If, as its Head, I can make any real personal contribution towards its progress, it must surely be to promote its unity. He also had to ensure that the Yacht was well and truly secured for the very heavy weather that was expected ahead. Right around the world, people gather to compete under standard rules and, in most cases, in a spirit of friendly rivalry. A speech by The Queen at the Inauguration of the General Synod, 2015, A speech by The Duke of Cambridge at Jewish Care's 25th Anniversary Dinner, A speech by The Queen at Lambeth Palace, 2012, A speech by The Queen at the General Synod Inauguration, 2010, A speech by The Queen during the Papal Visit, 2010, Opening ceremony, eighth General Synod of the Church of England, 15 Nov 2005. The origins of HM Yacht Britannia date back to 1938 yet it was not until 5th February 1952 that the Clydeside yard John Brown & Co Ltd was awarded the building contract. SV. I remember my own childhood Christmases here, with my father and mother, and a great family gathering, and now I delight in seeing my children and grandchildren enjoying the same traditions. After their coming together in holy matrimony at Westminster Abbey in 1986, the now-divorced couple took a flight to the Azores Islands off Portugal and then went sailing around the Atlantic on the royal yacht Britannia. All great religions have such times of renewal, moments to take stock before moving on to face the challenges which lie ahead. But I cannot think of any Christmas of my reign when the message of the angels has been more apt. It is the wish to foster, and advance, concord and understanding within the Commonwealth. On 9th January the Royal Yacht made the 700 mile passage to Leith Harbour, South Georgia to allow Prince Philip to visit more whalers and Sir Ernest Shackleton’s grave. Britannia was the first Royal Yacht to be built with complete ocean-going capacity and designed as a Royal residence to entertain guests around the world. Thick fog shrouded the ships as they felt their way up the SW coast of Graham Land but by the time the Royal Squadron had reached Anvers Island it was bright sunshine and all were able to see the high snow covered peaks and glaciers that surrounded them. John Major dithered over replacing Her Majesty's Yacht Britannia amid fears of a backlash in the wake of two high-profile Royal divorces, newly declassified papers reveal. LV. Inside Britannia’s royal apartments, the modern world is forgotten.The Queen launched the ship in 1953 and the interiors reflect the aesthetic of the early decades of her reign. It housed the Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, who was in Melbourne to open the event. RAILWAYS. Particularly on this day of the family festival let us remember those who - like the Holy Family before them - have been driven from their homes by war or violence. In 1956, Philip set out without the Queen on a forty-thousand-mile itinerary to the South Pacific on the Royal Yacht Britannia. You will understand me, therefore, when I tell you that of all the voices we have heard this afternoon none has given my children and myself greater joy than that of my husband. Now wearing the Duke of Edinburgh’s Standard, HMY visited the Seychelles, Langkawi Island and Penang and after Prince Philip’s dinner party onboard at Port Swettenham for the rulers of the Malay Sates, the Royal Yacht made a floodlight departure for Australia. We call them 'refugees': let us give them a true refuge: let us see that for them and their children there is room at the Inn. Although the world was familiar with Dr Wilson’s beautiful watercolours of his time with Captain Scott’s DISCOVERY and TERRA NOVA expeditions, Ted Seago would probably be the first professional painter to visit the continent. ALL IMAGES ARE IN COPYRIGHT. Following naval tradition, Gibson was dressed as the admiral in full fig and between them HRH, “Vice Admiral” Gibson and the Rounds Party visited every messdeck where they were welcomed with a traditional tot of rum. Queen blamed Major for royal yacht fiasco. Your commitment and loyalty to one another, and to society more widely, is ultimately what keeps you strong. Oil on board signed Richard Cosby and dated 2016. For every poppy a life; and a reminder of the grief of loved ones left behind. Her Majesty’s Yacht BRITANNIA (Vice Admiral Sir Conolly Abel Smith, KCVO CB, Flag Officer Royal Yachts) sailed for Royal Duty from Portsmouth on 28th August 1956. The history, traditions and current life of the Chapel Royal. None the less, deep and acute differences, involving both intellect and emotion, are bound to arise between members of a family and also between friend and friend, and there is neither virtue nor value in pretending that they do not. Grand pianos, the royal barge, state banquet silver and china, the Royal Marine band’s instruments - all and much more had