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The Royal Yacht Britannia

Experience Tripadvisor's Best UK Attraction 2023. Follow in the footsteps of Royalty and explore this floating Royal residence with a fascinating audio tour of five decks (available in over 30 languages).

Tripadvisor's Best UK Attraction 2023, Best UK Attraction (Which magazine readers) and Tripadvisor Travellers' Choice Best of the Best award winner 

Please note due to the upcoming construction work at Ocean Terminal Shopping Centre, Britannia will be closed 25 - 28 June. 

Visit this award-winning attraction, just two miles from Edinburgh's city centre at Ocean Terminal.  The Royal Yacht Britannia played host to some of the world’s most famous people, from Nelson Mendela to Winston Churchill, but above all was home for the British Royal Family for over 40 years. Now you can discover the heart and soul of this most special of Royal residences.

You'll receive a truly warm welcome at Britannia's Visitor Centre before you board this famous ship where you will discover the history of Royal Yachts and view displays and historical photographs of Britannia's fascinating past before boarding Queen Elizabeth II's former floating palace.

What will you see?

  • Tour Britannia’s five decks
  • 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- the Sun Lounge
  • 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 and admire the stunning waterfront views.

The tour is available in:

  • Audio handset tour, available in over 30 languages
  • Children’s audio tour
  • Audio tour for those with sight loss
  • ASL and BSL tablet
  • Braille script ​​​​​​ ​​​​​

Complete the Britannia experience with a visit to the  Gift Shop in Ocean Terminal, where you’ll find exclusive Britannia souvenirs, china, toys, gifts and nautical items.

Berthed just moments away, Britannia's sister ship, floating hotel Fingal, offers 22 luxurious cabins inspired by the former Northern Lighthouse Board tender's rich maritime heritage. For further information, visit Fingal's website .

HELPFUL INFORMATION:

-  Please note that due to upcoming construction work at Ocean Terminal Shopping Centre, Britannia will be closed 11 - 23 March and 25 - 28 June. -  All weather experience -  Highly accessible for wheelchair users, single buggies and those with limited mobility. Read our accessibility statement here . -  Free Annual Pass for 12 months admission included -  The entrance to Britannia is via our Visitor Centre on the 2nd floor of Ocean Terminal shopping centre.

How to get here?

By tram: Take the tram to stop 'Ocean Terminal' (Newhaven direction).

By bus: Majestic Tour Bus and Lothian Buses 10, 16, 34 and 35 run from the city centre towards Ocean Terminal. Majestic Tour buses depart regularly from Waterloo Place / St Andrew Square in the centre of Edinburgh. The Majestic Tour is operated by Edinburgh Bus Tours .

By train:  Arrive in the city centre at Edinburgh Waverley Train Station, just 2 miles from Britannia. 

By car: Follow signs to Edinburgh and Leith or North Edinburgh. Then follow brown tourist signs for Britannia. Free car parking at Ocean Terminal (level E is nearest). For satnav our postcode is EH6 6JJ. Go inside the shopping centre for Britannia’s visitor centre and the start of the tour. By plane: Britannia is approximately 40 minutes’ drive from Edinburgh Airport.

For further information on finding Britannia, please see here .  

OPENING TIMES

Please check the Britannia website for full opening times and prices. EVENING EVENTS Exclusive dinners and receptions can be hosted on board. Call our events team on +44 (0) 131 555 8800 and see how we can create your event of a lifetime, or visit the events section of our website .

PRIVATE TOURS A private tour on board The Royal Yacht Britannia is an exclusive experience, giving you access to Britannia’s five decks, and a unique insight into the history of the Royal Yacht and how the Royal Family and crew lived and worked on board. Both Morning and Evening tours are available. Call our events team on +44 (0) 131 555 8800 or for more information visit click here . PRESERVING BRITANNIA Britannia is cared for by The Royal Yacht Britannia Trust , a self-funding charity registered in Scotland (SC028070). By visiting Britannia you will be helping us to preserve this important piece of history for future generations.

www.royalyachtbritannia.co.uk See our reviews on Tripadvisor Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter Follow us on Pinterest Follow us on Instagram

View our videos on YouTube

Transport and Parking

  • On Public Transport Route
  • Public Parking Nearby

Accessibility

  • Hearing Loop
  • Accessible Parking Or Drop-off Point
  • Lift or stairlift
  • Large print, braille or audio
  • Level Access
  • Wheelchair access throughout
  • Accessible toilets
  • Wheelchairs or mobility aids provided
  • Suitable for visitors with limited mobility

Dietary Options

  • Gluten Free

Typical Prices

  • Baby Changing Facilities
  • Public Toilet Facilities
  • Lunch Available
  • Licensed Bar
  • Cafe or Restaurant

Payment Methods

  • American Express
  • Diners Card
  • Credit Card
  • Coastal Location
  • Sea/Loch View

Awards & Schemes

royal yacht britannia virtual tour

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I visited the Royal Yacht Britannia, the royal family's luxurious private cruise ship known as a 'floating palace.' Take a look inside.

  • The Royal Yacht Britannia was the royal family's private yacht from 1953 to 1997.
  • The ship is now a museum open to the public in Edinburgh, Scotland.
  • The tour shows the Queen's bedroom, state rooms used for entertaining, and crew bunks.

The Royal Yacht Britannia was the royal family's private yacht from 1953 to 1997.

royal yacht britannia virtual tour

With its many royal family vacations and official tours, the yacht logged over 1 million miles , the equivalent of one trip around the world for each of its 44 years at sea.

The Queen once said that "Britannia is the one place where I can truly relax."

royal yacht britannia virtual tour

The Labour government decommissioned the ship in 1997 due to its high operation cost of £11 million each year, Reuters reported . That's equivalent to about $23 million today.

At the decommissioning ceremony, the Queen  shed a rare public tear .

The ship has made several appearances in Netflix's "The Crown," including season five .

The yacht is now a museum open to the public in Edinburgh, Scotland.

royal yacht britannia virtual tour

On a recent trip to Scotland , I booked a ticket for the Royal Yacht Britannia museum, which costs £18.50 ($23) for adults.

The entrance is located inside the Ocean Terminal shopping center in Edinburgh.

Before boarding the yacht, visitors walk through a museum detailing the boat's history and connection to the royal family.

royal yacht britannia virtual tour

The five-story ship was a royal residence as well as a Royal Navy ship, with a full-time staff of more than 240 royal yachtsmen and officers.

The museum displays photos of the royal family's life aboard the ship, as well as items like crew uniforms.

Then, a walkway with more photos leads to the deck of the boat.

royal yacht britannia virtual tour

The ship is docked on the water just outside the shopping center.

I listened to the audio tour of the ship on my phone by scanning a QR code.

royal yacht britannia virtual tour

There were also separate listening devices available.

Each room of the ship had a number that you could type in and press "play" to hear about your surroundings in an array of languages.

The first stop was the bridge, the main control point of the yacht.

royal yacht britannia virtual tour

In this small space, officers navigated the seas and recorded data in the ship's logbooks.

Outside, the flag deck is the highest point on the ship.

royal yacht britannia virtual tour

Britannia had three masts, and different flags were used to communicate with other ships on the water.

The admiral's cabin and suite is the most spacious on the ship, aside from the royal apartments.

royal yacht britannia virtual tour

The admiral's accommodations featured a day room, bedroom, bathroom, and pantry. The sofa and armchairs in the dayroom are over 100 years old and came from the previous royal yacht, Victoria and Albert III.

