Palma.—The Fortuna, or Foners, as she is now named, is one of the fastest 20 super yachts in the world with a maximum speed of 65 knots and was built, at a cost of 21 million euros, for the King by a consortium of Balearic businessmen and women in 2000 to help promote the Balearics, considering the royal family has traditionally spent the best part of its Summer holidays at Marivent Palace on the outskirts of Palma.
However, last year, King Juan Carlos renounced the use of his luxury yacht, which cost the taxpayer 25,000 euros to refuel, in a nod to austerity by the Spanish royal family.
Since her launch, the Fortuna has provided countless photo opportunities; the monarch at the helm of the 136-foot motor yacht cruising around the waters off Majorca while various members of his family sunned themselves on its deck.
Resentment
But the head-of-state made the decision to give up one of his most prized possessions amid growing resentment by Spaniards at the privileges enjoyed by the elite in a nation suffering deep economic crisis and an unemployment rate above 27 per cent.
Last year the royal family announced it would reduce its annual budget by 100,000 euros to 8.3 million euros with King Juan Carlos and his heir Prince Felipe, announcing they would take a pay cut of seven percent, broadly in line with the public sector wage cut imposed by Spain’s conservative government.
"The King has taken the decision to ask the National Heritage to proceed with the release of the asset," a spokesman for the Royal Palace said at the time.
"It wasn’t something he felt comfortable with any longer," said a source at Zarzuela Palace, the King’s residence.
Luxury experience
In response, FUNDATUR, the Balearic foundation which had the yacht, which has always been based in the Porto Pi naval base in Palma, built, decided to ask National Heritage to hand the vessel back considering they built it and they should therefore decide what the future holds for the yacht which offers accommodation for up to eight guests in four suites.
She is also capable of carrying up to six crew onboard to ensure a relaxed, luxury yacht experience.
Yesterday, as she under went sea trials, engineers dismantled the yacht’s communication system and it was clear that other items have been stripped from the yacht.
Today, she is due to sail round to her new home in Port Adriano where she will be placed up for sale.
Apparently, there has already been some interest from the Middle East and Kazakhstan.
However, a leading charter expert has told the Bulletin that, by today’s standards she is slightly too small to be used as a charter vessel and that, if he was to sell her, he would not quite know where the yacht, which when built was ahead of its time, would fit in the market.