As one of our favourite royals at sea, Queen Elizabeth II’s love for HMY Britannia (or the Royal Yacht Britannia as she is now known) is no secret. When the 126 metre John Brown vessel – which carried the Queen on no fewer than 968 official tours – was decommissioned in 1997 it was one of the rare times she was seen to cry in public.
Many superyacht owners will understand this strong connection. And, while the Royal Yacht Britannia is not gone for good thanks to its status as a popular tourist attraction, it seems fitting that the yacht should play a central part in the Queen’s upcoming 90th birthday celebrations.
A six metre long model of the yacht currently under construction is set to be the centrepiece of a parade taking place in London on Sunday June 12, 2016. The parade is part of the Patron’s Lunch event which aims to celebrate the Queen’s association with more than 600 charitable organisations spanning support for ex-servicemen, children’s charities and animal welfare.
The huge model of the Royal Yacht Britannia will lead more that 1,500 people during the parade with organisers saying its inclusion symbolises the many important Commonwealth tours on which the yacht was used during the Queen's reign.
This is the second model of the ship to be built this year after the Royal Yacht Britannia was immortalised in Lego in February. Now docked in Edinburgh, the real Royal Yacht Britannia will also be hosting a number of events marking the Queen’s birthday including a special afternoon tea menu and free entry for those who share the Queen’s birthday.