By Simon Warburton
So many plans have been put forward for a Britannia replacement – will a new ship ever host the British Royal Family again? Image: The last British Royal Yacht. Copyright of The Royal Yacht Britannia.
There’s a hardy UK news perennial which every so often bursts forth green shoots before being hurriedly buried under an avalanche of criticism; namely the possibility of a replacement for the Royal Yacht Britannia (RYB).
According to The Royal Yacht Britannia Edinburgh (where the last incarnation of the ship now resides in Leith), the government of then Prime Minister, John Major decided not to proceed with a refit in 1994 given the high costs and that they would decommission RYB.
And in 1997, the newly-minted Labour administration added to that sad day with news there would be no Britannia Mark 2, leading to pictures of a tearful late Queen Elizabeth II marking the Yacht’s decommissioning as The Band of HM Royal Marines played an emotional rendition of ‘Highland Cathedral.’
British Royal Yacht since 1660
Believe it or not there has been a British Royal Yacht since 1660 (the year when the fun-loving Charles II acceded to the throne) with the last iteration sailing a staggering one million miles around the world and undertaking 968 official visits during its illustrious career.
But since 1997 and in the absence of a Royal Yacht, every few years a replacement is touted, but is quickly lost in a morass of competing claims for this or that pet project.
I wonder if there’s also a whiff of that old British obsession with class here? Those opposing believe a Royal Yacht to be an outdated symbol of monarchical privilege, while those in favour argue it’s an indispensable, physical manifestation of soft power which Great Britain can project around the world at relatively little cost.
The indefatigable Boris Johnson floated the idea of a new vessel only for his Premiership to founder spectacularly. But now step forward, Penny Mordaunt, MP for Portsmouth North (RYB’s decommissioning was in the Royal Navy’s main base in Portsmouth) with her plan to resurrect a Royal Yacht.
Could the UK see a new Royal Yacht rule the waves? Image: Copyright of The Royal Yacht Britannia.
You may remember Ms Mordaunt.
Known for delivering, er, colourful speeches in the British House of Commons, she was briefly Secretary of State for Defence and is currently Lord President of the Council (the Privy Council is one of the oldest parts of the UK government and advises on certain functions assigned to the King and the Council by Acts of Parliament).
Mordaunt – who is a Royal Navy reservist – is also Leader of the House of Commons and had a rather spectacular role at this year’s Coronation of King Charles III, carrying the 17th century Sword of State into Westminster Abbey and scooping a raft of plaudits for her ability to wield the 8lb implement for some considerable time.
Now Mordaunt is the latest to put her head above the parapet and vocally support the construction of not one, but three ships, coyly dangling the name ‘Britannia,’ but stopping short of bolting on any ‘Royal’ moniker to them.
In a recent interview with GB News posted on her LinkedIn page, Mordaunt swerves away from any mention of ‘Royal,’ or indeed recourse to the public purse, referring to her proposal as – three – new “Maritime Aid Ships.”
Britannia is one of the UK’s top attractions. Image: Copyright of The Royal Yacht Britannia.
She said: “The concept is ships that are run privately and built using private finance, have low operating costs, so that different organisations, whether it is the government or particularly business or sector that wants to run a trade expo; or a fantastic charity that wants to provide aid and assistance, we could provide training to Commonwealth nations in particular.”
“We need to be investing in our Merchant Navy and we need to be providing our mariners and other nations with sea time. That education is a huge export in itself. This is also about global Britain, but it’s also about levelling up.”
Ms Mordaunt might have cast an eye just across the North Sea, where the Danes have no hang-ups about their Royal Family having a ship.
The spectacularly striking Royal Yacht Dannebrog was named by Queen Alexandrine in Copenhagen in 1931 and hoisted its flag for the first time in 1932. Dannebrog now serves as the official and private residence for Denmark’s Queen and other members of the Royal Family when they are on summer cruises in home waters or on official visits overseas.
The Danish Royal Yacht also takes part in surveillance and sea rescue operations when at sea.
Aim is for new ship to have 50% of crew as apprentices
Back home, Mordaunt is dangling the carrot of the three ships that could be used by government – which presumably could ask various members of the Royal Family to host events around the globe – but that also have a firm trade promotion aspect and apprenticeship role for young mariners.
Mordaunt highlights the Britannia Maritime Aid charity as helping with the project, but as ever, the devil will be in the detail and reports are circulating the first of the vessels – and possibly the largest – may come in with a price tag of around £150m to build.
Denmark’s Royal Family has the magnificent Dannebrog yacht for its use. Image: Bjonsson from Pixabay.
Now we get to the nub of things.
Speaking to the Daily Telegraph, Mordaunt did use the word ‘Britannia,’ but avoided any mention of Royal.
Why be so shy?
As someone who played such a pivotal role next to the King at his Coronation (and who will have done her party leadership chances no end of good with the deluge of positive publicity it generated), why not go all in and say the ship or ships can carry the word, ‘Royal’ and be used by the King and government?
Mordaunt skates close to this tantalising prospect, adding: “These ships will fly the flag for the UK and will provide important additional resources for humanitarian relief and scientific research.”
So just be bold and say you’d like a Royal Yacht replacement, or is that verboten in our current politically correct minefield?
Mordaunt gets this would be a popular move with most of the British public – particularly if it’s privately funded: she’s a canny, shrewd operator and presses all the right buttons with: “I understand the comparisons to Britannia having grown up in the home port of Portsmouth. She was iconic.
“If Britannia were around today this is what she’d be doing – showcasing the best of what our nation has to offer and working in partnership internationally.”
Chance to repair damage of HS2 fiasco
If this project does not require taxpayer’s cash, is geared towards inspiring sailors of the future through apprenticeships, will be used for potential disaster relief and act as a showcase for British trade, what on earth are the objections?
Is there an undercurrent of inverted snobbism towards the idea of a “Britannia” successor from those who view it as elitist and out of touch with a ‘modern UK’ whatever that means.
The complete and utter lack of ambition surrounding Britain’s apparent reluctance to embrace a high-speed rail network, is already a PR disaster in terms of advertising the UK’s willingness to undertake major infrastructure projects.
Building a new Royal Yacht is hugely ambitious, but would at least go some way to repairing that HS2 timidity and show the world that post-Brexit Britain is ambitious, independent and able to use its soft power.
Could a new Royal Yacht be based at Portsmouth with its long naval heritage? Image: MrPlum52 from Pixabay.
If the Royal Family would like to – literally – come on board with the new ship (s), well, that would be hugely beneficial to UK PLC as it reverts to its role as an independent nation.
It’s time for Britain to show the world its can-do nature; the world of Isambard Kingdom Brunel, James Watt, Thomas Telford, Frank Whittle, Sarah Guppy, Ada Lovelace et al, that post-Brexit, we’re not just going to retreat into hand-wringing submission that we can’t do anything without the say-so of a supranational authority.
We’re a nation with a proud maritime history – and we have a Royal Family.
So come on, enough infrastructure doom-mongering. Those who want to hide behind 1970s-style class wars are more than welcome to object to a Royal Yacht from their ivory towers.
The rest of us who are proud of our country should rally behind Penny Mordaunt to see the UK – and its Royals – flying the flag across the world’s seas once more.
Build the Royal Yacht.
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