinburgh on Wednesday

Beaming! The King speaks to smiling members of the public during his visit to Kinneil House

Before the service, a people's procession of about 100 community groups will collect the honours from Edinburgh Castle.

The procession will then be escorted to the cathedral by the Royal Regiment of Scotland and its Shetland pony mascot, Corporal Cruachan IV, supported by cadet musicians from the combined cadet force pipes and drums.

Meanwhile, a royal procession will travel from the Palace of Holyroodhouse to the cathedral, with members of the public lining the Royal Mile to view both processions.

Rehearsals were held on the Royal Mile and outside the cathedral on Monday ahead of the events later in the week.

A 21-gun salute will fire from Edinburgh Castle at the end of the St Giles' service, before the royal procession travels back to the palace.

The Stone of Destiny will be in the cathedral during the ceremony, and there will also be a fly-past by the Red Arrows following the event.

Anti-monarchy campaign group Republic will be staging a protest along the procession route and said it expects a large turnout.

The organisation will also be collaborating with Scottish republican group Our Republic, which will be staging a rally outside the Scottish Parliament.

Graham Smith, Republic's chief executive officer, said: 'Everyone in the UK should have the right to choose our head of state - not be told it will be Charles. Charles does not represent the people of Scotland any more than he represents the rest of the UK.'

Share or comment on this article: King Charles attends a tour and reception on the Royal Yacht Britannia

Most watched news videos.

• Ex-Grenfell firefighter reveals he was forced to leave victim behind
• British hiker found dead near Majorcan river after storm hit region
• French mayor fears more tragedies after Channel migrant boat disaster
• Steve Dymond on the Jeremy Kyle Show just days before his death
• Jeremy Kyle arrives at inquest into death of show guest Steve Dymond
• Woman struck by high-speed train while posing for picture in Georgia
• Barrow County Sherif condemns 'pure evil' Georgia school shooting
• Shocking moment woman's car gets ploughed into by hit and run driver
• Heart-pounding moment cops are faced with wife-beater holding woman at knifepoint
• Friend reflects on how dog walker Bhim Sen Kohli 'was a proper gent'
• Gisele Pelicot leaves the court room as horrifying rape trial continues
• Hair to the throne! Wills rocks beard outside Saatchi Gallery

Comments 225

Share what you think

• Worst rated

The comments below have not been moderated.

The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline.

We are no longer accepting comments on this article.

• Back to top

Published by Associated Newspapers Ltd

Part of the Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday & Metro Media Group

You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser to improve your experience.

• Search Locations
• Login / Register
• Television-Show

The Crown Season 5 Filming Locations: In Detail

The Crown Season 5 filming locations include Ardverikie, Lancaster House, the Royal Yacht Britannia, Chatham Historic Dockyard, Wellington College, Cobham Hall School, Winchester College, Burghley House, Brompton Cemetery, Greenwich ORNC, Lincoln’s Inn and the London Coliseum. Further scenes were filmed on the Netflix show’s extensive sets around Elstree Studios.

As the Netflix drama moves into the 1990s, it revisits some of the established locations for the royal palaces, and adds new settings. We’re also in for a change of cast, led by Imelda Staunton as the Queen, with Jonathan Pryce as Prince Philip and Lesley Manville as Princess Margaret.

Marcia Warren steps in the Queen Mother, while Timothy Dalton plays Peter Townsend for a brief reunion. Dominic West takes over as Prince Charles, with Elizabeth Debicki as Princess Diana and Olivia Williams as Camilla Parker Bowles.

New figures for The Crown Season 5 include Mohamed Al-Fayed (Salim Daw) and his son Dodi (Khalid Abdalla), Penny Knatchbull (Natascha McElhone) and John Major (Jonny Lee Miller). Flashbacks also give us glimpses of earlier cast members and filming locations.

Where Was The Crown Season 5 Filmed?

The Crown Season 5 was filmed in Chatham, Greenwich, the Moray Firth, Ardverikie, Knebworth, Wellington College, Brompton Cemetery, Somerley House, Eastbourne Pier, Winchester College, Wrotham Park, Lancaster House, Lincoln’s Inn, and more stunning locations.

However, with the show growing bigger each season, the number of sets at Elstree has also grown. The Britannia, royal residences and Downing Street are among the custom-built backdrops.

The Crown Series 5 Filming Locations

John brown and company shipyard.

We see the ship in two eras. After Claire Foy’s Elizabeth has launched the ship, we see Imelda Staunton’s Queen at Chatham Historic Dockyard as she boards the Britannia to sail to Balmoral.