The royal family often sunbathed, played deck hockey, or swam in a collapsible swimming pool on the Veranda Deck.

royal yacht britannia virtual tour

Part of the yacht's royal quarters, the deck was also used for receptions and group photos.

Prince Philip occasionally set up his easel on the deck to paint.

Overlooking the Veranda Deck, the Sun Lounge was one of the Queen's favorite rooms on the ship.

royal yacht britannia virtual tour

Queen Elizabeth would often take her breakfast and afternoon tea in the Sun Lounge.

The Queen's bedroom on the Royal Yacht Britannia featured bed linens that once belonged to Queen Victoria.

royal yacht britannia virtual tour

The embroidered silk panel above the Queen's bed, commissioned in 1953, cost £450 ($560, or $6,250 in today's money).

Her sheets were embossed with "HM The Queen."

Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip had separate bedrooms connected by an adjoining door.

royal yacht britannia virtual tour

Each room had its own bathroom.

Philip's bedroom featured red linens, and he requested pillowcases without lace trim.

royal yacht britannia virtual tour

A button next to each of their beds would summon a royal steward.

Across the hall, the Honeymoon Suite was the only room onboard with a double bed.

royal yacht britannia virtual tour

The double bed was requested by then-Prince Charles when he honeymooned with Princess Diana in 1981.

The room was also used as a nursery when the royal children were young.

The Anteroom served as a recreational space for the officers, off-limits to the rest of the crew.

royal yacht britannia virtual tour

Officers would spend their time here listening to the radio and playing board games.

The royal family occasionally dined in the adjoining Wardroom.

royal yacht britannia virtual tour

Britannia's 19 officers ate meals here, accompanied by the Royal Marines Band.

Britannia has three galleys, which are still working kitchens today.

royal yacht britannia virtual tour

The galleys prepare food for the Royal Deck Tea Room and events hosted on the ship.

The Royal Deck Tea Room offers an extensive menu of soups, sandwiches, scones, and other treats for visitors to the museum.

royal yacht britannia virtual tour

The royal family once used the space to entertain guests and play deck games.

The state dining room is the largest room on the Royal Yacht Britannia.

royal yacht britannia virtual tour

Winston Churchill, Margaret Thatcher, Bill Clinton, Ronald Reagan, Nelson Mandela, and many other world leaders dined here with the royal family.

The placement of each utensil was measured with a ruler.

Just off the state dining room, the Queen's sitting room served as her office.

royal yacht britannia virtual tour

Here, the Queen would meet with her press secretaries and prepare for royal visits.

On the opposite side of the hall, the Duke of Edinburgh had his own sitting room.

royal yacht britannia virtual tour

Both Philip and Charles used the room as a study. Philip kept a model of his first naval command, the HMS Magpie, above his desk.

The telephones connecting the sitting rooms to each other and their private secretaries' offices are identical to the phones used in Buckingham Palace.

The large Drawing Room and connecting Anteroom could accommodate up to 250 guests.

royal yacht britannia virtual tour

The Drawing Room featured an electric fireplace and cozy floral furniture. When it wasn't being used as a reception space during formal events, the royal family used it to relax and play games on the card tables.

Petty officers and Royal Marine sergeants kicked back in their living quarters, also known as the mess.

royal yacht britannia virtual tour

Petty officers would occasionally entertain the Queen and other royal family members here.

The crew bunks weren't as glamorous as the royal apartments.

royal yacht britannia virtual tour

Each bunk folded up into a seat, and crew members stored their possessions in lockers.

Britannia's NAAFI (Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes) shop sold souvenirs and sweets, as well as essentials like toothpaste.

royal yacht britannia virtual tour

Diana once bought Prince William a Britannia souvenir shirt from the shop. Today, it sells homemade fudge to museum guests.

The ship's sick bay and operating theater still feature the original furnishings from the 1950s.

royal yacht britannia virtual tour

The ship's doctor attended to crew members, while the Queen's royal surgeon traveled with her on voyages.

Britannia's laundry room could reach temperatures of 120 degrees Fahrenheit as it washed up to 600 shirts in one day.

royal yacht britannia virtual tour

The royal family's laundry was done on different days than the crew's laundry.

All of the clocks onboard the Royal Yacht Britannia are stopped at 3:01 p.m.

royal yacht britannia virtual tour

The clocks are frozen at the  time the Queen stepped off the ship for the last time  during its decommissioning ceremony in December 1997.

The tour concludes in a gift shop full of royal souvenirs.

royal yacht britannia virtual tour

Amid the Britannia-themed mugs, pens, and aprons, the gift shop also sold replicas of royal jewelry.

There's even a photo-op at the end of the tour where you can practice your royal wave.

royal yacht britannia virtual tour

The tour was full of surprising facts about royal life and travels, and I couldn't believe that we actually got to see inside Queen Elizabeth's bedroom on the ship. It's definitely worth a visit.

royal yacht britannia virtual tour

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royal yacht britannia virtual tour

  • Attraction / Cruise Ship / Stately House / transportation

Royal Yacht Britannia: My video tour. Insight into Royal Life and History

by Gary Bembridge · April 19, 2013

Watch my video tour of the Royal Yacht Britannia . You will see through all areas of the ship and hear the history, about life on-board and anecdotes about the 44 years of service during which Queen Elizabeth II and the Royal Family used it to tour the world.

I adore the ship. It is stylish, fascinating and enthralling – especially being a lover of the sea and also fascinated by the history and life of the Royal Family.

Read a review I did on a previous visit: https://www.tipsfortravellers.com/2012/03/royal-yacht-britannia-recommended-for-a-visit-this-diamond-jubilee-year.html

The Royal Yacht Britannia set sail in 1953. For 44 years the British Royal Family, and their guests, had exclusive access to the ship. Retired in 1997, it is now docked in Leith Edinburgh at a specially designed exhibition centre. You explore the Yacht’s history before fetching an audio guide to tour the ship itself.

This classic looking ship was adored by the Queen, who was close to tears when it was decommissioned. She did almost 1,000 journeys and over 1 million miles in the ship.

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Some of the areas you tour, and my observations in the video are:

  • Today areas like the Bridge feel basic, simple and almost crude. In its day it had the leading technology and systems.
  • Over 240 crew were on-board, led by an Admiral. His quarters, just behind the Bridge, were large by sea-faring standards. They even included an dining table that could seat 8 people.
  • Out on the deck nearby is one of the many unusual features of the Royal Yacht Britannia. A garage carrying the Queen’s own Rolls Royce! This was used when the ship docked on official visits.
  • The Verandah deck is a large deck area at the rear of the ship. During voyages the Royal Family relaxed, played and entertained themselves. Today tourists entertain themselves on the deck by ringing the impressive Royal Yacht Bell!
  • Just off the Verandah deck is a wood panelled informal and very casual sitting room. It is filled  with comfortable summer furniture and has a bar. This leads directly into the bedroom area of the Royal Yacht Britannia.
  • Not surprisingly, the most popular room to view is the Queen’s Bedroom. Most people comment on how small the single bed looks. The room is muted, simple and classically styled.
  • Next to her room is the Duke of Edinburgh’s bedroom. Again it is simple, unfussy and it is also a touch more masculine.
  • Across the hall is the bedroom called the “Honeymoon Suite”. It is the only one with a double bed. This was reportedly added for Prince Charles and Princess Diana’s Honeymoon.
  • Back out on deck, you then climb up to the Royal deck Tea Room. Located where receptions used to be held, it now serves meals and teas. It has an extensive menu.
  • The next part of the Royal Yacht Britannia tour takes you further down into the ship to explore the Officers’ Mess and Wardroom. There were up to 20 officers on-board. They had their own bar and an impressive dining room. Sometimes the Royal Marine Band members would play during meals.
  • You see some of the kitchens next. Some were staffed by Chefs from the Royal Household. Today some of the kitchens are still operating to make items for the tea room and functions held on-board. The Glass & China Pantry displays the crockery from when the ship was in service, and the Silver Pantry the impressive silverware.
  • The State Dining Room is one of the most impressive rooms on the ship. A busy venue during State Visits around the world, it now can be hired for corporate events and functions.
  • Just outside the State Dining Room is the Queen’s Sitting Room. She would review documents sent to her in her official “red Box” everyday – sent to her everyday no matter where in the world she was. The Duke of Edinburgh had a similar sitting room nearby.
  • All the Royal Apartment ares were designed by Sir Hugh Casson, with heavy influence from the Queen and Prince Philip on taste and style. Rooms like the huge formal sitting room have a real “country house” feel despite being on a ship.
  • You then leave the splendour of the Royal Apartments to explore more crew areas, starting with the POs and Sergeant’s  Mess. They also had their won bar, though shared, bunk bed style sleeping accommodation.
  • A Royal Marine Band accompanied the Royal Family on Official Visits. Their sleeping quarters were also similarly cramped, shared and bunk beds.
  • There is a shop now making and selling Fudge! Popular with tourists.
  • Life on-board for the crew was segmented by rank. Even the Warrant Officers and CPOs had their own bar. Their accommodation was only slightly more private, and still shared.
  • There is a tiny Post Room and then a large sick bay which has unusual bunk bed style patient beds and then a large, and rather ominous looking, operating theatre.
  • The Engine Room is pristine and very clean looking. This was even the case when operating it seems. The Queen used to bring guests down to view it, as she was so proud of it.
  • The 200 crew and Royal Family generated a huge amount of laundry, and the laundry is huge. Royal Laundry and Crew laundry was done on different days.
  • The 200+ Yachtsmen ate in a more austere looking canteen. Their sleeping quarters were cramped and compact. They had a large bathroom area with rows of stainless steel basins and shower cubicles.
  • After touring the ship, you can view the Royal Barge. Used to ferry the Royal Family from the Yacht to land, it was last used in 2012 at the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Flotilla on the Thames in 2012.
  • Finally there is a large gift shop back in the main building. It is full of Royal Yacht Britannia souvenirs and Royal themed gifts.

See all the photos I took of the Royal Yacht Britannia:

For 44 years the Royal Yacht Britannia took the Queen all around the world. It is a fascinating insight into Royal like and history. Highly recommend you visit it.

Please do this short 10 question survey about Tips for Travellers to help me give travellers like you content you really want and need. Thanks! http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/tipsfortravellers

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Gary Bembridge

I grew up in Zimbabwe, but I have been based in London since 1987. My travel life spans more than three decades and that includes more than 95 cruises. In 2005, I launched Tips for Travellers to make it easy and fun for people to discover, plan and enjoy incredible cruise vacations. And the rest, as they say, is history. I have the largest cruise vlogger channel currently on YouTube, with more than 3 million video views per month.

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The Royal Yacht Britannia Has a Fascinating History—Here's Everything You Should Know

It doesn't get more majestic than Queen Elizabeth II's yacht.

Seventy years ago, the Britannia began its journey as the royal yacht for Queen Elizabeth II and the Royal Family of the United Kingdom. Over the next 44 years she’d travel more than a million nautical miles and, in all her glamour and old world elegance, served as a residence that welcomed state visits from all over the world and family holidays alike. Then and now, she was and is a majestic symbol of the British Commonwealth and the reign of Queen Elizabeth II .

“Britannia is special for a number of reasons,” Prince Phillip once said. “Almost every previous sovereign has been responsible for building a church, a castle, a palace or just a house. The only comparable structure in the present reign is Britannia. As such she is a splendid example of contemporary British design and technology.”

Although she retired from service in 1997, today the Britannia, one of many of the world's grandest yachts , is docked in Edinburgh, where she is open as a visitors’ attraction and host of private events. Below we give you all the Royal Yacht Britannia facts you might want to know, from who owns the yacht now to why she was decommissioned to how fast she is to how to get tickets to visit. Britannia was, after all, the one place the queen said she could “truly relax,” so why not see why for yourself?

queen royal yacht britannia in usa

Royal Yacht Britania Facts and History

On February 4, 1952, John Brown & Co shipyard in Clydebank, Scotland, received the order from the Admiralty to build a new Royal Yacht to travel the globe and double as a hospital ship in times of war, according to the royal yacht's website . King George VI passed away two days after, sadly, and so on April 16, 1953, the newly crowned Queen Elizabeth II announced the yacht’s new name as the ship was revealed.

"I name this ship Britannia,” she said. “I wish success to her and all who sail in her." Britannia was commissioned into the Royal Navy in January 1954 and by April of that year sailed into her first overseas port: Grand Harbour, Malta.

royal yacht britannia facts staircase

The queen and The Duke of Edinburgh worked with interior designer Sir Hugh Casson for the ship to serve as both a functional Royal Navy vessel and an elegant royal residence. Queen Elizabeth II selected deep blue for Britannia’s hull, instead of the more traditional black. Its Naval crew included 220 Yachtsmen, 20 officers, and three season officers—plus a Royal Marines Band of 26 men during Royal Tours.

All of them might have had to change uniform up to six times a day, so the laundry service on board worked nonstop. The yacht also engaged in British overseas trade missions known as Sea Days and made an estimated £3 billion for the Exchequer between 1991 and 1995 alone.

royal yacht britannia facts drawing room

The ship’s wheel was taken from King Edward VII’s racing yacht, also named Britannia, according to Boat International , and the 126-meter ship could reach speeds of 22.75 knots, or a seagoing cruising speed of 21 knots, according to Super Yacht Times . Other fun facts: The yacht could produce her own fresh water from sea water, and shouting was forbidden aboard to preserve tranquility, favoring hand signals for Naval orders instead.

royal yacht britannia facts dining room

Over the next 44 years, the Britannia would sail the equivalent of once around the world for each year, in total visiting 600 ports in 135 countries. Princess Margaret and Anthony Armstrong-Jones were the first of four couples to honeymoon on the ship in 1960, gifting them all privacy to sail to secluded locations. Prince Charles and Princess Diana followed in 1981 on the Mediterranean as well as Princess Anne and Captain Mark Phillips before them in 1973 in the Caribbean and Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson in 1986 in the Azores.

diana and william

For family vacations aboard the ship, games, treasure hunts, plays, and picnics were organized, and on warm days the children could play in an inflatable paddling pool on the Verandah Deck.

royal yacht britannia facts sun lounge

In the Sun Lounge, the queen especially enjoyed taking breakfast and afternoon tea with views through large picture windows, a space you can see replicated in the TV show The Crown. Although no filming took place on board the Britannia for the show, researchers ensured scenes aboard it were accurate. In the queen’s bedroom, the resemblance is seen down to the decorative wall light fittings and embroidered silk panel above her bed that had been specially commissioned.

queen crying at britannia

In 1997, the ship was decommissioned after the government decided the costs to refit it would be too great. On its final day in her service that followed a farewell tour around the U.K., the queen openly wept as the Band of HM Royal Marines played "Highland Cathedral."

