royal yacht design

The global authority in superyachting

• NEWSLETTERS
• Yachts Home
• The Superyacht Directory
• Yacht Reports
• Brokerage News
• The largest yachts in the world
• The Register
• Yacht Advice
• Yacht Design
• 12m to 24m yachts
• Monaco Yacht Show
• Builder Directory
• Designer Directory
• Interior Design Directory
• Naval Architect Directory
• Yachts for sale home
• Motor yachts
• Sailing yachts
• Explorer yachts
• Classic yachts
• Sale Broker Directory
• Charter Home
• Yachts for Charter
• Charter Destinations
• Charter Broker Directory
• Destinations Home
• Mediterranean
• South Pacific
• Rest of the World
• Boat Life Home
• Owners' Experiences
• Interiors Suppliers
• Owners' Club
• Captains' Club
• BOAT Showcase
• Boat Presents
• Events Home
• World Superyacht Awards
• Superyacht Design Festival
• Design and Innovation Awards
• Young Designer of the Year Award
• Artistry and Craft Awards
• Explorer Yachts Summit
• Ocean Talks
• The Ocean Awards
• BOAT Connect
• Between the bays
• Golf Invitational
• Boat Pro Home
• Pricing Plan
• Superyacht Insight
• Product Features
• Premium Content
• Testimonials
• Global Order Book
• Tenders & Equipment

What will the new royal yacht look like?

When the Royal Yacht Britannia was decommissioned in 1997 as a cost-cutting measure by the British government, not everyone was ready to say farewell. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has now confirmed that a new royal yacht will be operational by 2026, with design plans due to be released around the time of the Queen's Platinum Jubilee . According to Johnson, the royal yacht will sail around the world hosting trade negotiations as part of Britain's post-Brexit plans – but what will it look like? We pitched the idea to six teams of designers...

Project Albion

Team members : Steve Gresham, Fiona Diamond, Mike Fisher, Mike Brandy, Jarkko Jamsen and James Kandsch

The design : Project Albion is a 140 metre, three-masted sailing yacht with telescopic wing sails that allow the rig to concertina into itself when at anchor or cruising under power. High-profile guests stepping aboard can make use of its two helidecks: one retractable landing pad on the starboard side that doubles as an exhibition space, and another on the bow with a helicopter hangar beneath. Alternatively, there's a hydrogen-powered royal limousine tender named Lillibet (the Queen’s familial nickname)

Star features : At the heart of the yacht sits a grand, double-height ballroom for royal gatherings. Two-storey structural glass windows on either side offer sweeping sea views –  the perfect backdrop to any royal occasion.

“Project Albion is a modern, forward-thinking sailing yacht, incorporating green features and technology, whilst maintaining a sense of grandeur and tradition”  – Fiona Diamond

Stateship Britannia

Team members : Tim Gosling, Luiz de Basto, Bart de Haan, Jerry Lakeman, Luca Scarsella

The design : The Stateship Britannia is a striking 202 metre motor yacht designed to function as a floating embassy. Split into three spaces – public, shared and private – royal yacht is able to host large-scale, international events but also serves as a private residence for royals on board. There’s a helicopter hangar that converts into an emergency hospital, which in light of recent events won't go amiss, while the portholes are deliberately positioned to read ‘2020’ in morse code, marking the year as the beginning of a new era for the royal family.

Star features : A Union Jack-printed glass funnel houses wind turbines with vertical rotors that assist the yacht’s hydrogen propulsion system.

“We want a yacht that stands out and cannot be confused with any other multi-million pound boat. It’s something different”  – Luiz de Basto

Royal Red Diamond

Team members : Frank Neubelt, Theodoros Fotiadis, Guido de Groot, Enrique Tintore, Carl Sorenson

The design : A seven-deck modern-classic with a conservative design that reflects the tradition and values of the royal family. Measuring 140 metres, Royal Red Diamond features a Neptune lounge, two helipads, a duplex royal stateroom and a swimming pool that sits between the two funnels. The motor yacht will be powered by twin Rolls Royce 5,500hp diesel-electric engines.

Star feature : A grand atrium with an imperial staircase sits aft, enclosed by structural glass, and doubles as a gallery and exhibition space.

“It’s a seven-deck world cruiser with a modern-classic style to reflect the conservative ethos of the royal house”  – Frank Neubelt

Team members : Daniel Nerhagen, Guglielmo Carrozzo, Willem Jan Kuipers, Claudio Zimarino

The design : Royal Lion takes its inspiration from the famous Cutty Sark clipper, a merchant sailing ship that used to bring tea back to Britain from China in the 1800s – with a few upgrades of course. A 180 metre sailing yacht requires some serious sail power, which comes in the form of 24 solar sails housed in four DynaRig masts, allowing the royal yacht to reach 17 to 18 knots.

Star features : A platform that opens from the transom can be used as a touch-and-go helipad for royal visits and also doubles as a party platform for state functions and social occasions.

“Royal Lion can store solar energy through the sails into high capacity batteries, which can be used for the hotel load or for manoeuvrability when coming in to port”  – Claudio Zimarino

Britannia As A Rule

Team members : Michele Dragoni, Bart Bouwhuis, Wayne Parker, Aristotelis Betsis, Kriss Hogg

The design : This modern eco-yacht is designed to be carbon neutral for a new era of eco-savvy royals. Among its credentials are solar panels, turbine tubes and a nuclear power plant by Rolls Royce. In their downtime, the royal family can make use of the yacht's electric Jet Skis, electric helicopter and there's even an electric Land Rover Defender for trips ashore. Other highlights include a dedicated "palace deck" with a royal stateroom and a helicopter hangar on the foredeck.

