August 2025

Whilst up in Edinburgh to see the Royal Military Tattoo, we decided to visit the Royal Yacht Britannia in the Port of Leith, Edinburgh.
Britannia was the last in a long line of 83 Royal Yachts and was in service for 44 years, finally being decommissioned in 1997.

Her Majesty's Yacht Britannia
Britannia's First Complement - 1953
Britannia's Last Complement - 1997
The bronze 'Yottie' sculpture is a tribute to the Royal Yachtsmen who served on Britannia. The 'model' for the sculpture was Ellis 'Norrie' Norrell, the longest-serving Royal Yachtsman, with nearly 34 years service
The Wheelhouse
The Captain's seat on the Bridge
Signal flags stored on the Flag Desk
List of signal flags
HMY Britannia's Crest
Following naval tradition, Captain James Dalglish,
the first Commanding Officer of Britannia, placed
coins beneath each mast to pay the angels
to guard the sailors' souls
The Admiral's Suite
The compass binnacle from HMY Victoria & Albert III 1899, alongside Britannia's bell 1953
One of the Royal Landrovers on deck
One of the Royal Landrovers and ...
the Rolls Royce Phantom V being loaded onboard
The original 1966 Royal Landrover now on the quayside...
together with the 1967 Rolls Royce Phantom V...
and a 'Flying Fifteen' Coweslip Yacht given to the Queen and Prince Philip on their wedding in 1947 and often sailed by Prince Philip
The Sun Lounge
The Queen's Bedroom and...
Prince Philip's Bedroom, both with original 1950s furniture
The Queen's Sitting Room
Prince Philip's Sitting Room
State Drawing Room
State Dining Room- where place settings were measured with a ruler to ensure perfection
Some of the gifts given to the Queen...
and Prince Philip by guests
Officers' Wardroom
Officers' Anteroom
Bar in the Officers' Anteroom
Wombat stuffed toy kept on the fan in the Anteroom for the Officers to play 'Wombat Tennis'!
Warrant Officers and Chief Petty Officers' Mess
Petty Officers' and Royal Marines Sergeants' Mess
Royal Marines Barracks
Royal Marines uniform
Royal Marines Mess
Royal Marines Shower Rooms
Hospital with operating theatre
Corgi with an eye patch in the sick bay!
Presses in the Laundry Room
Washing machines in the Laundry Room
A flatwork ironer in the Laundry Room
Royal Clerk's Office
How to tie a knot!
Just a few knots to choose from!
The Engine Room
Red carpet access to Britannia
Britannia completes 1,000,000 miles
in February 1994
Sailing into Portsmouth for the last time
in November 1997