"Looking back over 44 years we can all reflect with pride and gratitude upon this great ship which has served the country, the Royal Navy and my family with such distinction," Queen Elizabeth II said. All clocks on the ship stopped at 15:01, the exact time the Queen disembarked from the yacht for the final time, and they would remain at that time until the present.

royal yacht britannia facts clock

How to Tour the Royal Yacht Britania

Today the yacht is owned by Royal Yacht Britannia Trus t, and all revenue it generates goes to the yacht’s maintenance and preservation. Ticketed entry allows you to step into state rooms like the Sun Lounge, the State Dining Room and State Drawing Room, in addition to the working side of the ship in the Crew’s Quarters, Laundry and gleaming Engine Room. Along the way you will see original artifacts from the shop—95 percent of which is on loan from The Royal Collection.

the royal yacht britannia

How to Visit the Royal Britania

You can visit the Britannia any day of the year on Edinburgh’s waterfront. Hours vary by season, and you can find them listed and purchase tickets on the yacht’s website . Private tours are also available, and you can visit the Royal Deck Tearoom, where the Royal Family hosted cocktail parties and receptions, for drinks, meals and scones. Additionally, the Britannia hosts special ticketed events for New Year’s and other occasions, and event spaces can be booked as well.

While you are in Edinburgh, you can also stay on the Fingal , a neighboring yacht-turned-floating-hotel, which is a seven-minute walk from the Britannia, and dine at its Lighthouse Restaurant & Bar, which serves breakfast, afternoon tea, dinner, and cocktails.

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A trip through ‘The Crown’: Fake Buckingham Palace and a royal yacht

Country homes and cathedrals stand in as castles and westminster abbey. here’s how to visit the locations from the netflix show..

royal yacht britannia virtual tour

If you’re like millions of people around the world, it’s highly likely you’ve taken the tumultuous journey through British royal history with “The Crown.” The Emmy-winning Netflix series has enthralled viewers with drama, costumes and historical sites since it was released in 2016. The show begins its final sixth and final season on Nov. 16.

Using a cast of frequently changing actors, the show brings the extensive reign of Queen Elizabeth II to life — though Britain’s government has urged fans to remember that the series is loosely based on past events and is, in fact, a work of fiction.

‘The Crown,’ good as ever, may change your opinion of Charles and Diana

Royal residences and key landmarks are also staged in the show, with country houses and cathedrals serving as stand-ins for Buckingham Palace and Westminster Abbey.

If you’re looking to plan your own trip through the show, here are some of the locations that are used as stand-ins for royal homes and historic buildings — and how to visit them.

Wilton House and Lancaster House (Buckingham Palace)

Almost 100 miles from London’s Buckingham Palace stands Wilton House, a sprawling 14,000-acre estate in Wiltshire, England, and one of the homes that subs as the luxury royal residence in “The Crown.”

With its rose gardens, Gothic hall, Tudor tower and crimson silk velvet curtains, the mansion is considered one of Britain’s finest country homes and serves as a fine stand-in for the palace in seasons 1, 2 and 3.

Here are ‘The Crown’ episodes to watch to learn more about the queen

Built by the first Earl of Pembroke in the 1540s, Wilton House now belongs to the 18th Earl and Countess of Pembroke, William Herbert and Victoria Bullough. The couple open their doors to the public at certain times throughout the year. Organized tours take visitors through state rooms dating back to the 17th century and into the ornate library, which fans of the show will recognize as the queen’s drawing room.

Just a five-minute walk from Buckingham Palace is London’s Lancaster House , a Grade I-listed mansion (the highest historical significance) with Louis XIV-style interiors that have been used by the show’s producers to depict life inside the royal palace for at least four seasons. The house, which was commissioned in 1825 by the Duke of York, features a sweeping staircase, a music room, chandeliers and Corinthian columns.

Formerly a royal residence, Lancaster House is now managed by the British government. The venue has been used for international summits, formal dinners and conferences. The venue is available to book for private events.

7 surprising revelations from Netflix’s ‘Harry & Meghan’

Ardverikie Estate (Balmoral Estate)

At the heart of Scotland’s Ardverikie Estate in Kinloch Laggan, Inverness-shire, lies Ardverikie House, a striking 19th-century building that serves as the perfect substitute for Balmoral Castle in several episodes. Balmoral, the Scottish home of the royal family since 1852, is where Elizabeth died in September.

Nestled in woodland with “pepper-pot” turrets and high gray walls, the buildings are strikingly similar. Ardverikie is surrounded by mountains, lakes, wild red deer and some 38,000 acres of land. Balmoral, about an 80-mile drive, can be found in Aberdeenshire, surrounded by some 50,000 acres of peaceful landscape.

The public is welcome to tour Ardverikie Estate, according to the official website. Those who want to spend the night can pick from cottages, a farmhouse or an isolated eco-pod.

Somerleyton Hall (Sandringham Estate)

Somerleyton Hall in Suffolk, England, is the 5,000-acre estate used to re-create Sandringham House , a country retreat long cherished by generations of British royalty.

Somerleyton and Sandringham are linked by design, according to Somerleyton Hall’s events manager, Peter Thompson. “Both were originally Jacobean houses that were extensively remodeled in the Victorian era, so they have a very similar feel and sensibility about them.”

Thompson said that filming inside the hall and the grounds was a “mammoth operation” and that it took 12 days to strip contents from the hall and redress it for just three days of filming. Specialist teams photographed the original layout of rooms and their contents, so all items would eventually be returned to their original place.

Princess Diana was the queen of revenge fashion

In Season 4, Princess Diana, played by Emma Corrin, dances in Somerleyton’s ballroom in Episode 9 as her marriage to Prince Charles continues to unravel.

Lord and Lady Somerleyton, Hugh Crossley and Lara Bailey, live at Somerleyton Hall, so the venue is closed to the public, though visitors are invited to tour 12 acres of lush green gardens between April and October each year.

Burghley House (Windsor Castle)

Burghley House , a Tudor mansion with arched windows and towering walls in Lincolnshire, England, plays the role of Windsor Castle in Season 4 of “The Crown.” Earlier seasons depicting the castle were recorded at Belvoir Castle in Leicestershire.

The real Windsor Castle , in England, has served as home for about 40 British kings and queens in the past 1,000 years.

Although producers of the show used the grand 16th-century English country house to capture its regal interior, Burghley was also used in Season 5 of the show to re-create the 1992 Windsor fire that devastated the royal family and sparked a five-year restoration project that cost roughly 37 million pounds.

The blaze burned for 15 hours and took 1.5 million gallons of water to extinguish. The queen arrived at Windsor after the blaze, a moment re-created by actor Imelda Staunton in Season 5.

Burghley House was built by Queen Elizabeth I’s Lord High Treasurer between 1555 and 1587. Visitors can book to stay overnight in the Dairy , opt for a luxury tent on the grounds or book a room at the William Cecil within the estate. People can also take a tour online.

Hylands House (The White House)

Hylands House in Chelmsford, England, usually hosts weddings, private business events and parties. But the Grade II-listed building, which is set within 574 acres of historic parkland, is also featured in “The Crown” as a stand-in for the White House.

With its pearly exterior, front-facing columns and green backdrop, Hyland House resembles the U.S. presidential office and residence, despite being about 10 hours away by plane.

In Season 3 of the show, Helena Bonham Carter plays the queen’s sister, Princess Margaret. Scenes depict the princess arriving at the presidential office with husband Antony Armstrong-Jones, also known as Lord Snowdon, played by Ben Daniels. The two embark on a meeting at the fake White House in Essex with the President Lyndon B. Johnson, played by Clancy Brown.