Star features : For those boarding the yacht via the aft, sliding glass doors on the transom open to reveal one large indoor-outdoor exhibition space.

“It’s a floating showcase of all that’s great about Great Britain”  – Bart Bouwhuis

Project Winston

Team members : Andrew Winch, Gabriel Gabie, Jenny Skoog, Sally Storey, Alejandro Hahn

The design : With the Union Jack plastered across three DynaRig masts, there’s no confusion as to which family this royal yacht belongs to. Project Winston takes its design cues from three great British symbols: the hull is inspired by an Aston Martin, the upper deck by a crown, and the sails by the Union Jack. Elsewhere, sitting proudly on the bow is a figurehead of a British bulldog, while a bejewelled royal balcony is the perfect spot from which to wave-off the evening's guests.

Star features : The sails feature an integrated LED system that showcases the Union Jack on one side and act as a virtual billboard on the other to promote the best of Britain wherever it goes.

“Greta Thunberg has already agreed to come on board”  – Jenny Skoog

More stories

Most recent, from our partners, sponsored listings.

Find anything you save across the site in your account

Zaha Hadid Architects Helped Design a Superyacht for the Royal Family—But It Was Never Built

By Katherine McLaughlin

If you’re a fan of deconstructivist architecture and water sports, you may be familiar with Zaha Hadid Architects’ (ZHA) Unique Circle Yachts , a collection of five superyachts the firm unveiled in 2019. Undeniably bold, the boats are strong, imposing, and when they do grace the water, they’ll be hard to look away from. But what you might not know is that the firm also worked on another yacht concept—one designed for the royal family. 

In 2021 Prime Minister Boris Johnson had announced plans to build a national flagship yacht, which would have been used for trade fairs and diplomatic events, according to the BBC . The new vessel was intended to replace The Royal Yacht Britannia, which was decommissioned in 1997 following 44 years of service. However, in November of last year, the plans were scrapped, partly because the country wanted to allocate funds toward research and surveillance ships as well as safeguarding national infrastructure following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. 

A rendering shows the boat passing through Tower Bridge. 

Still, when the plans were in motion, various naval architecture firms submitted proposals for the UK’s flagship, including the Vitruvius Yachts, Zaha Hadid, and Ocea UK team. “Designed to be fit for a king,” as the project description states, the submission was shortlisted, but with the project ultimately canceled, images of the vessel were never shared publicly—until now. 

Vitruvius Yachts recently released renderings for the could’ve-been boat as well as a look into the design process from the three collaborators. “All design contributors were keen to capture the essence of UK heritage and embrace a forward-thinking and innovative approach to the design of the flagship with sustainability at the core,” Vitruvius’s website reads. The vessel, which is outfitted in the colors of the Union Jack, more closely resembled The Royal Yacht Britannia than ZHA’s Unique Circle Yachts and was designed to be built from recycled aluminum and powered by biofuels, hydrogen, and wind. “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,” Philippe Briand, a yacht designer at Vitruvius Yachts, said in a statement. 

All design collaborators hoped to honor the heritage of the UK with the superyacht design. 

Inside, the interiors reflect the heritage of the UK, with flexibility at the forefront for the design team. A large formal dining room, for example, can be reconfigured to accommodate breakout rooms with a movable partition. Other interior spaces included a demonstration area for trade shows, medical facilities, a science lab, and office space. 

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

More Great Stories From AD

The Story Behind the Many Ghost Towns of Abandoned Mansions Across China

Inside Sofía Vergara’s Personal LA Paradise

Inside Emily Blunt and John Krasinski’s Homes Through the Years

Take an Exclusive First Look at Shea McGee’s Remodel of Her Own Home

Notorious Mobsters at Home: 13 Photos of Domestic Mob Life

Shop Amy Astley’s Picks of the Season

Modular Homes: Everything You Need to Know About Going Prefab

Shop Best of Living—Must-Have Picks for the Living Room

Beautiful Pantry Inspiration We’re Bookmarking From AD PRO Directory Designers

Not a subscriber? Join AD for print and digital access now.

Browse the  AD PRO Directory to find an  AD -approved design expert for your next project.

By Prinita Thevarajah

By Charlotte Collins

By Katie Schultz

By Vaishnavi Nayel Talawadekar

Zaha Hadid Architects shares its conceptual design for the abandoned British Royal Yacht

Although plans for the Royal Yacht are all at sea, ZHA, Jason Bruges Studio, Vitruvius Yachts and OCEA conjured up a contemporary vision for this very traditional role

• Sign up to our newsletter Newsletter

Time was when a new Royal yacht – for the British Royal Family – seemed like a rather good idea. Hailed as a miracle wheeze for boosting heavy industrial and craft-level jobs as well as re-gilding the rather tarnished Royal image, calls for a replacement for HMY Britannia started almost immediately after the 83rd Royal yacht was retired and decommissioned in December 1997. 

