The Honeymoon Suite. Photo / Marian McGuinness
The elegant Royal Yacht Britannia - the former royal yacht of the British monarchy - is permanently berthed in the historic Port of Leith in Edinburgh. And it’s open for visitors, writes Marian McGuinness
With several hours to spare before boarding my cruise ship in Edinburgh’s historic port of Leith, I spotted the nearby Ocean Terminal Shopping Centre. Perfect for a stroll and a snack. That was, until I saw the elegant, gold-rimmed, red, white and blue ship berthed alongside. It was The Royal Yacht Britannia, Queen Elizabeth II’s floating palace. Serendipity had given me a pre-departure gift.
Luggage free, I buy my boarding pass and audio guide at the Ocean Terminal’s Visitor’s Centre.
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“I name this ship Britannia,” proclaimed Queen Elizabeth II in 1953, christening the ship’s bow with a bottle of Empire wine. During the 44 years of Britannia’s service from 1954-1977, she sailed over a million nautical miles on state visits and family holidays, visiting more than 600 ports in 135 countries. Placed beneath her three masts are coins as payment to the angels to protect the sailors’ souls.
I board Britannia at command central - the bridge. There’s only one chair and that was for the admiral. Everyone else had to always be upstanding and on high alert. I have a pretend steer of the ship’s wheel that was taken from King Edward VII′s racing yacht, also named Britannia.
I feel as if I’m in a royal time warp as I wander through the Drawing Room. Not wanting anything too ostentatious, Queen Elizabeth sought a country-house-at-sea ambience.
With chintz-patterned lounges that cluster around the naval-regulation electric fireplace, there are family photos on walls and side tables. The baby grand piano (bolted to the deck for wild swells) was a source of family entertainment with stories of Noel Coward at the keys. You can even see the cigarette butt-out marks left by Princess Margaret as she tickled the ivories. The grey carpet could be rolled up to expose the wooden dance floor used during Princess Anne’s 21st birthday celebrations.
Moving into the State Dining Room, the mood changes revealing the opulent side of sea life where glittering banquets welcomed kings, queens, world leaders and celebrities from Nelson Mandela to Frank Sinatra. The glamour of the 56-seat dining table set with crystal glassware, silver service and candelabra is complemented by walls filled with gifts from around the world.
Visions of sumptuous royal bedrooms are shattered when I peer into these sacred spaces. The Queen and Prince Philip had separate rooms, sparsely furnished with single beds; the Queen’s with floral soft furnishings while Prince Philip’s were plain and russet-coloured, the prince requesting that his pillows not have lace on their borders. The Honeymoon Suite opposite the Queen’s bedroom had the only double bed on board. It hosted four royal honeymoons including that of Prince Charles and Princess Diana.
Heading downstairs to the lower deck I explore the gleaming brass, chrome and enamel engine room. The Queen often brought guests here as an after-dinner excursion. Nearby are the crew’s quarters. With 220 yachtsmen, 21 officers and a Royal Marine Band of 26 on board, their personal space was cramped with triple bunk beds. Fortunately, they had their own relaxing bar area serving three beers on tap, one being Fosters.
My royal tour takes me through the industrial laundry into the operating theatre and further along to the galley.
Every yacht needs a glass garage and Britannia’s housed either the Queen’s Phantom V Rolls Royce or her 1950s Land Rover. Both were used for overseas tours and are on view (not the originals). It was challenging protecting them from the salt as was winching them onboard in a harness.
At every turn, there’s an anecdote or two such as how the curved mahogany windbreak on the bridge ensured that windy gusts didn’t ruffle skirts and reveal royal underwear. At one stopover, the Queen was presented with a baby crocodile in a biscuit tin that had to be kept in her secretary’s bathtub.
After a couple of hours of sightseeing, it’s time to hit the Royal Deck Tearoom. With glass walls overlooking the Firth of Forth, do I choose between soup and sandwiches or tea and scones baked in the Royal Galley? Perhaps I’ll indulge in a Britannia G & T, crafted with 16 botanicals originating from ports visited during the ship’s 44 years at sea. As I leave, I souvenir the H.M.Y. Britannia insignia paper serviette as a keepsake.
One thing I noticed on my royal tour was that all the clocks had stopped at 3:01pm, exactly when Queen Elizabeth was piped ashore for the final time on the 20th of October 1997. It was noted that during the decommissioning ceremony the Queen shed a tear for the ship that had been her home for so long.
And so, it’s time to leave my grand vintage voyage to board my 21st century cruise ship, alas not-quite-as-luxurious as the Royal Family’s.
Please note that The Royal Yacht Britannia is closed for two days between October 9-10 for renovations.
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