Related News
Proposal to revive royal yacht draws fans, foes
Print Edition
THE UK may be sailing into an uncertain future outside the European Union, but if campaigners have their way, Britannia will rule the waves again.
A Conservative lawmaker and the Daily Telegraph newspaper are proposing to recommission the royal yacht Britannia, former berth of Queen Elizabeth II, and send it around the world as a floating trade mission.
The yacht was retired in 1997, and is now a tourist attraction moored in Edinburgh.
Legislator Jake Berry says it should either be brought back into service or a new yacht should be built as “a small floating embassy” for Britain.
“I think it would be a huge beacon of hope for our country,” Berry said yesterday.
Berry said the vessel could help bring in “billions of pounds’ worth of trade deals.” Anticipating that some will label his idea a vanity project, he said it should be funded by donations, rather than taxpayers.
Former Foreign Secretary William Hague has backed Berry’s proposal, saying that when he was in government he found that no one, however wealthy or powerful, could resist an invitation onto the royal yacht.
“Leaving the EU means we need to communicate the advantages and attractions of our country more than ever,” Hague wrote in the Telegraph. “That will take a lot more than a yacht, but we need all the reach and profile that we can get.”
Others, however, said bringing back a symbol of empire and monarchy would send the wrong signals about Britain to the world. “Britannia was always a wisp of denial because, essentially, she sailed through imperial decline,” wrote columnist Tanya Gold in yesterday’s Guardian newspaper. “Her power was cosmetic. She floated on nostalgia.”
Launched in 1953, Britannia was the last in three centuries of royal yachts, a floating monument to a nation that built an empire on naval power, an empire it was then in the process of losing.
The 123-meter yacht traveled more than 1.6 million kilometers as transport for royal visits and vacations, a reception venue for dignitaries and the honeymoon vessel for royal couples including Prince Charles and Princess Diana.
Conservative Prime Minister Theresa May has not backed the idea, though when asked about it she said she recognized Britain’s “proud heritage” as a trading nation.
Berry said his proposal was in tune with May’s calls to make the best of Britain’s EU exit.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 娌狪CP璇侊細娌狪CP澶05050403鍙-1
- |
- 浜掕仈缃戞柊闂讳俊鎭湇鍔¤鍙瘉锛31120180004
- |
- 缃戠粶瑙嗗惉璁稿彲璇侊細0909346
- |
- 骞挎挱鐢佃鑺傜洰鍒朵綔璁稿彲璇侊細娌瓧绗354鍙
- |
- 澧炲肩數淇′笟鍔＄粡钀ヨ鍙瘉锛氭勃B2-20120012
Copyright 漏 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