This proposal from Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA), designed in collaboration with Philippe Briand and Veerle Battiau’s Vitruvius Yachts, was one of four entries into a design competition for a new national flagship. ZHA and Vitruvius collaborated with Jason Bruges Studio and French boat builder OCEA to form Team FestivAl.

British Royal yacht concept: what might have been

This was not ZHA's first foray into naval architecture. Back in 2013, the company worked on a suite of six yacht designs for the German shipyard Blohm + Voss , and last year it unveiled a conceptual catamaran design, the Oneiric in collaboration with the Italian superyacht builder Rossinavi.

Britannia worked hard over its 44-year career, travelling over a million nautical miles to 135 countries during nearly 700 official trips. The retirement of the familiar Royal Blue hull caused a certain amount of lament amongst royalists, although proposals for a successor played up the historic ship’s role as an ambassador for the UK, not just a handy holiday spot for the Royal Family. 

In mid-2021, Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced plans for a new £200m Royal yacht, tentatively named after the late Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Within a few weeks, this grand scheme was being hastily pedalled back and any ideas for a ‘new national flagship’ were conclusively canned in November 2022 (a former palace source tweeted, ‘[the Royal Family] never wanted or even asked for a replacement’).

ZHA’s involvement will therefore remain an intriguing footnote in this stalled venture. The 125m yacht would have had a sustainable, zero-emission propulsion system and an emphasis on a multi-role mission, capable of transforming from an ‘exhibition showcase or floating embassy … suitable for everyone from VVIPs to schoolchildren and the disabled.’ 

Although interior designs weren’t revealed, the plans were said to include a wealth of recycled materials, including a recycled aluminium hull, and a large central atrium. This is hinted at in the hull designs, with fluid lines running from the near vertical prow and stern, rising up to frame a large window above a ceremonial entranceway and ramp. Jason Bruges Studio proposed a lighting sculpture that illuminated the hull and projected images onto the surrounding waster.

Wallpaper* Newsletter

Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox

The three other finalist teams in the abandoned competition included Team Harland & Wolff, featuring naval architect Stephen Payne with Clifford Denn Design, Team New Flagship Company led and funded by advertising entrepreneur Ian Maiden, bringing together Mark Whiteley Design and ThirtyC Yacht Design, and Team Signal, including superyacht industry veterans Bannenberg & Rowell Design alongside engineering specialists Houlder.

Zaha Hadid Architects, Zaha-Hadid.com

Jason Bruges Studio, JasonBruges.com

Vitruvius Yachts, VitruviusYachts.com

OCEA Shipbuilding, OCEA.fr

Jonathan Bell has written for Wallpaper* magazine since 1999, covering everything from architecture and transport design to books, tech and graphic design. He is now the magazine’s Transport and Technology Editor. Jonathan has written and edited 15 books, including Concept Car Design, 21st Century House, and The New Modern House. He is also the host of Wallpaper’s first podcast.

‘Tony Notarberardino: Chelsea Hotel Portraits, 1994-2010’, on show at New York’s ACA Galleries, is the photographer’s ode to the storied hotel he calls home and its eclectic clientele

By Hannah Silver Published 5 April 24

We experience the handcrafted Morgan Plus Four, a longstanding automotive icon that’s still a true tonic for the senses

By Jonathan Bell Published 5 April 24

‘Loom’ table, by Hannes Peer, for Baxter is among our Salone del Mobile 2024 highlights, featured in May Wallpaper*, on sale 11 April

By Léa Teuscher Published 5 April 24

• Contact Future's experts
• Terms and conditions
• Privacy policy
• Cookies policy
• Advertise with us

Wallpaper* is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site . © Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.

DriveMag Boats

Your ultimate resource for anything ship-related

New Design for Royal Yacht Britannia Successor

Long live the Queen

British architecture studio Winch Design has published a set of designs for a new yacht to succeed the Royal Yacht Britannia. Britannia was retired from service in 1997.

Britannia was launched from the John Brown & Company shipyard in Clydebank on 16 April, 1953. For over 44 years she served the Royal Family, travelling over one million miles to become the most famous ship in the world. To Her Majesty The Queen, Britannia proved to be the perfect Royal residence for glittering state visits, official receptions, Royal honeymoons and relaxing family holidays. For Great Britain, she was a majestic symbol of the Commonwealth and a proud ambassador.

Britannia is 150m long is now docked at the Ocean Terminal, Leith, Edinburgh, Scotland. All the clocks on board are stopped at 3.01pm, marking the time the Queen disembarked the yacht after the decommissioning ceremony.

The designs for the new Britannia feature the traditional navy hull with a white superstructure and luxurious interiors. The aft deck will include a superyacht helipad. The Winch design studio estimates that a full modern version of the designs would cost £100 million to build.

The designer of Cunard liner Queen Mary 2, Stephen Payne, has drawn up plans for a £200million royal yacht that would promote British trade, tourism, youth and culture around the world.

Naval architect Stephen Payne, who has been working on the project for two years, says Britannia 2 would be a floating ‘Festival of Britain’ that could pay for itself by hiring out its conference hall and exhibition spaces during port visits.

At 475ft it would be 62ft longer than the original HMY Britannia and have a two-deck, 250-seat auditorium and a self-contained royal deck, as well as an on-board pub, restaurant, TV studio, museum and souvenir shop. There would be storage for a quayside “pop-up” marquee connected to the ship’s electrical supply.

