Royal Yacht Britannia

Royal Yacht Britannia is the formal royal yacht of the British monarch, Queen Elizabeth II and was in service from 1954 until 1997. The formal name for the yacht is Her Majesty’s Yacht Britannia. It is regarded as the Top Heritage Attraction in Edinburgh according to the Lonely Planet. This attraction will allow you to follow in the footsteps of Royalty that was one of the most special Royal residences.  It was the 83rd such yacht since 1660 when King Charles II acceded to the throne. The Royal Yacht Britannia, over the course of its 43 year career, travelled more than one million nautical miles around the globe. As it has now retired from royal service, Britannia is permanently berthed at Ocean Terminal in the Leith district of Edinburgh. It was constructed at the shipyard of John Brown & Co Ltd in Clydebank in West Dunbartonshire. An interesting fact about the design of the ship was that it was designed to be converted into a hospital ship in the time of war but this never happened. The tour itself allows you to discover all five decks of the ship with a free audio guide. You will witness the Engine Room and the sophisticated State Apartments as well as where Prince William and Prince Harry holidayed during the summer. You can also explore where royalty, celebrities and world leaders such as Frank Sinatra, Nelson Mandela, Sir Winston Churchill and Liz Taylor wined and dined. You can enjoy fresh food at the Royal Deck Tea Room and purchase some souvenirs at Britannia’s Gift Shop.