PRESS RELEASE
Royal Visit,
SUNDAY, AUGUST 17, 1986
ROYAL YACHT IS THE QUEEN'S HOME AWAY FROM HOME
*****
ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS SHIPS IN THE WORLD, HER MAJESTY'S YACHT BRITANNIA, WILL BE MAKING HER FIRST CALL IN HONG KONG WHEN SHE BRINGS THE QUEEN AND THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH INTO PORT ON OCTOBER 21. THE ROYAL VISITORS WILL BE STAYING ABOARD BRITANNIA THROUGHOUT THE IR THREE-DAY VISIT TO THE TERRITORY.
THE QUEEN WILL BE GIVING A STATE BANQUET FOR ABOUT 40 GUESTS ON BOARD BRITANNIA ON OCTOBER 22 AND THIS WILL BE FOLLOWED BY A RECEPTION ON BOARD FOR 200 PEOPLE. FROM THE DECKS OF BRITANNIA THE ROYAL VISITORS AND THE IR GUESTS WILL WATCH A FIREWORK DISPLAY IN THE HARBOUR AND THE ROYAL MARINES BAND BEATING RETREAT ON THE BULL'S NOSE AT HMS TAMAR.
EARLIER ON THE SAME DAY, PRINCE PHILIP WILL BE HOST TO ABOUT 100 GUESTS AT TEA ON BRITANNIA. THEY WILL INCLUDE PRINCE PHILIP SCHOLARS OF CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY, THOSE WHO ATTENDED THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH STUDY CONFERENCE IN AUSTRALIA EARLIER THIS YEAR, DUKE OF EDINBURGH SCHEME GOLD AWARD WINNERS, REPRESENTATIVES OF THE OUTWARD BOUND SCHOOL AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF THE PRINCE PHILIP DENTAL HOSPITAL.
THE ROYAL YACHT IS OFTEN IN THE NEWS. THE LAST TIME WAS IN JULY, WHEN SHE TOOK THE NEWLY-MARRIED DUKE OF YORK, PRINCE ANDREW AND THE DUCHESS, THE FORMER MISS SARAH FERGUSON, ON THE IR HONEYMOON IN THE AZORES.
SHE MADE HEADLINES EARLIER IN THE YEAR WHEN SHE HELPED EVACUATE BRITISH AND OTHER NATIONALS FROM THE PEOPLE'S DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF YEMEN WHEN SERIOUS FIGHTING BROKE OUT IN THE CAPITAL, ADEN.
HMY BRITANNIA, BUILT BY JOHN BROWN AND CO OF CLYDEBANK, WAS NAMED AND LAUNCHED BY THE QUEEN IN 1953. SHE SERVES AS AN OFFICIAL AND PRIVATE RESIDENCE FOR THE QUEEN AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE ROYAL FAMILY WHEN THEY ARE ENGAGED IN VISITS OVERSEAS OR ARE VOYAGING IN HOME WATERS AND WAS DESIGNED TO BE CONVERTED TO A HOSPITAL SHIP IN TIME OF WAR. BRITANNIA OFTEN TAKES PART IN NAVAL EXERCISES AND CARRIES OUT ROUTINE HYDROGRAPHIC WORK WHILE AT SEA.
HER GROSS TONNAGE IS 5 862 TONNES AND SHE HAS A CONTINUOUS CRUISING SPEED OF 21 KNOTS (39 KILOMETRES PER HOUR).
/THE ROYAL
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