The ambitious plans for a new national flagship, announced by the Prime Minister, would be named after the Duke of Edinburgh and help boost British trade.

Mr Payne said he sent an outline of his proposals to No.10 – but they were lost. He added: “What concerns me about Boris Johnson’s plan is the scale of what they’re proposing – I’m hoping they are not trying to do this on the cheap. Mine’s a fairly large ship, it might end up costing £300 million, but even then the payback time would be 20 years, so it would be cost neutral.”

The designer’s interest in building a second Britannia stems from his visits to the previous royal yacht in 1996 when he was advising a parliamentary committee on the ship, which is now a tourist attraction in Leith, Edinburgh.

Mr Payne said: “The driving force has been to provide a platform that could deliver all that Britannia did so well, with the significant upgrades of a conference and exhibition centre that could offset its build and operational costs.”

He wants the hybrid-powered royal yacht built at Harland & Wolff shipyard in Belfast and for it to become the first ever “dual flag” Royal and Merchant Navy vessel with a Royal Navy captain.

The 61-year-old has even drawn up a 328-day itinerary for the ship to visit 51 ports around the world. In times of emergency, Britannia 2 could have a secondary use as a floating hospital or disaster relief ship.

Mr Payne, from Hampshire, has impeccable credentials for the project. As well as designing Queen Mary 2, he has worked with the Ministry of Defence on studies into aircraft carriers.

As a five-year-old boy, his interest in naval design was sparked by an item on children’s TV programme Blue Peter about Cunard liner Queen Elizabeth.

At the age of 12, when the Blue Peter annual ran a feature saying “Queen Elizabeth is a superliner, the last of a great age and nothing will ever be built like her again”, he wrote complaining that this was not true as he was going to design and build just such a ship himself. Programme editor Biddy Baxter sent him a Blue Peter badge but warned that he “shouldn’t be disappointed if he never achieved his goal”.

Undeterred, Mr Payne graduated as a naval architect in 1984 and joined Carnival Cruise Line in London, where he helped design the Fantasy class of ships.

After visiting Britannia in 1996, he wrote articles on the history of the royal yacht which were edited by Prince Philip and published in The Naval Architect and Ships Monthly. However, plans for a successor ship were shelved by Tony Blair’s Labour government the following year.

Around the same time, James Cameron launched his movie blockbuster Titanic which – despite its dramatic ending – created a surge in demand for transatlantic voyages on Cunard’s then flagship, Queen Elizabeth 2. In 1998, new owners Carnival Corporation decided to invest in a new $1billion liner, Queen Mary 2, with 38-year-old Payne chosen to design the ship.

With its launch in 2004, his vow to build a superliner to rival Queen Elizabeth was fulfilled. Blue Peter presenters even came on board on the day of the maiden voyage to present him with the show’s top honour, a gold badge. Mr Payne was also made an OBE for services to shipping.

He said: “It is nearly 30 years – and a new century – since the last royal yacht was withdrawn and there has never been a greater need for the British Government to step up its support for UK industry as it seeks to sell its goods and services overseas.

“Recent events have also underlined the importance of the Royal Family to the country’s image abroad and the need to ensure that it can continue to make a positive contribution. Britannia 2 is designed to highlight that royal link to the UK’s fortunes by becoming a key part of a major economic recovery based on new and enhanced trade deals around the world.

“This multiple-role vessel will also showcase the best in British design and innovation. Building the ship at Harland & Wolff would mean that, everywhere it sailed, people will be witnessing the return of classic UK shipbuilding, even if they never step on board.”

Related articles

Ships monthly is published every month and has a cover price of £4.99

Arvia CRUISE REVIEW

Carnival celebration cruise review, celebrity beyond cruise review, latest news, popular news.

• Privacy notice
• Terms & Conditions
• Cookie policy
• Store Finder

© 2024 Kelsey Media Ltd. Kelsey Media Ltd, Registered No. 05822990, is a trading name of Kelsey Publishing, Registered No. 02387149.

Ship shape: 5 of the world’s most spectacular royal yachts

By Dora Davies-Evitt

The Dannebrog

This Danish royal yacht serves as an official and private residence for the Danish Queen and other members of the royal family when they are on summer cruises in home waters or on official visits overseas. Made in the naval work yard Orlogsvaerftet, Copenhagen, in 1931, the ship was baptised by Queen Alexandrine, the wife of King Christian X. The yacht has a rich history, with many decades of royalty aboard. King Frederick IX is known to have taken his showers on the boat's bridge, hosed down by a member of his team. It has been anchored in almost every port in Denmark, as well as Greenland, the Faroe Islands, the Mediterranean, the Caribbean and all the way to the coastline of the US; training around 30 Danish naval conscripts every year. Based on the design of the floating palaces of the XIX century, the Dannebrog is more than just a boat.

By Isaac Bickerstaff

By Emma Samuel

The largest privately owned super yacht in the world, this 180-metre vessel was built for Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahyan of Abu Dhabi’s royal family, for use as a day boat to reach his favourite diving grounds. The boat can hold 36 guests and as many as 80 crew members - it also includes a gym, pool and a special ‘golf training room’. It is reported to have cost the sovereign approximately 600 million dollars. Filled with luxury, the engineers apparently worked to ensure that there is as little turbulence as possible, so that the chandeliers don’t tinkle at sea. Its record is soon to be beaten by a new yacht: the REV Ocean. A vessel which, at 183 metres, was designed by Norwegian millionaire Kjell Inge Rokke, and has been created to clean the ocean floors.

