Inside The Royal Yacht Britannia - incredible rare photos

The royal family's yacht is now decommissioned and here's a chance to see inside

Homes Editor

On 3 July 20233 Jul 2023, 09:00 BST

The Royal Yacht Britannia is a hit tourist attraction in Edinburgh, but it used to be a commissioned vessel frequently used by the royal family. Many royal fans may remember it from a Netflix episode of The Crown, and the late Queen Elizabeth II was so fond of it that she even shed a tear when it was decommissioned in 1997.

Queen Elizabeth II, President of Iceland, Vigdis Finnbogadottir, and Prince Philip on board the royal yacht Britannia — Queen Elizabeth II welcomed President of Iceland, Vigdis Finnbogadottir on board the royal yacht Britannia

Take a look inside the amazing boat that has a fascinating history, checking out everything from the late Queen's bedroom to the awe-inspiring engine room…

The Queen's bedroom

A photograph from 1998, reveals the room Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II used to sleep in. The modest-sized bed and simple in-room desk are a far cry from the grand palaces the family are used to.

The royal dining room

The Dining Room looks lovely set for dinner on the Royal Yacht Britannia in 1981

An archived picture shows what the boat's dining room used to look like when dressed for special dinners. There are multiple oval, wooden tables, matching wooden chairs and flowers and lamps add to the decadent atmosphere.

A lovely sun room

The Sun Room on the Royal Yacht Britannia, 1981.

One of the yacht's sitting rooms has two floral sofas which wouldn't look out of place in an actual royal residence. A collection of other furniture ranges from outdoor-style chairs to antique-looking side tables.

A top deck perfect for hosting

Zara Phillips and Mike Tindall on the Britannia for pre-weddng party

Zara and Mike Tindall used the boat to host a pre-wedding party, and pictures from the event show many members of the royal family on the top deck enjoying conversations and drinks.

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The engine room

Workman in engine room on board Royal Yacht Britannia — The Royal Yacht Britannia's fascinating engine room

A picture inside the engine room shows the inner workings of the ship. The Herald Scotland explains that there was reportedly a doormat at the edge of the engine room to ensure it was kept in immaculate condition.

The royal yacht Britannia in Hong Kong — The royal yacht Britannia pictured here in Hong Kong

Did you know, they may not have use of the royal yacht anymore, but they still use a royal train?

The royal train has been used by the royal family since 1840, and the nine-carriage Royal Train is equipped with multiple bedrooms and bathrooms, a dining room that seats 12 people, and even an office.

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It is the source of much fascination and has previously been featured in Channel 5 documentary, Secrets of the Royal Train.

queen meghan royal train 2018 — Meghan Markle once joined Her Majesty on the Royal Train

In January this year, King Charles took his first ride on it since becoming monarch, travelling from Scotland to Manchester.

Queen Elizabeth II's last journey on the locomotive was in June 2022 when she travelled to Edinburgh.

In 2018, the then-newlywed Duchess of Sussex travelled on the royal train to Cheshire with Her Majesty.

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