to be stowed and lashed down especially carefully. The Royal Yacht BRITANNIA evacuating personnel off Little Aden, January 1986 (MP442). And finally to Britannia, Britain's last royal yacht, pictured here being watched by the late Queen Mother and Countess of Snowdon in 1954. History. Though we each lead different lives, the experience of growing older, and the joys and emotions which it brings, are familiar to us all. Royal Marines lined up on deck. At Christmas I am always struck by how the spirit of togetherness lies also at the heart of the Christmas story. The two guests he had invited for the Southern Ocean leg of the journey now joined the Yacht: Sir Raymond Priestley, Acting Director of the Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey, was a distinguished explorer who had been on expeditions south with both Shackleton and Scott and Edward Seago, the artist, was already well known to the Royal Family. Then Christmas comes, and once again we are reminded that people matter, and it is our relationship with one another that is most important. 19th century. The boat … Let us remember this during our festivities, for it is part of the Christmas message - "Goodwill toward men". Prince Philip spoke on the radio from the Royal yacht before The Queen made her broadcast live from her study in Sandringham, Norfolk. On the return journey visits were made to the Maldive Islands, the Seychelles and Mauritius, where the royal family disembarked. With deteriorating relations between the British and Egyptian governments ruling out passage through the Mediterranean and Suez canal, the Yacht did the long haul, sailing via Freetown, Luanda, Cape Town and Mombasa where, on 22 September , the Standard of HRH The Princess Margaret was broken out. Website design by Flaydemouse in Yeovil, Somerset. Then came a well attended church service in the Royal Dining Room followed by Messdeck Rounds led by Prince Philip and Steward Gibson, the youngest Yachtsman onboard. To him I say: "From all the members of the family gathered here today our very best good wishes go out to you and to every one on board Britannia, as you voyage together in the far Southern seas. We are forever grateful to all those who put themselves at risk to keep us safe. Christmas dinner and party games for all followed as BRITANNIA rolled and pitched her way southwards. Of course it is sad for us to be separated on this day, and of course we look forward to the moment when we shall all again be together. When limitless amounts of information, much of it ephemeral, are instantly accessible on demand, there is a renewed hunger for that which endures and gives meaning. The Royal Yacht Britannia was home to Her Majesty The Queen and the Royal Family for over forty years, sailing more than 1,000,000 miles around the world. No purpose comes nearer to my own desires, for I believe that the way in which our Commonwealth is developing represents one of the most hopeful and imaginative experiments in international affairs that the world has ever seen. When she was decommissioned in 1997, it marked the end of a long tradition of British Royal Yachts, dating back to 1660 and the reign of Charles II. The Church has a duty to protect the free practice of all faiths in this country. The Royal Squadron crossed the Antarctic Circle on the last day of 1956, all onboard were given a red nose certificate designed by HRH and Ted Seago, and Prince Philip went across from BRITANNIA to the deck of a whale catcher by fishing basket! Now berthed in Edinburgh, you can follow in the footsteps of royalty to discover the heart and soul of this most special of Royal residences. The British Foreign Office reported that Queen Elizabeth II's royal yacht Britannia, with the help of a Soviet merchant ship, was using launches to ferry evacuees from beaches. Royal yacht with bunting being lowered. In the state drawing room, where the Queen entertained foreign dignitaries in port and gathered with her family at sea, there is a set of furniture that was a gift from the Swedish royal family in 1956. Here Prince Philip, his Secretary Lieutenant Commander Mike Parker, and Admiral Abel Smith rode in the annual Sailors Race, HRH winning by a good nose! Queen walking up gangway with pipes blowing throughout scene. LV. I speak of a tolerance that is not indifference, but is rather a willingness to recognise the possibility of right in others; of a comradeship that is not just a sentimental memory of good days past, but the certainty that the tried and staunch friends of yesterday are still in truth the same people today; of a love that can rise above anger and is ready to forgive. On 21st December BRITANNIA refuelled at sea with the fleet tanker RFAWAVE CHIEF, a deck hockey match on the verandah deck 2 days later was abandoned in of a snow storm, and on Christmas Day, in a sea that had