RFA Duke of Edinburgh?

[uk 75]

Not sure where or whether discussion of this should go.
The announcement that the Royal Navy is
to get a 200 million "national ship" in
four years time poses many questions.
The Royals are more sensitive to public
opinion these days and are reportedly
not keen on being associated with it.
Apart from being a venue for trade fairs
(didnt they convert a ship in 1951 for
the Festival of Britain?) no other use
has been described.
HMRY Britannia served as a refuge for the
Monarch in the Cold War. Perhaps the government
feel the need for such a refuge again.
Does not seem to get much support so far.

 

[Foo Fighter]

I doubt that, with the current financial situation, a vessel that is NOT a Royal yacht but more a showcase for UK engineering, can be produced. Particularly important that the nation NOT produce a Royal yacht, that would be hubris.

 

[EwenS]

(didnt they convert a ship in 1951 for
the Festival of Britain?)

Yes the old WW2 escort carrier Campania had her hangar converted to an exhibition area and toured 10 ports in the UK over some 5 months in 1951.

Sorry Boris but there are much more important things that we could be spending £200m on right now. And the in service date of 4 years from now seems a bit ambitious anyway, given that it hasn't even been tendered yet. I note that it is no longer being referred to as a "Royal Yacht" which presumably says something in itself.

Plans for new national flagship to promote 'best of British'

The government plans to build a successor to Britannia in the UK, at a reported cost of about £200m.

www.bbc.co.uk