
Palace lobbied Downing Street for £50m Royal yacht replacement
Cabinet Office papers released by the National Archives reveal apparent backhanded manoeuvring by palace officials as ministers agonised over whether to order a replacement for the vessel.
The files show how courtiers invited civil servants to a 'splendid lunch' on the yacht and tried to influence a speech by Sir John, then prime minister, as part of a thinly veiled campaign to replace the ship.
By 1993 it was apparent that, after 39 years, Britannia was reaching the end of its life, but Sir John's Conservative government had yet to decide whether to invest in a new one.
It was widely thought Queen Elizabeth II strongly favoured the commissioning of a new yacht but the Royal family could not afford to be seen to be trying to influence political decision-making.
However, files released by the Archives at Kew, west London, show that senior courtiers privately approached No 10 to see if the prime minister would make a Commons statement stressing Britannia's ' inestimable value ' to the nation.
The plan, which appears to be a show of support for a new yacht, was rejected by the Cabinet Office, which warned that any such comments would be highly 'prejudicial'.
One senior official noted caustically that a claim by the Palace that the Queen was 'indifferent' as to the outcome of a review of the yacht's future 'hardly rings true'.
The issue of a new yacht came at an extremely difficult time for both the government and the Palace, with support for the royals at a low ebb.
There had been an angry public backlash the previous year when ministers announced the taxpayer would pick up the bill, which eventually ran to £36m, for the restoration of Windsor Castle following a catastrophic fire.
In the aftermath of her 'annus horribilis', which also saw the separation of Charles and Diana, the Queen agreed that she would for the first time pay taxes.
'Of inestimable value to the UK'
With Sir John due to announce the historic move in a statement to parliament, Sir Robert Fellows, the Queen's private secretary, saw an opportunity to secure what would amount to a show of support for a new yacht.
He asked Alex Allan, the prime minister's principal private secretary, whether Sir John would insert a passage referring to the importance of Britannia as well as the Queen's flight and the royal train.
He suggested the prime minister should tell MPs that it was not just a question of cost 'but also the style in which we wish our head of state and members of the royal family to represent us ' in their public duties.
'It is always difficult to put a price on prestige but I have no doubt that over the years these items have been of inestimable value to this country.'
Sir Robert's proposed addition to Sir John's statement went on: 'I would also like to make clear that there is not, and never has been, any pressure from the Queen to build a replacement for HMY Britannia.
'Should the government decide it is in the national interest for the yacht to be replaced that would be of course another matter.'
However, Nicolas Bevan, the official heading the working group set up to consider the future of the yacht, warned that the proposed remarks could be 'prejudicial' to any future decisions.
'For example to say that the royal yacht has been of inestimable value to this country will not be a helpful remark if ministers in due course decide not to replace Britannia,' Mr Bevan said.
'Equally it hardly rings true to suggest that it is a matter of complete indifference to the Queen as to whether Britannia is replaced or not.'
'No kind of rearguard action on the yacht'
Despite the palace's protestations of neutrality, the files suggest courtiers were involved in what amounted to some none-too-subtle lobbying in favour of a new yacht.
On May 13 1993, senior government officials, led by Sir Robin Butler, the cabinet secretary, were invited to a 'splendid lunch' on board Britannia where they were regaled by Sir High Bidwell, the former lord mayor of London, and the Earl of Limerick, a senior banker, on the value of the yacht to UK business.
Expressing his thanks afterwards to Major General Sir Simon Cooper, the master of the Queen's household, Sir Robin noted that the setting had 'brought home the issues to those involved in a unique way'.
However, when news of the meeting leaked out, government press officers were instructed to impress upon journalists that the Queen and royal family were 'not fighting any kind of rearguard action on the yacht'.
Despite misgivings over the costs, the Major government finally announced in January 1997 that they would build a replacement yacht if they were returned to power in the general election later that year.
The move was however widely interpreted as a desperate attempt to shore up support among wavering Tory voters, and when Labour was swept to power in a landslide they promptly reversed the decision.
When Britannia was finally decommissioned, after returning the Chris Patten, the last governor of Hong Kong, following the handover to China, the Queen was seen to shed a tear.
In its 43 years of service, the yacht sailed over one million nautical miles on 968 state visits with the Royal family where they entertained prime ministers and presidents.
The yacht is now retired and is berthed in Leith, Edinburgh, where it is open to visitors.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


The Independent
5 minutes ago
- The Independent
Migrant hotel threatens closure if just asylum-seeking men are housed on site
A migrant hotel has warned it will close if the Home Office begins placing men at the site instead of families. The Park Hotel in Diss, Norfolk, said it is currently contracted to accommodate families only and has made clear to the Home Office that it 'will have no alternative but to close' if that changes. In the statement shared to social media the hotel said: 'The Park Hotel has been contracted by the Home Office to provide accommodation for families. 'This arrangement presently remains in place, despite recent public statements suggesting otherwise. 'We have advised the Home Office and other stakeholders that should this situation change, and we are formally notified that the hotel will no longer operate as a family-only establishment, we will have no alternative but to close the Hotel.' It said there are currently 'vulnerable families and children staying at the hotel – many of whom are feeling frightened and uncertain about recent events at the Hotel and their futures'. 'We ask for understanding and sensitivity from both the public and the media during this time, as we continue to provide support to those in our accommodation,' the statement added. It comes amid mounting local tensions over the use of the hotel to house asylum seekers, with around 60 protesters gathering outside the premises on Wednesday night to voice their anger at the Government's decision. They were met by around 30 counter-protesters from campaign group Stand Up to Racism, who held signs reading 'refugees welcome'. The Home Office has not commented directly on the hotel's warning but has previously said the use of hotels is a temporary measure and all placements are made following risk assessments. The hotel has long served as a local business and venue for tourism, weddings and events. The Park Hotel refused to comment when approached by the PA news agency.


