Royal Yachts

Using his personal ship, Mora, William, Duke of Normandy, invaded Britain with a fleet of similar ships. It was the first of a long line of ships with Royal associations. The word ‘yacht’ did not come into British usage until the seventeenth century, it being a Dutch word. King Charles II, while in exile in the Netherlands, spent much time sailing statenyachts and had one brought to England when he was crowned. This 100-ton vessel, with its gold decoration, was the first proper British royal yacht and started a long line of eighty-three different vessels that finished with the Royal Yacht Britannia, which is now moored at Leith as a floating museum.