The Royal Yacht Britannia’s new exhibition and retail experiences have launched

The Royal Yacht Britannia’s new visitor centre, on the second floor of Ocean Terminal, is now open and ready to welcome visitors.

Queen Elizabeth II’s former yacht draws around 350,000 visitors each year.

The new centre was developed over the course of two years and combines advanced technology with hand-crafted furniture and fittings made by British manufacturers, including Leith-based sign-writer Thomas Paints.

The exhibition tells the story of Britannia’s launch from John Brown & Company shipyard in Clydebank in 1953, through to its new role, as a five-star visitor attraction in Leith.

The retail area includes new product lines such as a range of fine bone china and a limited-edition whisky – a 16-year-old Glen Moray single-cask whisky, commemorating Queen Elizabeth II’s final disembarkation at 3.01pm on 11 December 1997. There is also the addition of a five-foot-high, yet-to-be-named, corgi soft toy.

Chief executive Franck Bruyère said: “This is a momentous event for The Royal Yacht Britannia Trust. I’m incredibly proud of the enormous collaborative effort behind the project, and the Britannia team who have been integral in ensuring our new space is world-class and enhances our existing five-star visitor experience.

“An additional bonus for us is that this month marks the anniversary of Britannia arriving in Leith to start her new life as a visitor attraction 27 years ago in 1998.”

He added: “It has been a pleasure working closely with the Royal Collection Trust to source never-before-seen images of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip relaxing and enjoying life at sea on board this iconic ship.”

The Royal Yacht Britannia was home to Queen Elizabeth II and the royal family for over 40 years, sailing over a million nautical miles around the world, and calling at more than 600 ports in 128 countries.

www.royalyachtbritannia.co.uk

Image: Tony Marsh, of waiter Marianna Svitiashchuk welcoming the giant corgi