Inside the Royal Yacht Britannia, the royal family's luxurious private cruise ship known as a 'floating palace'

Talia LakritzOct 18, 2024, 20:38 IST

The Royal Yacht Britannia.Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images

The Royal Yacht Britannia was the British royal family's private yacht from 1953 to 1997.
The ship is now a museum open to the public in Edinburgh, Scotland.

The Royal Yacht Britannia was the British royal family's private yacht from 1953 to 1997. With its many royal vacations and official tours, the yacht logged over 1 million miles, the equivalent of one trip around the world for each of its 44 years at sea.

The Labour government decommissioned the ship in 1997 due to its high operating cost of £11 million each year, Reuters reported. That's equivalent to about $23 million today.

After it was decommissioned, the royal yacht was turned into a museum open to the public. Take a look inside.

Queen Elizabeth once called the Royal Yacht Britannia "the one place where I can truly relax."

Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip on the Royal Yacht Britannia.Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images

The Royal Yacht Britannia is now open to the public as a museum in Edinburgh, Scotland.

An escalator leading to the Royal Yacht Britannia.Coren Feldman

Before boarding the yacht, visitors walk through a museum detailing the boat's history and connection to the royal family.

Museum displays before boarding the Royal Yacht Britannia.Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

A walkway with more photos leads to the deck of the boat.

Entering the Royal Yacht Britannia.Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

I listened to the audio tour of the ship on my phone by scanning a QR code.

Aboard the Royal Yacht Britannia.Coren Feldman

The first stop was the bridge, the main control point of the yacht.

The bridge of the Royal Yacht Britannia.Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

Outside, the flag deck is the highest point on the ship.

The flag deck of the Royal Yacht Britannia.Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

The admiral's cabin and suite is the most spacious on the ship, aside from the royal apartments.

The admiral's cabin and suite on the Royal Yacht Britannia.Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

The royal family often sunbathed, played deck hockey, or swam in a collapsible swimming pool on the Veranda Deck.

The largest deck on the Royal Yacht Britannia.Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

Overlooking the Veranda Deck, the Sun Lounge was one of Queen Elizabeth's favorite rooms on the ship.

The sun deck.Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

Queen Elizabeth's bedroom on the Royal Yacht Britannia featured bed linens that once belonged to Queen Victoria.

Queen Elizabeth's bedroom.Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip had separate bedrooms connected by an adjoining door.

Queen Elizabeth's bedroom.Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

Philip's bedroom featured red linens, and he requested pillowcases without lace trim.

Prince Philip's bedroom.Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

Across the hall, the Honeymoon Suite was the only room on board with a double bed.

A guest room.Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

The Anteroom served as a recreational space for the officers, off-limits to the rest of the crew.

The AnteroomTalia Lakritz/Business Insider

The royal family occasionally dined in the adjoining Wardroom.

The Wardroom.Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

Britannia has three galleys, which are still working kitchens today.

One of the Royal Yacht Britannia's three galleys.Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

The Royal Deck Tea Room offers an extensive menu of soups, sandwiches, scones, and other treats for visitors to the museum.

A dining deck on the Royal Yacht Britannia.Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

The state dining room is the largest room on the Royal Yacht Britannia.

The state dining room.Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

Just off the state dining room, Queen Elizabeth's sitting room served as her office.

Queen Elizabeth's office.Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

On the opposite side of the hall, Philip had his own sitting room.

Prince Philip's sitting room.Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

The large Drawing Room and connecting Anteroom could accommodate up to 250 guests.

The Drawing Room.Coren Feldman

Petty officers and Royal Marine sergeants kicked back in their living quarters, also known as the mess.

The mess, or living quarters, of the petty officers and Royal Marine sergeants.Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

The crew bunks weren't as glamorous as the royal apartments.

Crew bunks.Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

Britannia's NAAFI (Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes) shop sold souvenirs and sweets, as well as essentials like toothpaste.

Fudge in Britannia's sweet shop.Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

The ship's sick bay and operating theater still feature the original furnishings from the 1950s.

The sick bay.Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

Britannia's laundry room could reach temperatures of 120 degrees Fahrenheit as it washed up to 600 shirts in one day.

The laundry room.Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

All of the clocks on the Royal Yacht Britannia are stopped at 3:01 p.m.

A clock on the Royal Yacht Britannia.Coren Feldman

The tour concluded in a gift shop full of royal souvenirs.

The gift shop.Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

There's even a photo-op at the end of the tour where you can practice your royal wave.

Practicing my royal wave.Coren Feldman

I stayed at the hotel recently named the best in the world. After spending $900 for one night, I'm not sure I agree.

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