by now become rough, Prince Philip made a live speech on the BBC’s ‘Christmas Day broadcast from around the World’. Happy Christmas from us all.". The northerly passage continued with a quick visit to Deception Island; then it was to the South Shetlands where the Yacht anchored in Admiralty Bay before weighing and making passage to Port Stanley in the Falkland Islands. For Christmas marks a moment to pause, to reflect and believe in the possibilities of rebirth and renewal. On his journey he has returned to many places that we have already visited together, and he has been to others that I have never seen. The Royal Yacht Britannia leaving Portsmouth with The Royal Family on board for their traditional cruise around the western isles of Scotland ... Edward Ford about the Suez Crisis in 1956… The Yacht arrived in Lyttleton, New Zealand, on 15th December and shortly afterwards she sailed for The Chatham Islands. Neither the long and troubled centuries that have passed since that child was born, nor the complex scientific developments of our age, have done anything to dim the simple joy and bright hope we all feel when we celebrate his birthday. When life seems hard, the courageous do not lie down and accept defeat; instead, they are all the more determined to struggle for a better future. One of a set of 147 35mm Kodachrome slides donated to the Museum in 1987. I have been warned I may have Happy Birthday sung to me more than once or twice. On Christmas Day in 1956 The Duke of Edinburgh was away from home on a voyage around the Commonwealth on BRITANNIA. Queen standing on dais. Every image on this website is protected by either Artist’s Copyright or Maritime Prints’ Publication Right. In all such differences, however, there comes a moment when, for the sake of ultimate harmony, the healing power of tolerance, comradeship and love must be allowed to play its part. A wonderful sense of occasion imbues this colourful record of the Queen's visit to Leith in 1956 in the Royal Yacht Britannia. SV. If the monarch is an emperor the proper term is imperial yacht.Most of them are financed by the government of the country of which the monarch is head. Royal yacht Britannia. Separation at this time is especially hard to bear. The birth of a baby brings great happiness - but then the business of growing up begins. I wish you all a Happy Christmas and a Happy New Year. P/Charles & P/Anne arrive at Waterloo Station (to join the Yacht Britannia to go up North 1956) seen shaking hands also shot of guard signaling the train away. Image 3: A certificate designed by The Duke of Edinburgh and the artist Edward Seago to mark the Royal Yacht Britannia’s crossing of the Antarctic Circle Image 4: The Duke of Edinburgh in 1963 with the celebrated British ornithologist Sir Peter Scott, and Minnie, a Bronze Winged Duck Miscellaneous. I first came here for Christmas as a grandchild. The Royal Yacht Britannia is Leith's most popular attraction. My hope this Christmas is that the Christian spirit of reconciliation may burn as strongly in our hearts during the coming year. LV. Great Britain has had a very strong connection with the seas and oceans for centuries. Whilst no image may therefore be reproduced without authorisation from Maritime Prints (who in turn will often have to apply for that permission from the artist or artist’s estate) every effort will be made to accommodate requests if they are for other websites wishing to promote these images. At the heart of our faith stand not a preoccupation with our own welfare and comfort but the concepts of service and of sacrifice. FRANCE: In May made the passage to and from Rouen to embark the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh after the royal tour of France. Nowadays, my grandchildren come here for the same family festival. Such friendship is a gift for which we are truly and rightly grateful. I can think of no better resolve to make, nor any better day on which to make it. Queen and Prince Philip on the bridge. This December we are looking back not just on one year, but on a hundred years and a thousand years. Your Holiness, your presence here today reminds us of our common Christian heritage, and of the Christian contribution to the encouragement of world peace. The Royal Yacht Britannia is a five-star visitor attraction in Edinburgh. I accept payment via PayPal, UK bank tranfer & cheques. See more ideas about britannia, royal, yacht. Everyone is our neighbour, no matter what race, creed or colour. Back at sea again the last iceberg was sighted on Monday 14th January and then it was Gough Island on 16th January followed by Tristan de Cunha, St Helena, Ascension Island, Bathurst for a 3 day visit to Gambia and finally, on 6th February, HM Dockyard Gibraltar where Prince Philip brought the Yacht alongside himself where his two guests departed. A new official history