On November 9, the fifth season of "The Crown" premiered on Netflix. It follows the life and reign of Queen Elizabeth II. The first episode of the fifth season flashes back to 1954, which was important in the life of the monarch because that was the time when the Queen christened the Royal Yacht Britannia.
The Queen seems to develop a certain fondness for the luxurious ship. According to Business Insider, Queen Elizabeth said "there is another that's even more special to me" when asked if Balmoral is her favorite home. She seems to be alluding to the Royal Yacht.
However, no matter how much the Queen loves Britannia, it has to be decommissioned in 1997 because of its high operation cost. During the decommissioning ceremony, the Queen reportedly shed a rare public tear.
Here are 10 interesting facts about the Britannia, Her Majesty's Royal Yacht.
1. The Royal Yacht of Britannia is Real and Actually Exists
The Royal Yacht Britannia is real. Just like in the Netflix show, the young queen christened it with a bottle of Empire wine and announced its name, according to Washington Post.
2. The Luxurious Ship Spent 44 Years in Service
The luxurious ship sailed more than one million nautical miles during its 44 years of service. That distance is equivalent to more than 40 circumnavigations of Earth. It docked at more than 600 ports in 135 countries. This illustrates the British influence around the world.
3. The Britannia Was Used for State Visits and Receptions
The Royal Yacht was frequently used for state visits, receptions, royal family holidays, and honeymoons. Among the famous people who spent time aboard the ship are Presidents Dwight D. Eisenhower, Ronald Reagan, Gerald Ford, Bill Clinton, Boris Yeltsin, and Nelson Mandela.
4. It is Forbidden to Shout at Royal Yacht Britannia
According to the yacht's official website, the ship's officers had to wore gym shoes to stay silent near the areas where the royal family ate and slept. Moreover, shouting is forbidden in the yacht as well, according to Business Insider.
5. Officers Known as Sea Daddies are Assigned to Children to Look Over Them While Aboard
Children aboard the yacht are well taken care of. To keep the royal children entertained, they are assigned Sea Daddies who will look after them. They are entertained with treasure hunts and water fights.
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6. It Takes Three Hours to Set the State Dining Room Tables
The State Dining Room tables could seat 56 people. While that is not a big number, it takes three hours to set up the luxurious dining room because servers had to measure the location of each utensil meticulously using a ruler.
7. All of the Clocks at the Royal Yacht Britannia are Stopped at 3:01 P.M.
Since the Queen developed a fondness for the yacht, to honor her, all of the clocks at Britannia are stopped at 3:01 P.M. That's the time the Queen stepped off the ship for the last time when it was decommissioned in December 1997.
8. There are Over 240 Yachtsmen, Known as "Yotties," Who Serve as Staff of Britannia
Since the luxurious ship is huge, it also requires a huge number of yachtsmen. There are over 240 yotties working at Britannia. With that, the estimated cost for its operation yearly is $15 million.
9. There is an Association of Royal Yachtsmen
Every year, the former royal yachtsmen gather together to help maintain the ship. They are part of the Association of Royal Yachtsmen, which was founded in 1989.
10. The Final Voyage of the Yacht Was to Hong Kong in 1997
The last voyage abroad of Britannia was to Hong Kong in 1997. It was during the time when the territory was handed back to China. After a few months, the ship undertook a farewell tour of Britain.
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