And here’s where to watch the real Britannia launch! It’s right here on the BBC Scotland News Facebook page .

Royal Yacht Britannia

The Crown Season 5 Britannia scenes were filmed on the real Royal Yacht and a replica built at Elstree Studios . The recreated top deck of the Royal Yacht’s appears in the dinner scene at the start of Episode 5. Other parts of the ship were duplicated elsewhere at the Netflix show’s Elstree base.

In an interview with Elle Décor , production designer Martin Childs confirmed the filming locations for the Britannia in Season 5 of The Crown. And it’s confirmed that the lower decks were used. We think these are the engine room scenes, which show off the machinery visible from above on the tour.

You can visit the real Royal Yacht Britannia in Leith, to the north of Edinburgh. Visitors can see the real engine rooms, Prince Philip’s art supplies, family lounges and bedrooms on the now-decommissioned Britannia. There’s also a permanent Royal Deck Tea Room , if you want to dine like the royal family in the scenes from The Crown Season 5.

Balmoral Castle

Interior shots for the Balmoral scenes have been filmed at Knebworth throughout the Netflix show’s run. Knebworth House confirmed that it’s a filming location for The Crown Season 5, sharing the news online the day before its release .

Knebworth’s dramatic architecture makes it a popular filming location, and The Crown’s substitute for Balmoral’s Scottish Baronial style. You can visit this location easily – check for opening days and special events! https://www.knebworthhouse.com/

The exterior belongs to Ardverikie in Newtonmore - also known as Glenbogle from Monarch of the Glen. And the surrounding land appears in the show as well.

Balmoral Estate

Balmoral scenes for The Crown Season 5 were filmed around Kinloch Laggan and Lossiemouth. Kinloch Laggan is where Ardverikie is situated, and this is a real Highland location. Like the real Balmoral Estate, it’s in the Cairngorms National Park . This year, other locations add to the landscape for loch scenes.

The Crown’s loch scenes were filmed around the Moray Firth near Lossiemouth and the Covesea Lighthouse. The Strathspey and Badenoch Herald caught Imelda Staunton and Lesley Manville in costume for the scenes.

In the Season 1 Episode 1 loch scenes, Princess Margaret and the Queen spend time together in a boat on the loch.

Range Rover Scenes

Prince Philip’s driving scenes were filmed in Hertfortshire. Back in October 2021, Jonathan Pryce was spotted filming the Range Rover driving scenes - part of Prince Philip’s life outside the palace. In Season 5, we see the Duke of Edinburgh following his love of driving and of carriage racing.

Lowther Horse Show

According to the Stamford Mercury , the Lowther Horse Show scenes were filmed at Burghley’s grounds.

As the series goes on Prince Philip and Penny Knatchbull's friendship attracts controversy – until Prince Philip asks the Queen to give her approval. While the Netflix series raises questions about the relationship, there’s no doubt that Prince Philip was devoted to carriage racing.

The Duke of Edinburgh competed in the sport, notably the Royal Windsor Horse Show, until the early 2000s. As described in the episode, he sought it out as an alternative to polo .

Kensington Palace

Wellington College has been used as Kensington Palace in The Crown from Season 3 onwards. It appears again in Episode 4, “Annus Horribilis”, and other scenes involving Princess Diana. The Princess of Wales famously lived in one of the palace’s apartments after her split from Prince Charles.

London Streets

Lincoln’s Inn Fields appear in The Crown’s London street scenes as Princess Diana agrees to be interviewed for Andrew Morton’s book. The gateway is visible, along with the surrounding terraces.

Buckingham Palace

Wrotham Park has been used as the Queen’s audience room since The Crown Season 1. Over the years, The Crown has filmed Buckingham Palace scenes at Wilton House, Goldsmiths Hall and Greenwich Old Royal Naval College.

The palace’s portico scenes used to be filmed in Greenwich, but have been switched for a replica in Elstree Studios. Other palace interiors are filmed on custom sets at Elstree too.

The Ritz Paris

The Crown’s Ritz hotel filming location is Waddesdon Manor in Buckinghamshire. The Rothschild mansion appears in Season 5 Episode 3 “Mou Mou”. Look out for the dining room’s mantelpiece and mirrors. This room is seen in the meeting to buy the Ritz, and later when Mohamed Al-Fayed speaks with Sydney Johnson, personal valet to the Duke of Windsor.

Of course, the real Ritz Paris has taken on a different role in the story of the Royal Family, Princess Diana, and the Al-Fayeds. But in Season 5 Episode 3, we’re focusing on the Al-Fayed patriarch’s story and love of prestigious settings.

