Moves are under way in Britain to relaunch the royal yacht, Britannia. To this day I never understood why it was withdrawn from service in the first place. One of the finest sights I have ever seen was when Britannia sailed into Palma with Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh aboard back in 1988. It was simply magnificent.
But before the government, the media and British business get too carried away, it must be remembered that public sentiment back in 1988 was against Britannia. The great British public couldn't understand why the British monarch needed a floating palace. I doubt that sentiment has changed. In other words Britannia remains an expensive luxury for many.
It can be argued that Britannia is vital for British business and since the pullout from the European Union, British business needs all the help it can get. But what are we talking here: refloating Britannia as a royal yacht or a business platform? If it is for business, then British business should pay for it; if it is a royal yacht then it should be the Ministry of Defence.
I believe that a seafaring nation like Britain should have a royal yacht which can help British business when needed. But let us remember that the attraction here is the royal status of the vessel not the fact that it is a vessel used by the royal family and British business. Bring back Britannia, as a royal yacht for the monarch is my message.