Hylands House is free to explore and is open every third Sunday of the month. Visitors are invited to sit for afternoon tea or watch live music in the courtyard. You can also take a virtual tour.

Royal Yacht Britannia

The Royal Yacht Britannia , a.k.a. “the floating palace,” served the queen and the royal family for more than 40 years. The ship sailed more than 1 million nautical miles globally .

What really happened to Royal Yacht Britannia from ‘The Crown’ Season 5?

The vessel was another home for the queen, a safe space away from the mainland and used for honeymoons and vacations. The yacht is seen in the latest season of “The Crown,” though scenes were not filmed on the real vessel but inside a studio that re-created the ship.

Before the filming of Season 2, “The Crown’s” art director visited the original vessel — now retired and moored in Edinburgh — to photograph, draw and capture drone footage of Britannia, so the re-creation would be perfect.

The Royal Yacht Britannia said there has been a spike in visitors to the real yacht since it was featured. Guests are asked to book tickets in advance. Want to spend the night? Britannia’s sister ship, Fingal , is a floating hotel just minutes away.

Ely Cathedral (Westminster Abbey)

Ely Cathedral , in the city of Ely in Cambridgeshire, England, doubles as London’s Westminster Abbey in “The Crown.”

With its distinctive patterned tiles and medieval detailing, the historical monument poses similarities with the abbey, which has been the setting for every royal coronation since 1066 and for at least 16 royal weddings, including the marriage of Catherine and William, now the Princess and Prince of Wales.

In Season 1, the church was used to re-create the 1947 wedding of Elizabeth and Philip, played by Claire Foy and Matt Smith. Thousands of pilgrims and tourists visit the cathedral every year, and guided tours are available. Book your tickets in advance .

The death of Queen Elizabeth II

The final resting place: Queen Elizabeth II has been buried in her final resting place next to Prince Philip, her husband of more than 70 years, capping an elaborate state funeral , which was invested with all the pomp, circumstance and showmanship that the monarchy, military and state could put on display for a global broadcast audience of millions.

The state funeral: The funeral was full of pageantry and pathos, including a new national anthem, funeral ensembles with affectionate touches in honor of the queen, a personal note from King Charles III , appearances by the young heirs, Prince George and Princess Charlotte and the royal corgis . Here are some of the most memorable moments in photos and videos .

A new monarch: Queen Elizabeth II’s son, Charles, became King Charles III the moment his mother died. He may bring a markedly different personal vision of religion and spirituality to the role. Here’s what to know about him.

We’re following changes in the British monarchy post-Elizabeth. Get the Post Elizabeth newsletter for the latest updates.

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Royal Yacht Britannia bridge

It was from this area that Britannia was commanded as the Royal Yacht sailed the oceans of the world. From here the Officers navigated, log books were recorded and orders issued.

Royal Yacht Britannia Office

This is where the Admiral worked, entertained and often ate during his time on board. Not only did the Admiral have ultimate responsibility of ensuring that Britannia ran like clockwork, but he was also in charge of a staff of some 19 Officers and 220 Yachtsmen.

royal deck tea room with customers royal yacht britannia

The Royal Deck was used for games and entertaining. Today this is where you can enjoy freshly prepared delicious scones, cakes, soups and sandwiches with waterfront views and a warm welcome.

Crew of The Royal Yacht Britannia Yotties. Royal Collection Trust / © His Majesty King Charles III 2023.

Here the Royal Family relaxed in privacy, sunbathing or enjoying games of quoits or deck hockey. Prince Philip would occasionally set up his painting easel here and there was even a collapsible swimming pool for the Royal Family to take a dip if they wanted.

sun lounge royal yacht britannia

This beautiful teak-lined room was one of Queen Elizabeth II's favourite spaces on board. It was a family room and offered privacy from the rest of the ship.

waitresses in state dining room royal yacht britannia

This was the largest and grandest room on board Britannia. Here Queen Elizabeth II and The Prince Philip entertained some of the world’s most powerful figures like Sir Winston Churchill, Nelson Mandela, Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher.

state drawing room royal yacht britannia

The spacious and elegant Drawing Room served both as a place for the Royal Family to relax and also as a reception room for up to 250 guests.

Royal Yacht Britannia Engine Rooms 18

The NAAFI shop was well stocked with everything the Officers and Yachtsman might need - from toothpaste to Britannia souvenirs.

The Laundry Room aboard The Royal Yacht Britannia showing shirts, jackets and ironing equipment

Britannia was the only ship in the Royal Navy to have a laundry service permanently on board. The 240 Officers and Yachtsmen might have had to change uniform up to six times a day, meaning that the laundry machines, dryers and steam presses worked non-stop.

Royal Yacht Britannia Engine Rooms 16

A proud testament to British marine engineering - every piece of machinery, every gadget, stopcock, switch and dial operated faultlessly until Britannia was decommissioned in 1997.

Royal Yacht Britannia Crew

Plays were performed and music was played to delight and entertain The Royal Family and the crew.

Royal Yacht Britannia Crew 8

There were endless games organised on board with treasure hunts, picnics, fun exercise games and water fights. On warmer days the Royal children could even splash about in an inflatable paddling pool on the Verandah Deck.

Visiting Britannia

Tripadvisor’s No.1 UK Attraction 2023

royal yacht britannia virtual tour

Start your tour at our Ticket Centre, currently located on the Ground Floor of Ocean Terminal. 

Please pre-book your tickets to guarantee admission.

Due to upcoming construction work at Ocean Terminal Shopping Centre , Britannia will be closed 25-28 June.

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

Step aboard to enjoy a great day out!

Fingal Hotel

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. 

AA Hotel of the Year Scotland, AA five-star hotel and 2 AA Rosettes

royal yacht britannia virtual tour

Learn more: fingal.co.uk

Edinburgh Tourist

Royal Yacht Britannia

The royal yacht britannia.

Address:  Ocean Drive, Leith, Edinburgh, EH6 6JJ

The Royal Yacht Britannia is one of the world’s most famous ships. King George VI commissioned the yacht shortly before his death, and it was built in Scotland and launched by his daughter Queen Elizabeth II in 1953. The royal family used this floating palace for over 44 years, on state visits and holidays to 135 countries. It was decommissioned in 1997, and all clocks on board remain frozen at 3.01 pm, the final time the Queen was piped ashore during the decommissioning ceremony.

The ship is now a 5 star attraction, berthed in Leith, Edinburgh and open to visitors. You can board her at Ocean Terminal and experience Her Majesty’s Britannia in all of her glory. There are five main decks to explore, from the elegant state apartments to the crew’s quarters below. There is a fascinating audio tour to guide you around, which includes a children’s version. There are also BSL tablets, Braille script and each deck is fully accessible for buggies and wheelchairs.

5 things to do on the Royal Yacht Britannia

  • On the top decks you can check out the state apartments, Royal bedrooms and sun lounge.
  • In contrast to the glamour and luxury, you can then go below deck and discover what life was like for the ship’s crew.
  • Take tea in the Royal Deck Tea Room and sample homemade fudge in the sweet shop.
  • Visit the immaculate engine room and see the gleaming machinery that powered the ship.
  • Discover Britannia’s many treasures, such as, art work from the Royal Collection and historical artefacts including photographs, furniture, crockery, equipment and mementos.