Bois du Boulogne/Villa Windsor

The Crown’s Bois du Boulogne locations are Halton House and West Wycombe Park. Halton House appeared as the former Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson’s French retreat in the Netflix show’s earlier seasons. It makes a return in Season 5 Episode 3. Look out for the exterior as the former king trains his valet.

Halton recently appeared in Enola Holmes 2 as the Lyon family home – one of many screen moments. It was built for the Rothschilds, who still own the nearby Waddesdon Manor, and as a result they share some architectural links.

West Wycombe Park is another original Bois du Boulogne filming location from The Crown Season 1 that appears in Season 5 Episode 3. Look out for it in the interior shots as Mohamed Al-Fayed and Sydney Johnson inspect Wallis Simpson’s house after her death. Halton House’s entrance and West Wycombe Park’s as the Queen’s representative removes Edward VIII’s abdication desk and letters.

As shown in the Netflix series, Sydney Johnson worked at the house in its heyday and during its renovation. The real valet to the former Edward VIII said, of the Villa Windsor’s restoration:

“I feel on top of the world… the restoration is so authentic I expect to see the duchess stepping down the staircase asking, ‘How do I look?’” Sydney Johnson, Valet to the Duke of Windsor and Mohamed Al-Fayed

If you want to see the real Duke and Duchess of Windsor’s décor, Architectural Digest has captured it in amazing detail . Everything from the clocks to the North Persian carpets is recorded.

Look out for Harrods in the shots of Mohamed Al-Fayed looking over his newest purchase. This looks very much like the real Harrods department store in Kensington, complete with its illuminations.

The real Harrods is a fixture of Knightsbridge to this day. But the prestigious shopping destination’s relationship with the Royal Family has changed over the years.

In 2000, Prince Philip withdrew his royal warrant. The store had held royal warrants since the 1950s. But after the Duke of Edinburgh declined to renew, Mohamed Al-Fayed spoke out to say he wouldn’t seek to renew the Queen or Prince of Wales’ warrants. Harrods then-owner elaborated:

“We are proud of the Harrods reputation as the world’s finest store and we naturally welcome discerning shoppers from all over the world… The royal family, with the exception of Prince Philip, are welcome to shop at Harrods at any time.” Mohamed Al-Fayed

Sydney Johnson’s Grave

The Crown cemetery location for Sydney Johnson’s grave is Brompton Cemetery in London. In The Crown, we see Mohamed Al-Fayed paying his respects over the gravestone. The engraving reads Sydney Johnson, Valet to the King.

Brompton Cemetery opened in 1840, and is still a working cemetery to this day. But it’s also a Grade I-listed on the English Heritage Register of Parks and Gardens and a precious green space. You can find guides to the well-known figures who are buried there, and popular walking routes, on the Royal Parks website.

Moscow Streets

The Netflix show’s Moscow scenes were filmed in Bradford. In The Crown Season 5, the Queen’s car is seen driving through the streets of the Russian capital, actually Bradford’s Forster Square area.

The Telegraph and Argus caught filming in progress , with Russian signage appearing on Holdsworth Street, Canal Road and Valley Road.

Windsor Castle

Look out for Burghley Castle as The Crown’s Windsor Castle location in Season 5. The famous Windsor Castle fire scenes were filmed at Burghley, and smoke billowing over its roof . A replica of one of its rooms was also used as a fire-damaged Windsor in scenes of the Queen and Prince Philip surveying the damage.

Burghley also provides St George’s Hall in Windsor Castle after the repairs. It appears in the scenes of Prince William and the Queen having tea at Windsor during his time at Eton. Look out for it again when the Queen and Director General of the BBC have a tough conversation after Martin Bashir’s interview is screened.

You can visit this Crown location – check the opening dates for the house, grounds and restaurant.

Guildhall Jubilee Lunch

Look out for the exterior of the ORNC buildings at the opening of the episode, as the Queen exits the car. She is seen walking into the Painted Hall, climbing the steps to its distinctive black and white floor.

The artwork has a royal theme of its own. Among the scenes depicted around the Painted Hall, you’ll find the accessions of William and Mary, and George I. And you can indeed find the paintings for yourself, because it’s open to the public – check the website for current admission details .

The Queen really did make her famed “annus horribilis” comment during the Guildhall Jubilee Lunch . In reality, the Ruby Jubilee banquet on 24th November 1992 took place just days after the fire at Windsor Castle.

The real Guildhall , with its 600-year-old Great Hall, is the home of the Corporation of the City of London, who hosted the event. While it didn’t appear in this episode of The Crown, it is a popular filming location in its own right.