of Britannia says the former Tory premier failed to show leadership when it came to ordering a replacement. NORTH ATLANTIC: Took part, in April, in a NATO exercise off the Portuguese coast. See all 10 Royal Yacht Britannia tickets and tours on Tripadvisor. On the voyage back to England he will call at some of the least accessible parts of the world, those islands of the South Atlantic separated from us by immense stretches of the ocean, yet linked to us with bonds of brotherhood and trust. CV. Moreover, many of the photographs have been made available by the MOD and Royal Archives including a number of informal photographs of the Royal Family. TRAINS. St. Paul reminds us that all Christians, as ambassadors for Christ, are entrusted with the ministry of reconciliation. - See 22,091 traveler reviews, 9,651 candid photos, and great deals for Edinburgh, UK, at Tripadvisor. While Prince Philip was aboard the royal yacht Britannia for his five-month tour in 1956, newspapers speculated that the queen’s husband welcomed women onboard with him. A royal yacht is a ship used by a monarch or a royal family. Christmas Day Tuesday 25th December 1956 BBCTV 11.00am A Family Service from Warwick Road Congregational Church, Coventry uniting with the Queen's Road Baptist Church 2.55pm His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh (sound only) speaking from the Royal Yacht Britannia … With that consciousness in mind, I would like to send a special message of hope and encouragement to all who are not so blessed, or for any reason cannot be with those they love today: to the sick who cannot be at home; to all who serve their country in foreign lands, or whose duty keeps them upon the oceans; and to every man or woman whose destiny it is to walk through life alone. New Year’s Day saw the Royal party transferring at the edge of the pack ice to RRS JOHN BISCOE to allow Prince Philip to visit a Falklands Islands Dependencies Survey base. Feb 21, 2018 - In service from 1954---1997. ... BRITANNIA anchored as close as possible off the beach and was quickly involved in the rescue effort with Soviet ships. Plan your trip for a tour of the iconic royal yacht Britannia in the beautiful city of Edinburgh in Scotland. On Christmas Day in 1956 The Duke of Edinburgh was away from home on a voyage around the Commonwealth on BRITANNIA. He had been a camouflage officer during the war and had enjoyed painting with such senior soldiers as Sir Claude Auchinleck and Sir Harold Alexander: “Alex” had made Seago his personal war artist during the Italian campaign. Her Majesty’s Yacht BRITANNIA (Vice Admiral Sir Conolly Abel Smith, KCVO CB, Flag Officer Royal Yachts) sailed for Royal Duty from Portsmouth on 28th August 1956. Being united - that is, feeling a unity of purpose - is the glue that bonds together the members of a family, a country, a Commonwealth. The images are all taken during the Olympic Games held in Melbourne in November and December, 1956. WATERLOO STATION. Troops giving three cheers (natural sound). Prince Philip spoke on the radio from the Royal yacht before The Queen made her broadcast live from her study in Sandringham, Norfolk. That each one of us should give this power a chance to do its work is my heartfelt message to you all upon this Christmas Day. Yet my husband's absence at this time has made me even more aware than I was before of my own good fortune in being one of a united family. In the show Princess Margaret says, “It’s not a royal tour, it’s a five-month stag night.” Whilst HRH visited ships of the Home Fleet and carried out other official duties ashore the Yachtsmen prepared the Royal Yacht for the embarkation of HM The Queen and the State visit to Portugal on conclusion of which the Royal Yacht made the final leg of the voyage arriving in Portsmouth on 24th February, 110 days and 40,000 miles since she had departed in August 1956. That joy and hope find their most complete fulfilment within the loving circle of a united family. We all know that these are not always easy, for there is no law within a family which binds its members to think, or act, or be alike. Royal Yacht Britannia: It's great. Early on in the new series of The Crown, we find the Duke of Edinburgh on board the Royal Yacht in 1956. From all parts of the Commonwealth, and from the remote and lonely spaces of Antarctica, words and thoughts, taking their inspiration from the birth of the child in Bethlehem long ago, have been carried between us upon the invisible wings of twentieth-century science. Nine days later BRITANNIA arrived at Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea and then whilst Prince Philip undertook official engagements ashore, she visited Brisbane and Sydney before arriving in the Yarra River, Melbourne on 29th November in time for Prince Philip’s re-embarkation and his opening of the XVIth Olympic Games.