The Independent
5 minutes ago
- The Independent
Ministers urged to explain plans to re-establish extraditions to Hong Kong
Ministers have been urged to explain plans which would once again allow Britain to extradite people to Hong Kong. The move could put at risk dissident Hongkongers who have fled to the UK to avoid recrimination by the Chinese government, a senior Conservative warned. Shadow Home Office minister Alicia Kearns urged the Government to ensure 'protections will be put in place to ensure no Hongkonger, CCP (Chinese Community Party) critic or anyone targeted by the CCP will be extradited under the new arrangement'. The UK's extradition treaty with Hong Kong was suspended by the then-Tory government after a new national security law was imposed on the territory by China in 2020. The treaty meant Hong Kong could request that someone living in the UK suspected of a crime at home could be handed over to face justice, and vice versa. Fears that the law could lead to human rights abuses were behind the UK's reasoning to put the agreement on ice. Ministers have now introduced a law change in the Commons which would tweak how Hong Kong is designated under the 2003 Extradition Act. The statutory instrument introduced in the Commons on July 17 would effectively re-establish an extradition route with Hong Kong, as well as Zimbabwe. It also changes how Chile is classified under the Act because the South American country has signed an international extradition treaty. In a letter to shadow home secretary Chris Philp seen by the PA news agency, security minister Dan Jarvis suggested the change was needed as no extradition to Hong Kong can currently be made 'even if there were strong operational grounds to do so'. Mr Jarvis added: 'The way to resolve this situation is to de-designate Hong Kong and Zimbabwe from the Act so that we can co-operate with them on the case-by-case ad hoc basis available for non-treaty partners. 'The safety and security of our citizens is our top priority. 'Ensuring that territories are correctly designated under the Act will ensure that the UK can accept extradition requests in a lawful and timely way to ensure the public is not put at risk.' Writing in response to Mr Jarvis, shadow minister Ms Kearns questioned why the Government had taken the step, as she said the situation in Hong Kong had 'worsened' in the years since the national security law was introduced. She pointed to the case of Jimmy Lai, the 77-year-old British national and proprietor of the Apple Daily newspaper, who is facing detention by the Chinese government, as well as other critics of Beijing. 'Has the Government assessed political freedom and the rule of law have been returned to Hong Kong, or have you decided these issues are no longer saleable alongside the 'reset' in relations between the UK and China?' Ms Kearns asked in her letter. In a post on social media, she added: 'I urge the Government to give urgent reassurances on how this system will be safely managed and what protections will be put in place to ensure no Hong Konger, CCP critic or anyone targeted by the CCP will be extradited under the new arrangement.' The Hong Kong national security law criminalises anything considered to be secessionist from China, and has led to a crackdown on critics of Beijing. Some 150,000 Hongkongers have moved to the UK under a special visa scheme launched in early 2021, after the law was introduced. Since coming to power, Labour has sought to reset relations with China with the aim of boosting trade, after the Conservatives took an increasingly hawkish attitude towards the country while they were in office. The Home Office, which is responsible for extradition law, has been contacted for comment.


BBC News
6 minutes ago
- BBC News
Total arrests at Epping asylum hotel protests rises to 16
The number of people arrested in connection with protests outside a hotel housing asylum seekers has risen to than 1,000 people have attended demonstrations at The Bell Hotel in Epping, Essex, on 13, 17 and 20 Police chief Ben-Julian Harrington said "thugs and vandals" hijacked the second protest, leading to missiles being thrown between rival force warned that more suspects were being identified, adding: "There will be more arrests in the coming days." People causing trouble have been accused of exploiting what had been a peaceful protest on 17 has been staged at the hotel since a man living there was charged with sexual assault, harassment and inciting a girl to engage in sexual Kebatu, 41, from Ethiopia, has denied the offences and remains on remand in custody. Of the 16 arrested, six people have been charged with offences including violent disorder, criminal damage and refusing to remove a face covering."We've been analysing footage and we have investigators and trained detectives working on this operation," said Assistant Chief Constable Stuart Hooper."Put simply: If you turn up to try to cause trouble, you won't get away with it."A dispersal order was imposed until 08:00 BST on Friday in response to further planned gave officers extra powers to direct people to leave the area or face Laing, who was the Conservative MP for Epping Forest until 2024, called for calm during a speech in the House of known as Baroness Laing of Elderslie, she urged politicians to calm the "riotous situation" and stop peddling "misinformation" about the protests. It followed Mr Harrington rebutting criticism aimed at his officers over how they dealt with pro-migrant were accused of driving the group to the hotel, leading to disorder and later attracting outrage from Reform UK leader Nigel Mr Harrington dismissed allegations that his officers had inflamed tensions or given preferential treatment to one Forest District Council is due to debate the hotel's use for asylum seekers at a meeting on Thursday evening. Follow Essex news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.