The Eton town and school locations in The Crown are Winchester College in Hampshire and the Cobham Hall School in Kent. Prince William’s car passes the entrance to the Winchester College in Season 5 Episode 7, “No Woman’s Land”, before the press call.

Winchester was founded in 1382, pipping Eton to the post by about 60 years. Princes William and Harry’s former school was founded in 1440, on the banks of the Thames. As seen in The Crown when the Queen considers inviting William for tea, Eton sits just on the edge of Windsor.

Eton College

Kent’s Cobham Hall School appears in glimpses of Eton’s courtyard and interior shots. Look out for the Gravesend school in the press call and William’s lesson on Guy Fawkes and the Gunpowder Plot.

It was confirmed as a filming location by Visit Kent , along with other local spots appearing in the likes of Enola Holmes 2 . While Eton is an all-boys school and Winchester has only recently become co-educational, Cobham Hall is an all-girls day and boarding school.

It was founded by socialite Bhicoo Batlivala , who had attended another prestigious school, Cheltenham Ladies’ College. But the building itself boasts its own royal connections. Cobham Hall has been home to the Barons of Cobham, Earls of Lennox and Earls of Darnley. Over the centuries, the residents have hosted royalty of their era, from Elizabeth I to the Duke of Windsor.

Broadcasting House

It looks like a real glimpse of Langham Place in Season 5 Episode 8, “Gunpowder”, with CGI assistance bringing the BBC’s Broadcasting House back to the 1990s. Built in 1932 , the Broadcasting House building was later updated with the glass-lined piazza space that occasionally appears in BBC features.

Eastbourne Pier

The Crown Season 5 Episode 8 features shots of Eastbourne’s pier and seafront . Look out for several angles in quick succession at the start of the sequence before the Bashir footage is reviewed.

Eastbourne’s shingle beach is another location seen in the episode, as the race to halt or allow the broadcast begins.

The Queens Hotel

Royal Variety Performance

The Royal Variety Performance scene was filmed at the London Coliseum on St Martin’s Lane in London . The London Coliseum’s exterior is seen as the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh arrive for the Royal Variety Performance on their wedding anniversary. The real auditorium appears as well, with shots from various angles throughout the second half of the episode.

As a side note, while the London Coliseum has hosted the event, it wasn’t the venue that year. On 19th November 1995, the day before Princess Diana’s interview with Martin Bashir aired, the Royal Variety Performance was held at the London Dominion.

The Queen and Prince Philip would have watched acts including Cirque du Soleil, Allan Stewart, Des O’Connor, Riverdance and Elaine Paige. Thanks to the Royal Variety Charity’s archive, you can check out the line-up right here .

Prince Charles’ Hong Kong scenes were filmed in London’s West End . The area already has a strong connection to China and Hong Kong, through local expat communities and Chinatown’s restaurants and importers.

Journals and essays written by King Charles III were shared with the press after he took the final trip in the Royal Yacht Britannia. In the texts , he wrote about his thoughts on the journey itself and the Hong Kong handover.

The Theatre

While the Princess of Wales’ fashion choices influenced the costumes shown in The Crown, they don’t appear at the same events. As Yahoo Life UK point out, the blue dress Diana is seen wearing to Swan Lake harks back to a Jaques Azagury dress she wore to an event at the Serpentine Gallery in 1995.

The Crown’s Highgrove location is the Somerley Estate in Dorset. Somerley appeared in Season 4 as Highgrove, and is also set to reappear in Season 6. Filming took place in October 2022 , before Season 5 had arrived on Netflix.

While Somerley isn’t open to the public, you can stay at this Crown location. There are holiday lets on the estate – or you can host a wedding or special event at the house. https://somerley.com/ That said, you can visit the real Highgrove gardens . In fact, King Charles III’s private residence in Gloucestershire has hosted garden tours for 25 years.

Recent Posts

WATCH: Queen Elizabeth was the first British monarch to visit Russia

Queen Elizabeth II, photographed in 1993. RollingNews

On Oct 17, 1994, Queen Elizabeth II became the first ruling British monarch to set foot on Russian soil.

As the eyes of the world are on Russia and the invasion of Ukraine, which has caused I migration of refugees unlike anything seen since World War II, we thought it interesting to look back at the October 1994 of Queen Elizabeth II to the Kremlin, by invitation of the then Russian President Boris Yeltsin.

In 1994 the Queen made a three-day visit to Russia. Three years before had seen the dissolution of the Soviet Union, when Yeltsin took office. His hope was that Her Royal Majesty's visit would strengthen the trade relationship with Britain and the Western World. 

