ROBERT HARDMAN: Royal ‘Yotties’ return to liven up Charles’ emotional visit to the Yacht Britannia

The clocks on board are still at 15.01. It was precisely the moment when the late Queen, accompanied by most of the Royal Family, left the royal yacht Britannia for the last time, closing a remarkable chapter in our maritime history.

That was in December 1997, on a day when the Queen burst into tears as she watched Britannia be dismantled. Since then, the yacht has become an award-winning tourist attraction in Leith harbour, outside Edinburgh.

Last night the king was back on board for his first visit since that sad farewell. He remembered the deck games, the picnics, the concert parties, and especially the crew. About 50 former Royal Yachtsmen, known as ‘Yotties’, had come to last night’s reception.

“I want to thank all of you wonderful old Yotties for sticking with this,” he told them as they all enjoyed a rum (or two) on the Verandah Deck. They responded with several three cheers and a distinctly unroyal ‘Oggy Oggy Oggy! Oh dear! Oh dear! Oi’ – much to the king’s amusement.

More than a quarter of a century after Britannia’s retirement, these former crew members still gather aboard for an annual week of unpaid maintenance work to keep the yacht looking as good as ever.

Royal ‘Yotties’ cheered King Charles’ emotional return to the Yacht Britannia on Monday afternoon

Then Prince of Wales Charles leaves Gibraltar on the Royal Yacht Britannia with the late Princess Diana for their honeymoon cruise, 31 July 1981

The Royal Yacht Britannia with Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Philip, Prince Charles and Princess Anne on board in Gibraltar in 1954

About 50 former Royal Yachtsmen, known as ‘Yotties’, had come to last night’s reception

Last night’s visit was the king’s way of thanking them. ‘Is the galley still open? Haven’t you lost your feeling yet?’ he asked former chef Jeff Stoddard, 73.

“I remember being fascinated by the ‘pschhh’ sound,” he said, looking into the old laundry room.

He was delighted to see the engine room still shining.

“Those engines could now run again,” former NCO David Rushforth, 73, told the King.

“He kept saying how much he appreciated how the task force still came back after all these years,” said the yacht’s last skipper, Commodore Anthony Morrow.

The King is in Edinburgh for a week of official appointments, most notably tomorrow’s cathedral service, where he will formally receive the Honors of Scotland.

As a five-year-old prince, he was Britannia’s first-ever royal passenger, along with his sister, Princess Anne, when they sailed to the Mediterranean in 1954 to meet their parents.

The King always loved life aboard the yacht, whether on a grand tour or cruising the coast of Scotland.

The King always loved life aboard the yacht, whether on a grand tour or cruising the coast of Scotland. Pictured: Staff standing at attention for the King’s arrival

Last night’s visit (left) was the King’s way of thanking the Yotties for looking after the yacht after all this time. A young Charles, then Prince of Wales, is pictured with his sister, Princess Anne, and their parents Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip aboard the yacht in 1956 (right)

King Charles waves as he exits the Royal Yacht Britannia, one of the most famous ships in the world

The king was pleased to see the engine room still shining. Here he is shown being shown it by a royal sailor

Bob Downie, CEO of the Royal Yacht Britannia (L) with King Charles on a tour of the Royal Yacht Britannia

Members of the Royal Yacht Britannia toast King Charles III on a tour of the Royal Yacht Britannia

A bagpiper plays a lament piper aboard the Royal Yacht Britannia moored in Leith, Edinburgh ahead of Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral on September 19, 2022

Britannia was one of the most famous ships in the world – and she’s seen the most of it for 43 years and more than a million miles at sea. In wartime she would be a hospital ship (hence her huge wash and operating room). In peacetime it would be a palace cum embassy.

The royal family loved to participate in the weekly quiz competition and even the concert parties, performing a sketch or a song. Charles participated fully.

Britannia would also become a highly effective showroom for UK businesses, generating billions through commercial events.

Finally, in 1997, the big journey was over. The then prince was invited to address the farewell dinner. It was the shortest speech of his life.

“I just want to get drunk blindly,” he said, and sat down to thunderous applause. No further explanation was necessary. Last night you could understand why.