Great Britain has some big concerns at the moment: In particular, there’s incredible anxiety over what the Brexit will actually mean for their economy and their connection to Europe. So the average citizen probably isn’t concerned about the fact that, since 1997, Britain has been without a Royal Yacht. Yet there is some reason to believe that getting a new one might, on the whole, be money well spent.
Her Majesty’s Royal Yacht Britannia was in use from 1953 to 1997, and it wasn’t just for the royal family. (Though that was a big part of its role—hearing that its contents always used to include the Queen’s Rolls-Royce probably wouldn’t inspire too much sympathy from the common folk.) The fact remains that, while used for royal honeymoons and holidays, it was also utilized for state visits and official receptions. In total, it went on 968 state voyages and covered one million nautical miles. The Daily Telegraph in particular argues it would be invaluable should Britain go it alone when the Brexit takes full effect, serving as a symbol of the nation on trade missions.
The downside: The government estimates getting a new Royal Yacht operational would cost nearly $150 million. Plus maintaining it would come at an additional price, as Britannia had required 21 officers and 256 yachtsmen.
Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson stated that a new Royal Yacht is “not a government priority, I must tell you regretfully.” However, he also suggested a way forward: having a “consortium of philanthropists” agree to “give Her Majesty a yacht and pay for it.” (He noted that would be “not something I would impede.”)
To read more about the quest to restore the Royal Yacht, click here.
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