Yeltsin's spokesman, Vyacheslav Kostikov, said at the time "We realize that the British queen would never have visited a Communist country."

• History of "God Save the King", Britain's National Anthem

Personally, 1994 was also a difficult time for the Queen personally as her son, Prince Charles, had separated from Princess Diana, just two years earlier. A biography of the Prince, by Jonathan Dimbleby, had caused a media frenzy over comments made by Charles with relation to his relationship with his mother and father, Prince Philip. 

The Queen and Prince Philip landed in Moscow on Oct 17, 1994. They were then taken to the Kremlin where they were greeted by Yeltsin and his wife, Naina. The Royal pair were also treated to a special performance of the Bolshoi Ballet.

The climax of the tour was a state banquet given on the final evening by the Queen aboard the royal yacht Britannia which had sailed to St. Petersburg to meet the royal party. 

They left Russia on Oct 20 and broke the journey home by visiting Finland. 

Since 1994 some members of the Royal family have visited Russia, including Princess Anne. She visited in 2016 to mark the 75th anniversary of the first Arctic convoys from the United Kingdom during World War II. Prince Charles also Russia in 2003. This visit resulted in a return invitation to President Vladimir Putin to visit Britain later that year.

Check out some AP footage of the Queen having dinner at the Kremlin:

Related: Queen Elizabeth II

BHT newsletter

You may also like.

• Most Recent

Princess Anne's alternative care...

Can you imagine Princess Anne with this vocation?

The strict rules King Charles ma...

King Charles is quite particular with his tea...

WATCH: Incredible footage of Que...

Have you seen this amazing footage of Queen Elizabeth's wedding day...

Full English, a guide to a prope...

Breakfast: It's Britain's answer to soul food. The art of the prope...

WATCH: "Queen at War" shows how ...

A PBS documentary show's how the people and Queen Elizabeth lived t...

Aberdulais Falls - Where the wat...

How Aberdulais,  in South Wales weathered a 400-year navigation of ...

Friendship between Princess Dian...

How an Irish nun gave comfort to Princess Diana during her fraught ...

The Holy Grail, Gothic cathedral...

A five-day drive from London to Wells will take you on a picturesqu...

Thatching: An age-old craft in m...

What was for centuries the roofing of the poor has now become the r...

See Photos of Queen Elizabeth's 1994 State Visit to Russia

The Queen's trip to Russia, which followed Boris Yeltsin's trip to the UK, is depicted in season five of The Crown .

In October 1994, president Boris Yeltsin hosted Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip in Russia. It was the first—and only—time a reigning British monarch made a state visit to the country, and the historic trip is depicted in the fifth season of The Crown . The tour followed Yeltsin's 1992 visit to the UK, during which he had lunch at Buckingham Palace. At the time, British officials considered Queen Elizabeth's state visit to Russia "one of the queen's most important foreign trips," according to the Washington Post .

Here, see all the photos of Queen Elizabeth's 1994 trip to Russia, as shown on The Crown :

This is not from the State Visit to Russia, rather this is when Yeltsin visited the UK two years prior. Pictured are Naina Yeltsin, President Boris Yeltsin, Queen Elizabeth, and Prince Philip at Buckingham Palace.

State Visit, 1994

Queen Elizabeth is pictured arriving in Moscow, wearing a glamorous fur coat.

A close-up of the Queen and Prince Philip upon their arrival in Russia.

Throughout the trip, she was accompanied by Boris Yeltsin, who served as president of Russia from 1991 to 1999.

Queen Elizabeth was not the first British royal to visit Russia. In 1973, Prince Philip and Princess Anne attended a horse eventing competition in Kyiv, then part of the Soviet Union, and in 1994, Prince Charles visited Saint Petersburg.

Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip stayed in the Kremlin as guests of Yletsin.

Here, the Queen and Yetsin are pictured at the Bolshoi theatre.

Queen Elizabeth met Patriarch Alexius II and mayor of Moscow Yury Luzhkov; they are pictured here outside Saint Basil's Cathedral.

"For Russia, this visit is the utmost recognition that our country is on the road to democracy," Yeltsin told reporters of the Queen's visit.

As The Crown shows, the murder of Tsar Nicholas II and his family was a reason why the Queen had yet to visit Russia. Her grandfather, King George V, was Nicholas's first cousin.

"You and I have spent most of our lives believing that this evening could never happen. I hope that you are as delighted as I am to be proved wrong," Queen Elizabeth said to Yeltsin at a state banquet.

The two toasted at the banquet.

Queen Elizabeth toured Moscow during her four day trip, including visiting the famous Red Square.

She also met Russian children.