State Drawing Room

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Great Lakes Now

A look back on Queen Elizabeth’s Great Lakes tour

royal yacht britannia virtual tour

By GLN Editor

Queen Elizabeth II left her mark in the Great Lakes region, from joining President Dwight D. Eisenhower at the opening of the St. Lawrence Seaway to sailing on Lake Michigan and Lake Huron.

Following the Thursday news of the longest-reigning British monarch’s passing, PBS stations across the nation broadcasted programs commemorating her life and local news organizations reported on the late queen’s special connection to the region, highlighting the 45-day tour of Canada and the Great Lakes she took in 1959.

  • Remembering Queen Elizabeth II’s trip under the Mackinac Bridge aboard Britannia — MLive

Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip’s royal yacht, the Britannia, sailed up the Detroit River, then up Lake Huron before passing under the Mackinac Bridge and sailing down Lake Michigan and making a stop in Chicago.

MLive reported that the queen’s visit to the Straits of Mackinac area “sparked a little royal fever.”

  • Queen Elizabeth II’s 1959 Chicago visit was only stop on Great Lakes tour — Chicago Sun-Times

Though thousands of people gathered in the Straits area when the monarch sailed by, it doesn’t compare to the “royal fever” experienced in Chicago, which the Chicago Sun-Times reported was their only U.S. port of disembarkation on the tour.

More than 1 million spectators lined the lakeshore to welcome Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip with a parade after their arrival at Buckingham Fountain, according to 1959 news reports. Silent outtakes from the Chicago Film Archives include footage of the queen’s motorcade making its way down Michigan Avenue:

“Today history, unforgettable history, has been made in Chicago, and we have all been privileged to be a part of it,” Mayor Richard J. Daley said at the gala dinner the queen attended that day.

  • Queen Elizabeth II ‘visited’ Milwaukee in 1959 when her royal yacht brought her within city limits on Lake Michigan — Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported that “scores of people boarded the Milwaukee Clipper, a Great Lakes ferry, to try to get a closer look at the queen and her entourage” as the yacht passed by the city on their way to Canada.

Archive video from WTMJ-TV shows Queen Elizabeth II touring the Great Lakes. Learn more about the programs being broadcasted that commemorate the legacy of the queen on PBS.org .

Catch more news at Great Lakes Now

First in decades, a new Great Lakes freighter joins fleet

African scientists visit the North American Great Lakes in international exchange

Featured image: Queen Elizabeth II’s royal yacht passing beneath the Mackinac Bridge in 1959. (Photo Courtesy of Mackinac Bridge Authority)

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Royal Yacht Britannia – tickets, prices, discounts, afternoon tea, what to see

Royal Yacht Britannia in Edinburgh

Royal Yacht Britannia used to be Queen Elizabeth’s Palace on Water and is now Scotland’s most popular tourist attraction. 

Known by many names such as Her Majesty’s Yacht Britannia, Queen Elizabeth’s Yacht ,  HMY Britannia, etc., this Yacht was in the Queen’s service for 44 years and sailed more than a million miles worldwide. 

It is a perfect opportunity to see how the British Queen lived when traveling with other Kings and Queens, World leaders, and celebrities. 

This article shares everything you must know before booking your tickets for the Royal Yacht Britannia tour.

Top Royal Yacht Britannia Tickets

# Royal Yacht Britannia tickets # Royal Edinburgh ticket

Table of contents

What to expect at yacht britannia, royal yacht britannia prices, royal edinburgh ticket, where is the royal yacht britannia, royal yacht britannia entrance, royal yacht britannia opening times, are the britannia tours timed, are the royal britannia tours guided, how long does a tour of britannia yacht take, royal britannia discounts, royal yacht britannia audio guide, royal deck tea room timings, 1. the state drawing room, 2. the verandah deck, 3. the sun lounge, 4. the state dining room, the engine room, the laundry, admiral’s cabin.

Here is a quick video on what visitors can expect inside Her Majesty’s Yacht Britannia.

Your Royal Britannia tour starts from the Visitor Centre, on the second floor of Ocean Terminal, where you get the historical background about the Royal Family and Yachtsmen.

You then pick up the audio guide, which is part of the entry ticket, and board Queen Elizabeth’s Yacht and explore five fascinating decks.

Highlights on the Yacht’s Royal side are the Sun Lounge, the State Dining Room, and The Queen’s Bedroom.

On the ship’s operational side, you get to see the Crew’s Quarters, the Engine Room, the laundry, etc.

More than 95% of the exhibits you will see during your tour are original and are taken on loan from The Royal Collection.

If you prefer, you can also visit the Royal Deck Tea Room.

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Royal Yacht Britannia tickets

This entry ticket gets you complete access to the Royal ship that’s now berthed in Edinburgh’s historic Port of Leith.

Visitors can explore all five decks at a leisurely pace even as they take in the public and private lives of the British Royal Family.

This ticket also includes the complimentary audio guide. 

Adult ticket (18+ years): 18.50 pounds Child ticket (5 to 17 years): 9.25 Pounds  Family ticket (2 adults and up to 3 children): 50 Pounds Infant ticket (under 5 years): Free entry

This combo is known as the 48-hour Royal Edinburgh Ticket and is a real money saver. 

If you are visiting Edinburgh for the first time, we highly recommend this Royal attractions combo. 

This ticket gets you to access three of the best attractions in the city:

  • Royal Yacht Britannia
  • Edinburgh Castle
  • Palace of Holyroodhouse

And to top it all, you also get unlimited travel for 48 hours on three of Edinburgh’s hop-on-hop-off bus tours. 

Royal Yacht Britannia location map

Address:  Ocean Terminal, Leith, Edinburgh EH6 6JJ, United Kingdom. Get Directions

The Royal Yacht Britannia is berthed in Leith, Edinburgh, just 2 miles from the City Centre.

Britannia’s Visitor Centre is on the second floor of Ocean Terminal, just 15 minutes’ drive from Edinburgh City Centre.

Ocean Terminal is soon going to be  re-branded  as Porta. 

There are many ways to get to the Royal Yacht. 

If you are coming by train, you must get down at  Edinburgh Waverley .

From outside the station, you can take a taxi to cover the 3.7 kms (2.3 miles) to Ocean Terminal. 

From the Waverly station, you can also take bus No. 22 and 34.

You must board the buses at  Princess Street (Stop PN) , and after 24 minutes and 27 stops, get down at  Ocean Terminal (Stop OF) .

There is a bus from the Station, every 15 minutes.

Lothian Bus services  run three buses – Bus No. 11, 22, and 35 – from Edinburgh City Centre to Ocean Terminal. 

You can purchase tickets on the bus by presenting the correct change or from the  Lothian Buses app .

A single journey on a Lothian Bus costs 1.70 Pounds. 

If you use Satnav, use the postcode EH6 6JJ. 

Else, open Google Maps to get  directions to Ocean Terminal .

If you prefer a taxi, we recommend  Uber ,  Central Taxis , or  City Cabs .

Car Parking

Royal Yacht Britannia offers free parking at Ocean Terminal.

Blue Car Park on Level E is closest to the tourist attraction’s Visitor Centre. 

This part of the Park also has spaces for Blue Badge holders. 

If you reach by foot, taxi, or bus, access to Royal Britannia is from the Ocean Terminal Shopping Center’s main entrance on the ground floor. 

You must take a lift to the 2nd floor of Ocean Terminal and walk towards the building’s East end.

Royal Yacht Britannia Visitor Center Entrance

You will first spot Debenhams and then HMY Britannia’s Visitor Center entrance.  Even though you can book tickets at the venue (the ticket desk is to the left of the visitor center entrance), it is better to  buy them online , much in advance, to avoid last-minute disappointment. 