HMY Britannia 

HMS Britannia 

Built in 1953 for the late Queen Elizabeth II (who was crowned that same year), after 44 years of service the HMS Britannia was decommissioned and is now on display in Edinburgh. The vast and lavishly designed yacht has sailed over one million miles, accommodating 968 official royal visits. The regal vessel was once described by Queen Elizabeth as ‘the one place where I can truly relax’. The boat boasts dining rooms adorned with gifts from around the world, including a whale rib found by her husband on a beach, as well as a sun lounge with furniture chosen by the queen, and a garage built to house the royal Rolls-Royce. Sir Winston Churchill, Boris Yeltsin, Rajiv Gandhi and Nelson Mandela are among those who have joined the Queen on board over the years. Four royal honeymoons have also taken place aboard, including King Charles III and Diana, Princess of Wales's 16-day trip to the Mediterranean in 1981.

Le Norge is the pride of the Norwegian royal family, dating back to 1947. In 1905, after the Norwegians became independent from Sweden, they chose Prince Carl of Denmark as their monarch, proposing to him the yacht on his appointment. However, due to the difficult economic situation in Norway after the dissolution of the union with Sweden, King Haakon VII (formerly Prince Carl) did not call upon the Government to provide a yacht. Instead, the yacht was given as a gift from the people of Norway to their king decades later, purchased after the spread of a nationwide collection effort. The ship, which measures 80 metres in length is maintained by the Royal Norwegian Navy and sets sail during the summer months. It suffered a violent fire in 1985 while under maintenance, with only the shell and the motors saved from the incident. The impressive ship has since been entirely reconstructed. 

Owned by Princess Caroline of Hanover, Pacha III has been passed from hand to hand since it was first put on water in 1936, under the name Arlette II. The 36-metre-long boat has had very many owners: in 1940 it was requisitioned by the Royal Navy, when it went back to the Mediterranean coast under the name Priamar. And in the '50s it was bought by French industrialist Louis Renault, who renamed it Briseis. The yacht was then sold to the painter Bernard Buffet, in 1967, who moored it in Saint-Tropez, in front of the ever glamorous L'Escale restaurant. 

In 1990, by now in a depleted state, it was sold to Stefano Casiraghi and Caroline of Hanover, who had it entirely renovated. Casiraghi was never able to enjoy the yacht, however, after he died during a racing accident that same year. It reportedly took more than two years to restore the vessel to its former splendour and renamed Pacha III (in reference to the initials of Princess Caroline’s children). It is now primarily used to take the Hanover Royal Family on extended Mediterranean escapes. 

By Hope Coke

By Isaac Zamet

• Yachts for sale
• Yachts for charter
• Brokerage News

• Andrew Winch unveils designs for Royal Yacht Britannia successor
• Yacht Harbour

Latest News

Inside ‘Britannia,’ Queen Elizabeth II’s Floating Palace

The Royal Yacht, according to Her Majesty, was “the one place where I can truly relax.”

But Britannia was far more than a posh royal cruise liner. She was a showcase for cutting-edge naval engineering and the first royal yacht that could do double duty as a floating hospital in wartime, if necessary. In 1986, for instance, she rescued more than 1,000 refugees from South Yemen. Over the course of her 44 years in service, Britannia facilitated 968 official visits and traveled over one million nautical miles.

She was also, of course, a time capsule of the best British design of the time, in terms of both technological prowess and decoration. Read on for more about the ship’s history, and where the Royal Yacht Britannia is now (hint: You can visit !).

What’s the backstory of Britannia ?

This history of royal liners goes back centuries. In fact, Britannia was the 83rd royal yacht; the first, HMY Mary, was constructed in 1660 by the Dutch East India Company and given as a gift to Charles II. Britannia ’s predecessor, Victoria & Albert III, was completed in 1901 and used by Edward II up through George VI, but was decommissioned in 1939 and eventually broken up as scrap. A new yacht was commissioned on February 4, 1952, in an effort to help King George VI’s health, according to the Royal Yacht Britannia museum, but the king died just two days later. The task to oversee the construction of the new yacht, then, fell on the young Queen Elizabeth II.

Who Built the Royal Yacht Britannia ?

Britannia was designed by John Brown & Co., the same marine engineering firm that built the RMS Lusitania and the Queen Mary. Construction on Britannia began in June 1952, and she was launched in a ceremony on April 16, 1953. The young queen didn’t reveal the name of the liner until her televised address in which she proudly stated before roaring crowds, “I name this ship Britannia .” Notably, a bottle of wine as opposed to the more traditional Champagne, was smashed across the ship’s bow during the christening—Champagne would have been much too ostentatious amid postwar austerity.

Who designed the Royal Yacht Britannia ’s interiors?

According to a technical paper presented to the Institution of Naval Architects in the spring of 1954, the royal and state apartments were to be on par with those of a first-class ocean liner. “The suitability of the decorative design and the furnishing of the Royal and State apartments has, of course, been very important,” the paper noted.

