Join us for an exclusive Private Evening in the footsteps of Her Majesty The Queen aboard the Royal Yacht Britannia for a Champagne Reception and Candlelit Banquet in the State Rooms where The Queen entertained her Royal guests and Heads of State: event successfully concluded

The arrangements and atmosphere will be no different to when the Royal Family were aboard Britannia on State duty, welcoming Royalty, Prime Ministers and Presidents from across the world.

The date is Monday, December 6, 2021. We shall be the only guests on board Britannia for this exclusive private evening, and this glamorous, historic and memorable private event will be the perfect opening to our 2021 Christmas festivities.

Having first received our personalised invitations, adorned by the Royal Yacht coat of arms, the evening will begin as it did for Her Majesty and her guests, when we are welcomed aboard the yacht via a private entrance to the strains of a Scottish piper in full regalia, along the regal red carpet. We shall board Britannia by the Royal entrance, the Royal Brow, at the port aft of the yacht.

We shall see for ourselves on this special evening why Britannia is the Royal Palace which Her Majesty holds most dear. The Queen said of her, ‘Britannia is the one place where I can truly relax.’

Britannia is part of a centuries-old tradition of British Royal Yachts, dating back to 1660 and the reign of King Charles II. In fact the original meaning of the word Yacht is ‘a vessel of state used to convey princes from one kingdom to another’. Although plans for Britannia had been conceived in 1952, during the reign of King George IV, the then Princess Elizabeth’s father—partly to help him to continue overseas tours despite ailing health—the King died only two days later. Not only did The Queen have to prepare for her new role, but she it was who had responsibility for commissioning the new three-masted Royal Yacht, not only as a ship of state but designed to be converted into a hospital ship in times of war. Naming Britannia at her launch in 1953 will have been a poignant moment for the Queen. And who can forget the sadness of the day in 1997 when Britannia was decommissioned? As the the Band of HM Royal Marines played the highly emotive ‘Highland Cathedral’, HM The Queen was seen to shed a tear.

The Queen said then, ‘Looking back over 44 years we can all reflect with pride and gratitude upon this great ship which has served the country, the Royal Navy and my family with such distinction . . . playing such an important role in the history of the second half of this century. Steaming over one million miles she has proudly carried out over 700 Royal visits at home and overseas. Her achievements are a great testament to those who designed and built her and to those craftsmen and artisans who have maintained her with such dedication over all these years.’

We much hope our Members and their guests will join us for this special, exceptional private event, and relax amid the splendours of The Queen’s floating palace to fully enjoy both the occasion and the historical significance of the Royal Yacht Britannia.

Despite her retirement from Royal duties, entertaining on board the Royal Yacht at her berth in Edinburgh’s Port of Leith is no different today than when she was on state duty across the world, a regal stage for HM The Queen to meet overseas Royalty, Heads of State and international business leaders, honoured to be aboard her. The same meticulous attention to detail is observed today, and the same high standards of service rigorously followed. In addition, the dishes prepared by Britannia’s Executive Chef and his team in the Royal Galley are simply superb. Our guests may be forgiven for themselves feeling like Royalty!

Having arrived on board the Royal Yacht, we shall be welcomed by the white-coated stewards and escorted to the State Drawing Room for our Champagne Reception. This is where The Queen met her guests. Its décor of antique and modern furnishings—’a country house at sea’ as its designer Sir Hugh Casson explained—has not changed, even down to the original Walmar baby grand piano, firmly bolted to the floor in case of rough seas, and often played by guests, including Sir Noel Coward, and by Princesses Margaret and Diana. For us, a professional pianist will play! The State Drawing Room was also where the Royal Family relaxed together, their favourite pastimes including playing games, reading and singing.

During the reception we shall be invited to take private tours of Britannia, hosted by experienced senior guides whose knowledge of the yacht and her historic past are deep and informative, as well as entertaining—telling anecdotes such as how HM the Queen Mother used to frequent the mess bar to drink her favourite gin and Dubonnet, then cook bacon and eggs for the crew. More sober facts include Britannia’s length at 412ft, without rivets or name, and her crew complement of 220 Royal Yachtsmen, 21 officers, an admiral and a 26-strong Royal Marine band. On a tour taking in the bridge and the, we shall visit private areas such as Her Majesty’s sleeping quarters, decorated to utilise bed linen bought for Queen Victoria on the previous Royal Yacht.