There were more formal events during the trip, too; Queen Elizabeth and Yeltsin attended a ceremony at the Piskarevskoye cemetery, a WWII memorial in St. Petersburg.

During the trip, Prince Philip and the Queen hosted the Yeltsins on board the Royal Yacht Britannia for a banquet.

During her Christmas address two months later, Queen Elizabeth reflected, "I never thought it would be possible in my lifetime to join with the Patriarch of Moscow and his congregation in a service in that wonderful cathedral in the heart of the Moscow Kremlin."

Queen Elizabeth would not return to Russia; Prince Philip returned once more, in 1995, as president of the World Wildlife Fund.

Emily Burack (she/her) is the Senior News Editor for Town & Country, where she covers entertainment, culture, the royals, and a range of other subjects. Before joining T&C, she was the deputy managing editor at Hey Alma , a Jewish culture site. Follow her @emburack on Twitter and Instagram .

Elizabeth Debicki Misses Playing Princess Diana

Queen Camilla's Life in Photos

'The Crown' Creator Reveals His Next Project

William & Kate Were Roommates at St Andrews

How Did Prince William and Kate Middleton Meet?

King Charles III's Life in Photos

'The Crown' Leads BAFTA TV Nominations

Elizabeth Debicki Wins SAG Award

Dominic West Stayed in Bed After 'The Crown'

The Crown's Costumes, Props, and More at Auction

Elizabeth Debicki Stuns in Dior

Elizabeth Debicki's Best Red Carpet Looks

• Today's news
• Reviews and deals
• Climate change
• 2024 election
• Newsletters
• Fall allergies
• Health news
• Mental health
• Sexual health
• Family health
• So mini ways
• Unapologetically
• Buying guides
• Labor Day sales

Entertainment

• How to Watch
• My watchlist
• Stock market
• Biden economy
• Personal finance
• Stocks: most active
• Stocks: gainers
• Stocks: losers
• Trending tickers
• World indices
• US Treasury bonds
• Top mutual funds
• Highest open interest
• Highest implied volatility
• Currency converter
• Basic materials
• Communication services
• Consumer cyclical
• Consumer defensive
• Financial services
• Industrials
• Real estate
• Mutual funds
• Credit cards
• Balance transfer cards
• Cash back cards
• Rewards cards
• Travel cards
• Online checking
• High-yield savings
• Money market
• Home equity loan
• Personal loans
• Student loans
• Options pit
• Fantasy football
• Pro Pick 'Em
• College Pick 'Em
• Fantasy baseball
• Fantasy hockey
• Fantasy basketball
• Download the app
• Daily fantasy
• Scores and schedules
• GameChannel
• World Baseball Classic
• Premier League
• CONCACAF League
• Champions League
• Motorsports
• Horse racing

New on Yahoo

• Privacy Dashboard

Lady Saltoun, member of the Royal family with a hereditary peerage who enlivened the House of Lords – obituary

The 21st Lady Saltoun, who has died aged 93, was Chief of the Name of Arms of the Clan Fraser, one of the very few female hereditary peers to have sat in the Lords, and – by virtue of her marriage to a great-grandson of Queen Victoria – a member of the extended Royal family. She was entitled to a red crown on her car for royal occasions: hers was the last name on the list of royal precedence.

Flora Fraser was head of the lowland Frasers of Philorth, whose origins lay in Anjou; their seat is Castle Fraser, in Aberdeenshire. By a decree of the Court of the Lord Lyon made in 1984, she was chief of the “whole Clan Fraser”. However this ruling was treated with indifference by the Frasers of Lovat, as the Lord Lyon’s writ does not run to the Highland clans; the current Lord Lovat, Simon Fraser, retains the chiefship in the Peerage of Scotland.

Flora Marjory Fraser was born in Edinburgh on October 18 1930, the daughter of 20th Lord Saltoun and his wife, Dorothy Welby, daughter of Sir Charles Welby, Bt, one time member of Parliament.

The Saltoun title was created in 1445 for Sir Lawrence Abernethy, descendant of Hugh, Hereditary Abbot of the Pictish Abbacy of Abernethy on Tay, extant in 1172. The 4th Lord Saltoun fought at Flodden and escaped. On the death in 1669 of Margaret Abernethy, the title went to her cousin Alexander Fraser, a faithful supporter of both Charles I and Charles II, and has remained with the Frasers of Philorth ever since.

The most distinguished of Flora’s ancestors was the 17th Lord Saltoun, KT (1785-1853), who served in the Peninsular War, at Waterloo and in China. For his defence of Hougoumont, the Duke of Wellington called him a “pattern to the army both as a man and a soldier”.