At first, Patrick McBride of the Glasgow, Scotland–based firm, McInnes Gardner & Partners, was selected to design the interiors, but the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh rejected those plans, deeming them too lavish, according to the Royal Yacht Britannia museum. Sir Hugh Casson, the director of architecture at the 1951 Festival of Britain, was the perfect candidate, with his modern eye and lack of ostentation. The design, the architect later wrote in his diary, “was really running a lawn mower over the Louis XVIl adornments. I was going to concentrate on one-color carpet throughout, which was sort of lilac/gray, and all the walls would be white. The only enrichments would be a bit of gilding in grand places.”

Working with Casson, Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip were highly involved, giving input for everything ranging from the furniture (much of it salvaged from the vessel’s predecessor, Victoria & Albert III , as another way to appear thrifty) to the ship’s blue exterior paint, inspired by the Duke of Edinburgh’s racing yacht, Bluebottle. Apartments featured a design like an elegant-yet-muted English country house, filled with floral sofas and antiques. The state drawing room could accommodate up to 250 guests. The Queen’s favorite room was the sun lounge, with its warm teak walls and rattan furnishings, and views across the veranda deck.

“I suppose Britannia was rather special as far as we were concerned because we were involved from the very beginning in organizing the design and furnishing and equipping and hanging the pictures and everything else,” Prince Philip said in a 1995 documentary film about the yacht. “For us it was rather special because all the other places we live in have been built by our predecessors. They started building Windsor 1,000 years ago, and they built Balmoral 100 years ago, and they built Sandringham 70 or 90 years ago. So we, in a sense, had our own.”

So successful was the partnership that Casson would go on to become a dear friend of the royal family and design interiors for Buckingham Palace, Balmoral , and Windsor Castle

Britannia was also a second home for the royal children. Each was given a member of the crew or “sea daddy” to look after them. “We found as children that there was so much to do, we expended so much energy that we couldn’t describe our time on the yacht as a rest,” Princess Anne said. Milk was delivered fresh from a farmer each day for the royal children, according to letters from the ship’s Acting Captain J. S. Dalglish. Later, the yacht would become the venue for numerous royal honeymoons and vacations, including Princess Diana and Prince Charles’s infamous 1981 Mediterranean cruise.

Where is the Royal Yacht Britannia Now?

As documented in season 5 of The Crown , the Royal Yacht was decommissioned on December 11, 1997, at a ceremony in Portsmouth, U.K., after nearly half a century in service and having traveled more than one million nautical miles. In addition to Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Charles, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew, and Prince Edward all attended the ceremony. As the British ensign was lowered to the tune of a navy band, Her Majesty was photographed blinking back tears .

Britannia was retired to Port of Leith in Edinburgh. Today, as one of the most popular tourist sites in the U.K., she serves as a museum and receives some 350,000 visitors per year who can tour the State dining room, the Queen’s bedroom, and sun lounge, as well as view the engine room and crew’s cabins. Visitors can even have tea and scones on the royal deck. The majority of the items on display are original to the yacht and are on loan from the Royal Collection.

In a bizarre 21st-century twist, former British prime minister Boris Johnson announced plans to build a Britannia successor, a £250 million yet-to-be-named, taxpayer-funded superyacht to operate as a “floating embassy.” The new British prime minister, Rishi Sunak, recently torpedoed those plans in favor of building a surveillance ship.

Anna Fixsen, Deputy Digital Editor at ELLE DECOR, focuses on how to share the best of the design world through in-depth reportage and online storytelling. Prior to joining the staff, she has held positions at Architectural Digest, Metropolis, and Architectural Record magazines. elledecor.com 

Celebrity Style

Inside Kate Middleton’s Adelaide Cottage

Kate Middleton Has Been Diagnosed With Cancer

Inside Lady Rose Hanbury’s Houghton Hall Residence

A Look at the Homes of the British Royal Family

Alicia Keys Reveals Her Tips for Collecting Art

What, Exactly, Is American Riviera Orchard?

Is Kate Middleton Recuperating at This Estate?

Freddie Mercury’s London Mansion Is For Sale

Jeremiah Brent Is the New Bobby Berk on Queer Eye

RHOSLC Star Whitney Rose Is Selling Her House

Emma Stone’s Cute L.A. Home Sells in Record Time

• THE PRINCESS PASSPORT
• Email Newsletter
• Yacht Walkthroughs
• Destinations
• Electronics
• Best Marine Electronics & Technology
• Boating Safety

Meet The World’s Largest Sportfishing Yacht

• By Patrick Sciacca
• February 2, 2024

The world’s largest sportfishing yacht, the six-deck, 171-foot all-aluminum Project 406 from Royal Huisman and Vripack yacht design , is finally here.

It’s been three years since Yachting first reported on Project 406’s development. Details and interior views of the build are still being kept quiet, but what we do know is that Royal Huisman says the supersize sportfishing yacht is headed to its final staging area and preparing to launch in Amsterdam soon.

In a press release the shipyard stated, “Project 406 is designed for an experienced owner who is passionate about fishing. She is a unique vessel in so many respects. Vripack Yacht Design is responsible for the exterior and interior design and naval architecture of this highly prestigious project. Her design is extremely distinctive, with a long bow and high bulwarks sweeping through a clear sheer to a low and uncluttered cockpit aft.”

“The high tower offers outstanding views with a downward angle on the water for specialized fishing. Apart from its practical function, the tower also offers a superb viewing platform for guests, who can follow all the action below. Project 406 effortlessly blends the ultimate sports fishing experience with genuine superyacht scale, comfort and refinement.”