During the peak months of April to October, Royal Yacht Britannia opens at 9.30 am, and the last entry is at 4.30 pm. 

The rest of the year, the Royal Yacht opens at 10 am, and the last entry is allowed till 3.30 pm. 

The last admission on 24 December is at 2.30 pm, and on 31 December it is at 3 pm. 

Royal Yacht Britannia is closed on 25 December and 1 January.

Royal Yacht Britannia tour

The Royal Yacht Britannia   tours are a perfect way to feel like a celebrity for a few hours. 

In this section, we share a few things you must know before you book your tour of the Royal ship. 

No, tours of HMY Britannia don’t start at a stipulated time. 

When you book your tickets, you only select the ‘date.’ 

On the day of your visit, reach the Royal ship between their opening hours to start exploring.

Her Majesty’s Yacht doesn’t offer guided tours. 

However, every ticket comes with an audio guide to walk around and tour the ship yourself.

Kids get their own version of the audio guide. 

You need at least two hours to explore Royal Yacht Britannia to satisfaction. 

However, if you plan to visit the Royal Deck Tea Room, you must factor in another 30 to 60 minutes. 

Visits during July and August tend to take longer because of the crowd. 

Kids up to four years get the maximum discounts at Britannia, Edinburgh – they get in for free. 

On the adult ticket price of 17 Pounds, children aged 5 to 17 years get almost 50% discount and pay only 8.75 Pounds.

Seniors who are 60+ and students with valid educational ID cards get a 2 Pound reduction on the full ticket.

People in the Armed Forces (with valid ID) can also claim the reduced price of 8.75 Pounds. 

However, this Armed Forces discount is available only at the Britannia ticket office.

Every Britannia Yacht entry ticket comes with a complimentary audio guide.

While receiving the audio guides at the Handset Desk, you can ask for straps to wear the audio guides around the neck. Headphones are also available.

Kids can opt for the children’s version of the audio guide.

The audio tour is available in 30 languages; English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Dutch, Finnish, Greek, Russian, Czech, Polish, Hungarian, Korean, Japanese, Urdu, Mandarin, Hindi, Arabic, Thai, Turkish, Cantonese, Punjabi, Portuguese-Brazilian, Welsh, Romanian and Gaelic. 

Besides the audio guide, visitor guides are also available through the tour route to help if you have questions.

Royal Yacht Britannia afternoon tea

The Royal Deck Tea Room is on board Britannia and tables are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.

It is a perfect restaurant to enjoy freshly prepared food and stunning views of the harbor. 

The menu includes specialty coffees, cocktails, tasty soups, sandwiches, cakes, scones, etc.  Download Menu

The Royal Deck Tea Room has 35 tables and can seat 133 people.

During the peak months of April to October, the Royal Deck Team Room opens at 11 am, and the last admission is at 3.30 pm. 

January to March: Opens at 11 am, last admission at 3.30 pm

November to December: Opens at 10.30 pm, last admission at 3.45 pm

Royal Yacht Britannia interiors

Many tourists wonder what’s inside the Royal Yacht before they book their tickets. 

Some out of curiosity and some to know if a visit to Royal Yacht Britannia is worth it. 

We list below some of the highlights of this Palace on water. 

State Apartments

The State Apartments are the collection of rooms where the Royals lived or entertained their guests. 

The Royal family relaxed in the State Drawing Room whenever they traveled together. 

It also acted as a reception room for up to 250 guests. 

The Verandah Deck was a private space for the Royals, where they could sunbathe or enjoy quoits or deck hockey. 

This area of the ship also had a collapsible swimming pool for the Royal Family to splash around if they wanted.

Sun Lounge at Royal Yacht Britannia

The Sun Lounge was one of the Queen’s favorite rooms onboard HMY Brittania. 

The beautiful teak-lined room was a designated family room and offered a lot of privacy from the rest of the ship.

This massive dining room onboard Britannia has played host to the world’s most influential people, such as Nelson Mandela, Sir Winston Churchill, Ronald Reagan, Margaret Thatcher, etc. 

With its white paneled walls adorned with gifts received during State visits, this room represents ultimate luxury. 

Engine Room at Royal Yacht Britannia

The Engine Room is a testament to British marine engineering skills because, until the ship got decommissioned in 1997, everything was working fine. 

This room is full of gleaming brass, chrome, and white enamel with the ‘heavy stuff’ under the hood pumping 12,000 horsepower, which would help Britannia and her four-bladed propellers to a maximum of 22.5 knots.  

Eight men operated the Engine Room, Boiler Room, and associated machinery rooms.

The 240 Officers and Yachtsmen on board Her Majesty’s Yacht Britannia sometimes had to change their uniforms up to six times a day. 

This is why it was the only ship in the Royal Navy to have a laundry service permanently on board. 

The laundry machines, dryers, and steam presses on the ship worked non-stop, and sometimes the temperature even went up to 48 degrees Celcius (118 degrees Fahrenheit)

Admiral’s Cabin at Royal Yacht Britannia

The Admiral was responsible for Royal Yacht Britannia’s safe functioning and commanded the 19 officers and 220 Yachtsmen who operated the ship.

He worked, entertained, and often ate (he couldn’t join the other officers in their mess unless invited) in the Admiral’s Cabin. Image: Royalyachtbritannia.co.uk  

Royal Yacht Britannia's Bridge

The Bridge was HMY Britannia’s center of command and control on all her journeys. 

From here, the officers reporting into the Admiral navigated, passed orders, recorded the logbooks, etc.

Back then, all Royal Navy ships had a Navy, Army, and Air Force Institute shop, known as the NAAFI. 

The crew members and the officers would shop for their daily needs, such as toothpaste, shaving creams, magazines, etc. in this shop. 

Sources # Royalyachtbritannia.co.uk # Architecturaldigest.com # Wikipedia.org # Tripadvisor.com The travel specialists at TheBetterVacation.com use only high-quality sources while researching & writing their articles. We make every attempt to keep our content current, reliable and trustworthy .

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This article was researched & written by

Urvashi Goyal

She is a city fanatic who loves exploring different cities, understanding their culture, meeting people, and discovering hidden gems. She likes to holiday in offbeat places that mainstream tourists are yet to discover. When on holiday, she avoids crowded tourist traps. Favourite cities: Bern, Los Angeles, and San Francisco

Edited by Rekha Rajan & fact checked by Jamshed V Rajan

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The Royal Yacht Britannia

The Royal Yacht Britannia was launched in 1953 by John Brown & company in Clydebank near Glasgow, the famous ship was the last of 83 Royal Yachts built for the British Royal Family.

As a floating royal residence, Britannia was famous as a floating palace, hosting receptions and banquets. Guests would be treated to unparalleled service and cuisine regardless where in the world dinner was served. The Royal Apartment entertained world leaders including Sir Winston Churchill, Nelson Mandela and Ronald Reagan. Princes Diana and Prince Charles even honeymooned onboard in especially commissioned the Bridal suite.

Brought into service a year after Queen Elizabeth II coronation, the ship and the Queen have had a close and fond relationship during the ships 44 year career. Britannia’s last official call of duty was to hand over the British territory of Hong Kong to the Chinese in 1997 and to escort the Governor and Prince Charles out of the territory after 99 years of British Rule. All the clocks on board remain stopped at 3:01pm which was exactly when the Queen left Britannia for the last time.