For a State Visit, The Queen would take five tons of luggage, including royal jewellery and Malvern water for her tea. Up to 45 members of the royal household would accompany her, including her surgeon, detectives, hairdresser, valets, footmen, ladies-in-waiting, press, private secretaries and chefs. As we tour the yacht we shall see that all the clocks are stopped at 15:01, the time when The Queen was piped ashore for the last time. All this and much more will be ours to understand and explore, revealing little known aspects of both Royal and maritime history in the process.

Following our private Champagne Reception and tours of Britannia, eventually we shall be invited to take our places in the magnificent State Dining Room for our Banquet. As when HM The Queen entertained, the position of every knife, fork and spoon will have been measured meticulously with a ruler. This will have taken several hours to achieve, and the whole effect of arriving in this State Room will be breathtaking. The finest crystal, gleaming cutlery, fresh flowers and personalised menus embossed with Britannia’s unmistakable gold crest will be the backdrop to our event, just as they were in times past.

So too, the method of service: white-coated stewards preside, simultaneously removing the silver domes from our plates as they did for The Queen and her guests. In such a grand setting, this alone is a spectacle to behold. And all the while a harp and flute duet will play, their theme being music which Her Majesty and the Duke most enjoyed when entertaining onboard guests, some of the most memorable of whom were Sir Winston Churchill, Ronald and Nancy Reagan, Nelson Mandela and Ghandi.

When dinner is over we are invited to remain on board Britannia until midnight if we wish, enjoying our time in the State Dining Room or moving back to the State Drawing Room, where we can if we wish order drinks. Stewards will be at hand to assist in our enjoying aspects of the Royal Yacht still further—the aim is to make the very most of our private time on board this special vessel in the nation’s history. An evening on board Britannia is an evening that will never be forgotten, and we hope will never end.

Tickets for the entire private event are just £229 per head and as the date is Monday, December 6, 2021, they make a fabulous, glittering start to this year’s Christmas festivities. This event is open only to CountryClubuk Members and their personal guests, and includes private tours of the Royal Yacht Britannia, a Champagne and canapé reception in the State Drawing Room, a four-course candlelit banquet in the State Dining Room, served with half a bottle of wine per guest, live music in the State Drawing Room and the State Dining Room, service and VAT. Additional drinks may be purchased as required during the evening. The Champagne reception starts at 6.30pm and we shall dine at 8.15pm. Carriages from 11pm to midnight.

Places are of necessity strictly limited, and we anticipate that this exclusive event will be extremely popular with our Members, so please don’t delay!
Click here now to book your places online, or call 020 7399 2960, so that your name and those of your guests can be added to our Guest List on the Royal Yacht Britannia. Tickets will be allocated on a strictly first-come-first-served basis.

To stay in the heart of Edinburgh is magical. To see the sun set on the castle walls from the windows of your own private room or suite makes it even more amazing—what a view this is! And as a Member of CountryClubuk you can enjoy it all from the perfectly located Waldorf Astoria Edinburgh-The Caledonian, at exclusive Club Members’ rates.

Said to have been Sean Connery’s favourite Edinburgh hotel, the large, rose-coloured Permian hotel is a haven of luxurious Scottish hospitality, not only a grand railway hotel with spectacular castle views from guest rooms, restaurants and bars which will make a simple holiday spectacular, but a 21st century hotel with all the amenities you require within fine, vaulting Victorian interiors and 241 sumptuously decorated rooms.

Edinburgh will be at your feet to enjoy. And as this fabulous hotel is in the Top Three Conde Nast Traveller current Readers’ Awards as well as holding the Scotland’s Best Hotel award, —and it is already one of our Members’ tried-and-tested favourites—you can be sure to have a wonderful stay. For full details on the Waldorf Astoria Caledonian, please click here.

To check availability and your exclusive Club rates, and to book your stays at any of our Edinburgh clubs and hotels, please call the Member Services on 020 7399 2960.