The Royal Yacht Britannia is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Edinburgh, Scotland. Built in 1953 for Queen Elizabeth II and her family, the yacht served as a home away from home for the royals for over 44 years. Today, visitors can tour the lavish interior and learn about the king’s and queen’s lives on board. With its stunning architecture and rich history, a visit to the Royal Yacht Britannia is not to be missed!
Royal Yacht Britannia
Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, were the last royals to live on board the yacht before it was decommissioned in 1997.
The yacht was used by the royal family for pleasure trips, official visits, and state occasions. It was also used as a floating hospital during the Falklands War in 1982.
The Royal Yacht Britannia is now docked at Leith docks in Edinburgh, and it is open to the public for tours.
Royal Yacht Britannia Tour
The fact that you can tour the actual yacht that the Queen and her family spent so much time on is pretty amazing.
Visitors can explore the yacht’s lavish interior, including the royal apartments, staterooms, and engine room. The furnishings are exactly the same as they were prior to it being decommissioned.
While you can tour it on your own, the audio tour is complementary and will take you on a guided and detailed tour of everything you will see on the Royal Yacht Britannia’s five main decks.
There is also a kid version of the audio tour that will help keep the kids entertained. There is also a Corgi-spotting activity where kids look for the Queen’s corgis (in the form of stuffed animals) on the ship.
What You Will See on the Royal Yacht Britannia
State Apartments and Royal Bedrooms
The Royal Yacht Britannia is the only place where you can see the living quarters of the existing British monarch.
You will see that the royal bedroom of Queen Elizabeth is adjoining to that of her husband.
When King Charles and his wife Diana stayed onboard for their honeymoon, they used this room but added a second single bed!
The Lounge
The Sun Lounge where the Royal Family could relax and take in the views from the large windows that span across the front of the ship.
State Dining Room
This dining room would be where Queen Elizabeth would entertain heads of state and other dignitaries
It seats 96 people and the table features china that is embossed with the Royal Britannia crest.
The Royal Deck Tea Room
Don’t miss taking time to relax at the tea room onboard the Royal Brittania and grab a coffee or tea. This space was once used for cocktail parties and receptions.
We had pastries and coffee, while the kids enjoyed a hot chocolate.
Royal Yacht Britannia Ticket Information
We suggest purchasing your tickets in advance because only a certain number of people are permitted access to the ship at a time. You should plan to be on the ship for approximately 2 hours.
Royal Edinburgh Ticket
If you choose to purchase the Royal Edinburgh Ticket, you will fast-track admission to The Royal Yacht Britannia along with some of the major attractions in Edinburgh.
It also allows you to use the Hop on hop off bus which can take you here from central Edinburgh.
How to get to the Royal Yacht Britannia
- The nearest train station is Edinburgh Waverley.
- If coming by car, simply follow the brown Britannia signs. There is free parking at Ocean Terminal
- Britannia is berthed alongside Ocean Terminal. Here you will find an upscale waterfront shopping center with more than 70 shops, bars, restaurants, and a cinema. Britannia’s Visitor Center is located on the second floor of Ocean Terminal.
Have you visited the Royal Yacht Britannia? What was your favorite part of the ship?
Rosemary
Friday 9th of February 2018
What an amazing tour and peek into the Royal family's private quarters. Interesting that couples never slept in the same bed together. Wonder if it's due to security??? The tea room looks amazing! Great tour experience.
Brigitte
Thursday 8th of February 2018
wow that is so cool! I have never been on a yacht so this looks pretty amazing. Great to see what it looks like from the inside as well!
Brianna
Thursday 8th of February 2018
This ship really does look fit for royalty! What a neat experience. I wonder how they dealt with security when it was in use. Especially if everyone knew that the boat held people from the royal family!
C-Ludik
Thursday 8th of February 2018
I heard that 95% of the original items from when Britannia was in royal service are still on board including furniture, artefacts, paintings and photographs. Is it right ? I guess that there is something for everyone on the visit whether you are interested in the Royal Family, the Royal Navy, history, or just want to spend a great day out :-)
umiko
Wednesday 7th of February 2018
Wow! It's so spacious. How many houses do yo think could fit in in the ship? Of all the rooms you showed in the pictures, the Sun Lounge looks less formal compare to others. It's my favorite room in the ship.