At the decommissioning ceremony the Queen was seen to shed a tear, the only time she has been seen to do so during her reign.

Britannia is now permanently moored in the Leith Docks area of Edinburgh, immediately adjacent the Ocean Terminal shopping centre. The visit offers an interesting insight into the Royal Family and British culture during her service. This access most areas tour across 4 decks will give you a real appreciation for life onboard, from the bridge and service areas of the ship to the Royal Apartments and banqueting room.

Explore the engine room with its complex generators and controls and visit the onboard laundry, the only ship in the British Naval fleet to offer 24 hour laundry service. Other interesting attractions can be seen onboard, including a 1965 Royal Rolls Royce Phantom, that was re-installed on the ships deck as part of her conversion to a museum exhibit.

Royal Yacht Britannia Ocean Drive Leith Edinburgh EH6 6JJ

www.royalyachtbritannia.co.uk Open year round except Christmas Day and New Years day N.B, Whilst your guide is not able to conduct the tour onboard Britannia, there is an excellent audio guide that is provided at the entrance to the ship.

Private tours that visit this location:

Private Tours of Edinburgh

PRIVATE EDINBURGH TOURS

A fantastic overview of edinburgh’s iconic big sites and hidden treasures, only known about by the locals..

Royal Yacht Britannia Coat of Arms

Inquire about a private tour

Scotland. make it yours.

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  1. Sneak Peek Inside The Royal Yacht Britannia Edinburgh & Tour Review

    royal yacht britannia virtual tour

  2. Sneak Peek Inside The Royal Yacht Britannia Edinburgh & Tour Review

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  3. The Royal Yacht Britannia Official Website

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  4. Royal Yacht Britannia, Edinburgh

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  5. Royal Yacht Britannia Full tour with audio and subtitles Part 1

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  6. Sneak Peek Inside The Royal Yacht Britannia Edinburgh & Tour Review

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COMMENTS

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    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, you can discover across five decks stories of life at sea for both the Royal Family and the 220 Royal ...

  6. The Royal Yacht Britannia, Edinburgh

    Both Morning and Evening tours are available. Call our events team on +44 (0) 131 555 8800 or for more information visit click here. PRESERVING BRITANNIA. Britannia is cared for by The Royal Yacht Britannia Trust, a self-funding charity registered in Scotland (SC028070).

  7. Inside the Royal Yacht Britannia, the Queen's 'Floating Palace'

    The Royal Yacht Britannia was the royal family's private yacht from 1953 to 1997. It's five stories tall, had more than 240 staff, and was known as the queen's "floating palace." Britannia is now ...

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    The Royal Yacht Britannia was the royal family's private yacht from 1953 to 1997. The ship is now a museum open to the public in Edinburgh, Scotland. The tour shows the Queen's bedroom, state ...

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    The Royal Yacht Britannia set sail in 1953. For 44 years the British Royal Family, and their guests, had exclusive access to the ship. Retired in 1997, it is now docked in Leith Edinburgh at a specially designed exhibition centre. You explore the Yacht's history before fetching an audio guide to tour the ship itself.

  10. Audio Tour

    Remembers if YouTube should show the new-style or old-style video interface to you. While visiting Britannia in Edinburgh you can take advantage of our excellent FREE audio tour available in 30 languages.

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    The Royal Yacht Britannia was built by the Clyde shipbuilders Messrs John Brown & Co at a cost of £2,098,000 to replace her 50-year-old predecessor, Victoria and Albert III. ... It was used extensively on tours of areas such as the Caribbean, the coast of Europe and the Pacific, allowing The Queen to reach remote regions, and to travel around ...

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    The Britannia's Drawing Room. The ship's wheel was taken from King Edward VII's racing yacht, also named Britannia, according to Boat International, and the 126-meter ship could reach speeds of 22.75 knots, or a seagoing cruising speed of 21 knots, according to Super Yacht Times. Other fun facts: The yacht could produce her own fresh ...

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    Docked in Leith near Edinburgh (scotland), the Royal Yacht Britannia was the ship the Queen and Royal Family used to tour the world from 1953 to 1997. In 44 ...

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    The fascinating audio tour, available in 30 languages, takes visitors round five decks and is a rare glimpse into the public and private lives of the British Royal Family. ... Approximate duration and distances shown are from The Royal Yacht Britannia. Social Media. Tweets by The Royal Yacht Britannia. Facebook. Contact Details. Ocean Drive ...

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    Step aboard Queen Elizabeth II's former floating palace and experience this iconic attraction for yourself. Rated Tripadvisor's No.1 UK Attraction (AGAIN), Britannia is one of the most famous ships in the world…Royal Deck Tearoom. Only 15 minutes from Edinburgh City Centre. Lothian Bus services from Edinburgh city centre are - 10, 16, 34 ...

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    You can also take a virtual tour. Royal Yacht Britannia. The Royal Yacht Britannia, a.k.a. "the floating palace," served the queen and the royal family for more than 40 years.

  17. Explore Britannia

    Visiting Britannia. Tripadvisor's No.1 UK Attraction 2023. Start your tour at our Ticket Centre, currently located on the Ground Floor of Ocean Terminal. Please pre-book your tickets to guarantee admission. Due to upcoming construction work at Ocean Terminal Shopping Centre, Britannia will be closed 25-28 June.

  18. Royal Yacht Britannia

    The Royal Yacht Britannia. Address: Ocean Drive, Leith, Edinburgh, EH6 6JJ. The Royal Yacht Britannia is one of the world's most famous ships. King George VI commissioned the yacht shortly before his death, and it was built in Scotland and launched by his daughter Queen Elizabeth II in 1953. The royal family used this floating palace for over ...

  19. A tour of Queen Elizabeth II's Royal Yacht Britannia

    Take a full tour of the Queen's yacht, Britannia. This magnificent vessel was used by Queen Elizabeth II for over 40 years to travel the world and host stat...

  20. A look back on Queen Elizabeth's Great Lakes tour

    Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip's royal yacht, the Britannia, sailed up the Detroit River, then up Lake Huron before passing under the Mackinac Bridge and sailing down Lake Michigan and making a stop in Chicago. MLive reported that the queen's visit to the Straits of Mackinac area "sparked a little royal fever."

  21. HMY Britannia

    Her Majesty's Yacht Britannia is the former royal yacht of the British monarchy.She was in their service from 1954 until 1997. She was the 83rd such vessel since King Charles II acceded to the throne in 1660, and is the second royal yacht to bear the name, the first being the racing cutter built for the Prince of Wales in 1893. During her 43-year career, the yacht travelled more than a million ...

  22. Royal Yacht Britannia

    Royal Yacht Britannia opening times. During the peak months of April to October, Royal Yacht Britannia opens at 9.30 am, and the last entry is at 4.30 pm. The rest of the year, the Royal Yacht opens at 10 am, and the last entry is allowed till 3.30 pm. The last admission on 24 December is at 2.30 pm, and on 31 December it is at 3 pm.

  23. Private tour to The Royal Yacht Britannia

    Royal Yacht Britannia Ocean Drive Leith Edinburgh EH6 6JJ. www.royalyachtbritannia.co.uk Open year round except Christmas Day and New Years day N.B, Whilst your guide is not able to conduct the tour onboard Britannia, there is an excellent audio guide that is provided at the entrance to the ship.

  24. A TOUR OF THE ROYAL YACHT BRITANNIA

    Join me for a private tour of the late Queen's favourite home - The Royal Yacht Britannia. Go beyond the ropes for a look inside the private apartments, incl...