Royal Huisman says a team of more that 350 craftspeople worked on the build over the last three years.

At its 171-foot length overall, Project 406 now tops several other giant custom sport-fishers such as the 144-foot Trinity Bad Company , 130-foot McMullen & Wing Mea Culpa and the 129-foot Yachting Developments Lanakai , by a significant margin.

When the build was first announced in 2021, Royal Huisman CEO Jan Timmerman called Project 406 “the world’s first true sport-fish superyacht,” while Vripack co-creative director Bart M. Bouwhuis says it’s “a sport-fisher on steroids.”

Seeing the results. We’d agree.

• More: Royal Huisman , Sport Fishing Yachts , Vripack , Yachts
• More Yachts

Meet The Italia Yachts Veloce 43

On board the intrepid 51 panacea, sunseeker 182 ocean reviewed, new shipyards for sirena and sunreef, for sale: hampton endurance 680 lrc, sanlorenzo sl96a for sale, lazzara 116 open bridge for sale.

• Digital Edition
• Customer Service
• Privacy Policy
• Email Newsletters
• Cruising World
• Sailing World
• Salt Water Sportsman
• Sport Fishing
• Wakeboarding

• Bahasa Indonesia
• Eastern Europe

Information

Find all the information of Stary Oskol or click on the section of your choice in the left menu.

• Update data

Stary Oskol Demography

Information on the people and the population of Stary Oskol.

Stary Oskol Geography

Geographic Information regarding City of Stary Oskol .

Stary Oskol Distance

Distance (in kilometers) between Stary Oskol and the biggest cities of Russia.

Stary Oskol Map

Locate simply the city of Stary Oskol through the card, map and satellite image of the city.

Stary Oskol Nearby cities and villages

Stary oskol twin towns, sister cities.

The City of Stary Oskol has international agreements with its different pairings.

Stary Oskol Zone

Time zone of Stary Oskol.

Stary Oskol Weather

Weather forecast for the next coming days and current time of Stary Oskol.

Stary Oskol Sunrise and sunset

Find below the times of sunrise and sunset calculated 7 days to Stary Oskol.

Stary Oskol Hotel

Our team has selected for you a list of hotel in Stary Oskol classified by value for money. Book your hotel room at the best price.

Stary Oskol Nearby

Below is a list of activities and point of interest in Stary Oskol and its surroundings.

Nuclear power plant

Stary oskol page.

• Information /Russian-Federation--Belgorod--Stary-Oskol#info
• Demography /Russian-Federation--Belgorod--Stary-Oskol#demo
• Geography /Russian-Federation--Belgorod--Stary-Oskol#geo
• Distance /Russian-Federation--Belgorod--Stary-Oskol#dist1
• Map /Russian-Federation--Belgorod--Stary-Oskol#map
• Nearby cities and villages /Russian-Federation--Belgorod--Stary-Oskol#dist2
• Twin towns, Sister cities /Russian-Federation--Belgorod--Stary-Oskol#twintown
• Zone /Russian-Federation--Belgorod--Stary-Oskol#hour
• Weather /Russian-Federation--Belgorod--Stary-Oskol#weather
• Sunrise and sunset /Russian-Federation--Belgorod--Stary-Oskol#sun
• Hotel /Russian-Federation--Belgorod--Stary-Oskol#hotel
• Nearby /Russian-Federation--Belgorod--Stary-Oskol#around
• Page /Russian-Federation--Belgorod--Stary-Oskol#page
• Terms of Use
• Copyright © 2024 DB-City - All rights reserved
• Change Ad Consent Do not sell my data

Localities in the Area

Fedoseyevka.

• Categories: city or town , big city and locality
• Location: Belgorod Oblast , Chernozemye , Russia , Eastern Europe , Europe
• View on Open­Street­Map

Stary Oskol Satellite Map

Popular Destinations in Chernozemye

Escape to a random place.

• Visit Our Blog about Russia to know more about Russian sights, history
• Check out our Russian cities and regions guides
• Follow us on Twitter and Facebook to better understand Russia
• Info about getting Russian visa , the main airports , how to rent an apartment
• Our Expert answers your questions about Russia, some tips about sending flowers

Russian regions

• Belgorod oblast
• Stary Oskol
• Bryansk oblast
• Ivanovo oblast
• Kaluga oblast
• Kostroma oblast
• Kursk oblast
• Lipetsk oblast
• Moskovskaya oblast
• Orlovskaya oblast
• Ryazan oblast
• Smolensk oblast
• Tambov oblast
• Tula oblast
• Tver oblast
• Vladimir oblast
• Voronezh oblast
• Yaroslavl oblast
• Map of Russia
• All cities and regions
• Blog about Russia
• News from Russia
• How to get a visa
• Flights to Russia
• Russian hotels
• Renting apartments
• Russian currency
• FIFA World Cup 2018
• Submit an article
• Flowers to Russia
• Ask our Expert

Stary Oskol city, Russia

The city of Belgorod oblast .

Stary Oskol - Overview

Stary Oskol is a city in Russia located in the Belgorod region, standing on the banks of the Oskol River, about 142 km northeast of Belgorod, 632 km south of Moscow.

The population of Stary Oskol is about 222,600 (2022), the area - 134 sq. km.

