Royal Yacht Britannia to be recommissioned as a floating embassy?

It has been suggested that the Royal Yacht, Britannia, should be recommissioned and used to travel the globe to secure trade deals following the Brexit vote, reports The Sun.

Conservative MP Jake Berry is to call for a debate in Parliament on the plan to make Britannia rule the waves once more on 11th October. Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson has been made aware of the idea, claims the paper, and seems to support it.

Royal Yacht Britannia could be revived as a floating embassy for trade deals (Stu Smith)

Royal Yacht Britannia could be revived as a floating embassy for trade deals (Stu Smith)

Britannia was decommissioned in 1997 after 23 years as the boat of the Royal Family, but had previously hosted trade talks in the early 90s, which that reportedly saw billions of pounds brought to the UK’s economy.

Mr Berry said: “In her latter years Britannia is estimated to have brought in £3 billion of commercial trade deals between 1991 and 1995.

“During those profitable years, she hosted business figures from across the globe for ‘sea days’ — on board trade talks.”

Mr Berry told The Sun: “Recommissioning Britannia will undoubtedly be denounced as a vanity project by naysayers, but it could bring in billions of pounds’ worth of trade deals for post Brexit Britain.”

Britannia's living space

Britannia’s spacious lounge space. (Dorli Photography)

Currently, Britannia is moored in the Port of Leith near Edinburgh and attracts thousands of tourists to see The Queen’s yacht each year. It is part of the National Historic Fleet and cared for by the Royal Yacht Britannia Trust.

The yacht took numerous couples on their honeymoon, including Charles and Diana in 1981, and The Queen and Prince Philip in 1947. Zara and Mike Tindal – who married in Edinburgh – hired the yacht for their pre-wedding reception in 2011. A beloved floating home used each summer, Her Majesty was seen to shed a tear at the ceremony which relieved her of her duty.

Her Majesty would often take Britannia as her transport for State Visits abroad, and by the end of her service life, the yacht had sailed over 1,000,000 miles across the world. Each summer she was used to sail around the Scottish Isles; now The Queen holidays at Balmoral.

The State Dining room of Britannia saw hundreds of white-tie banquets as The Queen travelled across the globe, and summered with her family. (Damien)

The State Dining room of Britannia saw hundreds of white-tie banquets as The Queen travelled across the globe, and summered with her family. (Damien)

The plan to recommission Britannia would reportedly not cost the taxpayer, as it would be funded by private donations.

“On one commercial ‘sea day’, held on board in the Bay of Naples in 1980, £500 million of business was secured on behalf of the City of London,” Berry said.

“A Royal invitation to conduct business aboard the most exclusive yacht in the world made it hard for even the most successful business people to resist. Bringing back Britannia would be a powerful and symbolic message to the world.”

The Queen's bedroom aboard Britannia, which may be recommissioned for government uses. (Holly Hayes)

The Queen’s bedroom aboard Britannia, which may be recommissioned for government uses. (Holly Hayes)

If this is not possible, an idea which was proposed by David Cameron back in 2012 – to create a new Royal Yacht – would likely be put into motion. The yacht would have cost £60 million, and £10 million was pledged to the cause by wealthy Canadian financiers and an unnamed £5 million private donation.

The debate on the “reintroduction of the Royal Yacht Britannia for the purpose of international trade” means that the Royal Family may not be able to use her as they did before, since the sole purpose would be a ‘floating embassy’. However, knowing how much the yacht meant to The Queen, and the fact it was built for Royal use, makes it likely her wishes will be taken into consideration, and perhaps she will be given a time slot each summer to use the boat.

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1 comment

Jim Sun 18 September, 2016 - 11:00 am

I hope it comes to pass. The Brittania projected Britain’s prestige. No other country has anything like it. Air Force 1? Pfft.

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