The Frasers of Philorth founded the fishing port of Fraserburgh, but bankrupted themselves at the end of the 16th century trying to endow a university there. They had to sell the Castle of Philorth, and it was 1934 before Flora’s father managed to buy it back (renamed Cairnbulg Castle).

He had succeeded as the 19th Lord Saltoun, but was later thought to have been the 20th, after it was determined that his forebear Margaret Abernethy had briefly succeeded her brother, the 9th Lord Saltoun, as 10th Lady Saltoun, but had not traditionally been counted.

In February 1944, Flora’s elder brother, the Master of Saltoun, was wounded and taken prisoner while serving with the Grenadier Guards. His whereabouts were unknown for a year, after which he was presumed dead. At that point Flora became the sole heiress. In 1951 she trained as a chartered secretary in a city office.

When in 1956 Flora became engaged to Captain Alexander Ramsay , who had lost his leg serving in North Africa in 1943, the Queen had to give her assent in council under the Royal Marriages Act, which she did aboard the Royal Yacht Britannia at Leith before going ashore to attend the Edinburgh Festival.

“Sandy” Ramsay was the son of the former Princess Patricia of Connaught, known as Lady Patricia Ramsay after her marriage in 1919, and one of the last surviving granddaughters of Queen Victoria.

As a child Sandy had attended the young Princess Elizabeth’s parties. On their engagement, Flora was taken to visit his aunt, Princess Arthur of Connaught, curtseying to the bedridden invalid.

The Ramsays took part in all the major royal events in Britain, and followed the Queen down the steps at her annual garden party at Holyroodhouse. They also often went to Stockholm and Copenhagen, as Sandy’s aunt, Princess Margaret of Connaught, had married the Crown Prince of Sweden.

At the time of the wedding Sandy was an assistant on Lord Linlithgow’s estate at Queensferry. They married in the small local church in Fraserburgh, with a reception at the bride’s home, Cairnbulg Castle. The ceremony was notable for its lack of pomp: Flora carried no flowers, had no bridal attendants and designed her own dress in white peau de soie. On her head she wore a simple seed pearl circlet.

Even so, the crowds of well-wishers had to be held back by police. The wedding was attended by the Queen Mother , on what was said to be her first visit to North-East Scotland, and by the groom’s cousin, Queen Ingrid of Denmark , who had never visited Scotland before.

The couple inherited Mar Lodge in Aberdeenshire from Princess Arthur of Connaught, who died in 1959, but since all the furniture had been left to her nephew, the Duke of Fife , they had to improvise. Latterly they built a mock-baronial house nearby.

Flora had never boiled an egg until she married, but she went on a Cordon Bleu course and became a first-rate cook. As a child brought up during rationing, she had been taught to avoid waste, and any leftovers not eaten by the family were put into buckets for pigs or hens. She also served the sharpest dry martini in Scotland.

Flora succeeded her father as Lady Saltoun in 1979. When most of the hereditary peers were removed from the Lords in 1999, she was one of 28 crossbenchers – and the only holder of a lordship of Parliament – elected to remain. She served on the upper house’s ecclesiastical and procedure committees, and spoke regularly into her 80s on devolution, Lords reform and procedure, the Common Fisheries Policy and same-sex marriage, bringing a strong element of common sense to debates until her retirement in 2014.

In 2011 she defended the tradition that peers address each other in the third person, stating: “It is much more difficult to be rude to somebody when you have to address them in the third person. It is worth the time and the effort, simply because it cools things. Make no mistake, we do our work just as well when we are courteous and friendly to one another – in fact, we do it rather better than when we are ill-tempered because it is easier to work together to try to find a way forward.”

She disapproved of interruptions when a peer was speaking, likening a “cabal” that had recently decided to torment a speaking Peer to “sharks that had smelt blood”.

Naturally Lady Saltoun resisted proposals to remove the residual hereditary element: “What is this compulsion to destroy things which seems to seize even people who should know better? It is just an upmarket version of the compulsion to break things which seizes idle and unemployed youths in no-go areas of cities. Clearly, I am mistaken in expecting the Government to know better, for I see very little difference between their plans for reform of this House and the vandalism of yob culture.”

She rued the way the Labour reforms had filled the chamber “with a flood of the Prime Minister’s cronies”. In June 2010 she said: “I do not think that the people of this country want the House of Lords destroyed. It is the Government who want this House destroyed... because it does work – too well for their comfort.”

Lady Saltoun could be formidable at first encounter but once her confidence was won, she was utterly loyal and warm. She was particularly generous to any Frasers from overseas who rang up out of the blue and wanted to see the family portraits. A somewhat alarming motorist, she drove at great speed.

She was a great support to the Duke of Kent in 1970 when, as the new president of the RNLI, he attended the funerals of five lifeboat crew, lost off Fraserburgh. That same lifeboat had been launched by his mother Princess Marina after an earlier disaster, in 1953, when another five of the crew had been lost, successive tragedies that deeply affected the Duke.

The last major royal event at which Lady Saltoun was present was Prince William’s wedding in Westminster Abbey in 2011. The King and Lord Lyon King of Arms had to be informed of her death before it could be made public.

Flora and Captain Ramsay had three daughters, Katharine, a goddaughter of Queen Ingrid and the Princess Royal (Princess Mary); Alice, a goddaughter of Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester ; and Elizabeth.

Kate, known for many years as the Mistress of Saltoun, now succeeds her mother as 22nd Lady Saltoun, and head of Clan Fraser.

Lady Saltoun, born October 18 1930, died September 3 2024

Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.

Recommended Stories

Rookie chiefs speedster xavier worthy's 1st touch in the nfl goes for a touchdown.

The Chiefs got an immediate impact from their lightning fast rookie.

Derrick Henry starts Ravens career with first TD of the NFL season vs. Chiefs

Welcome to the Baltimore Ravens, Derrick Henry.

NFL Week 1 preview: what to watch for in every game | Football 301

Nate Tice is joined by Charles McDonald to finally talk about some real life NFL football games.

How much does it cost to be a Chicago Bears fan in 2024? Here's how to watch every game this season

How to keep up with every Bears game in the 2024 NFL season.

Taylor Swift supports Travis Kelce at Chiefs-Ravens game after false breakup contract circulates. They're 'going strong,' says source

What breakup PR contract? Taylor Swift cheers on Travis Kelce at Chiefs home opener as source says they're "solid."

John Sterling, longtime voice of the Yankees, making a short return to broadcast booth for 'a last hurrah'

Sterling abruptly retired in April after calling Yankees games since 1989.

PayPal Business Cashback Mastercard review — Helpful perks with a simple rewards program

If you’re in the market for a new business card, the PayPal Business credit card is a straightforward option with helpful perks and a simple rewards program.

The 25 best gifts for the boyfriend who has it all

These boyfriend-approved gift ideas from Everlane, Mack Weldon and Bose are actually cool. Promise.

How much does it cost to be a Chiefs fan in 2024? Here's how to watch every game this season

How to keep up with every NFL game, from the season opener to the 2025 Super Bowl.

Last call: Earn 5 Free Nights or 100,000 IHG points with these IHG credit cards (EXPIRED)

The IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card has the best-ever offer of 5 Free Nights, while the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card offers up to 100,000 points.

Drip Capital, a fintech that provides working capital to SMBs, picks up $113M

For over two decades, Jay Chandarana relied on commercial banks to meet the day-to-day, working capital needs of his family business, the sesame seed exporter Dhaval Agri. "Banking in India is collateral-based," Chandarana explained. Chandarana told TechCrunch that Dhaval Agri's volume has increased 50% in the five years that he's been a customer of the startup.

Big 12 'pauses' expansion discussions with UConn

The Huskies could have joined the conference in basketball and other non-football sports in 2026.

Selena Gomez wears this exact necklace in 'Only Murders In The Building'

Mabel is back in Season 4 with her signature fashion, including this gold bauble that celebrates her Mexican heritage — of course, we're buying it ASAP.

This NFL season is about to show how fast the sports TV landscape is changing

The streaming boom has massively altered how viewers consume sports.

Even the NSA now has a podcast

It will feature a total of eight episodes.

How to watch the Green Bay Packers vs. Philadelphia Eagles game in Brazil

The Packers and the Eagles face off this Friday in Brazil for a Peacock-exclusive game.

Mortgage and refinance rates today, September 5, 2024: Rates barely move prior to jobs report

These are today's mortgage and refinance rates. The 15-year fixed rate has inched down, but the 30-year rate hasn't moved this week. Lock in your rate today.

Caitlin Clark notches 2nd triple-double, creates 200-assist, 100 3-pointer club in Fever win

Clark is on pace for the most assists ever and the third-most 3-pointers ever.

The Federal Reserve should refresh its mandate: Former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy

Former GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy weighs in on the Federal Reserve, crypto, and the outlook for the economy.

I'm a fashion expert — here are the must-have fall finds I'm buying from Amazon

From trending loafers to a sleek turtleneck that's meant to be layered — give your closet an awesome autumn upgrade for as little as $12.