The phone code - +7 4725, the postal codes - 309500-309518.

Stary Oskol city flag

Stary oskol city coat of arms.

Stary Oskol city map, Russia

History of stary oskol.

In 1300, there was a village called Ugly on the the territory of the present city. Today, it is one of the districts of Stary Oskol. At that time, the village was part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and was a border crossing point on the border with the Golden Horde.

The settlement of Oskol was founded by Russian Tsar Fyodor Ioanovich’s order (Ivan’s the Terrible son) to protect the southern borders of the Russian kingdom in 1593. The bulk of the population were peasants and the military.

In 1617, the town was burned by the Poles. In 1625, 1642 and 1677, the Crimean Tatars approached Stary Oskol, but could not capture it. The town was renamed Stary Oskol (meaning Old Oskol) in 1655, when the town of Tsaryov-Alexeyev, located down the river, was renamed Novy Oskol (New Oskol). Fortifications of the town existed until the 18th century.

More Historical Facts…

Gradually, Stary Oskol turned into peaceful, commercial and merchant town - the center of an agricultural district. Industrial production was represented mainly by enterprises on processing agricultural products.

In 1780, the town got its coat of arms. In 1784, Stary Oskol like most Russian towns of that time was rebuilt according to a new plan signed by Empress Catherine II. A large number of brick houses were built, mostly two-story buildings. The historic center of Stary Oskol has been preserved to our time.

In the second half of the 19th century, the town had a wide network of schools, libraries, reading rooms, printing, secondary schools. In 1894, construction of the railway began, trade and industry began to develop rapidly.

Until the 1930s, there were eleven Orthodox churches in Stary Oskol. During the Second World War, Stary Oskol was occupied by the Germans from July 2, 1942 to February 5, 1943. In 1954, the city became part of the newly formed Belgorod region.

In the late 1960s - early 1970s, in connection with the active development of the Kursk Magnetic Anomaly (the most powerful iron ore basin in the world), Stary Oskol became a major center of iron and steel industry.

Stary Oskol was declared a city of three top-priority Komsomol construction projects. The largest enterprises: Lebedinsky Mining and Processing Plant, Stoilensky Mining and Processing Plant, Oskolsky Electrometallurgical Plant became not only the city-forming enterprises, but also the largest industrial enterprises of the country. Stary Oskol experienced a new birth.

Today, Stary Oskol is a rapidly developing city, one of the leading mining and metallurgical centers of Russia.

Stary Oskol views

Stary Oskol cityscape

Author: Nikolai Ivanov

The fountain on Friendship Boulevard in Stary Oskol

October movie theater in Stary Oskol

Author: Roman Riapolov

Stary Oskol - Features

The coat of arms of Stary Oskol is a shield divided in half diagonally, in the red field there is a rifle, in the green field - a golden plow. It reflects both military and agricultural importance of the town.

Stary Oskol is among Russian cities with the youngest population. The average age of its citizens is about 35 years. The main reason lies in the history of the city. In the second half of the 20th century, a large number of members of the Young Communist League came to Stary Oskol to participate in the construction of large industrial enterprises.

Unique reserves of iron ore, developed industry and infrastructure, high scientific, technical and industrial potential, fertile land form the basis of Stary Oskol economy.

The main branches of local industry are mining, ferrous metallurgy, machine building and metalworking, building materials, food industry. There are more than 140 large and medium industrial enterprises, which employ more than 80 thousand people.

Attractions of Stary Oskol

The city has more than a dozen Orthodox churches and chapels. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral (Tokareva Street, 4/1) is the main church of Stary Oskol. St. Trinity Church (Bolshevistskaya Street, 17/15), built in 1730, is the oldest church in the city.

The Zoo was opened in Stary Oskol in 2008. Bears, lions, tigers, monkeys, wolves, camels, ostriches, and other species of birds and animals live there.

Museum of Local Lore (Lenina Street, 50). The museums, founded in 1923, has exhibitions about the history of Stary Oskol. It is located in a building which is a monument of history and culture of the 19th century once owned by the merchants and brothers Likhutins.

The museum organizes tours of the city and the area including visits to an ancient Russian settlement of Kholki, an underground monastery in Melovy mountains, and a biosphere reserve “Yamskaya steppe”.

Art Museum (Lenina Street, 57). The collection of local masters of folk clay toys (O.M.Goncharova and N.M.Goncharova) is a real pearl of the museum. Stary Oskol folk clay toys production was known from the end of the 18th century.

House Museum of Vasily Yeroshenko (Yeroshenko Street, 15). Yeroshenko’s life is a living legend for blind people not only in Russia but also abroad. He encourages disabled people, supports them with his talent, helps them on their ways to improve techniques. Yeroshenko spoke 12 foreign languages and was the professor of universities in Tokyo and Beijing, he became a classic of Japan literature for children.

Stary Oskol city of Russia photos

Pictures of stary oskol.

Byl movie theater in Stary Oskol

Friendship Boulevard in Stary Oskol

The Monument to Soviet-Bulgarian friendship in Stary Oskol

Sights of Stary Oskol

The memorial complex Ataman Forest in Stary Oskol

Cannon monument in Stary Oskol

Church of the Nativity in Stary Oskol

The questions of our visitors

The comments of our visitors.

• Currently 2.82/5

Rating: 2.8 /5 (153 votes cast)

Sponsored Links: