A lavishly illustrated history of Royal and State yachts and other ships used by Kings, Queens and Heads of State from the 17th century to the present day. "Royal Yachts of the World provides the definitive picture of the most opulent vessels ever built.

A history of Royal Yachts and ships of state, both from Britain and abroad, from the Norman Conquest to the present day.

From the time of the Restoration of Charles II, when he returned to England from Breda and was presented with the yacht Mary by the burgomaster of Amsterdam, Royal yachts began to be defined as such in England and built with that special purpose in mind. They were built luxuriously and used for royal visits to the fleet, for diplomacy and for racing and cruising for pleasure. Charles II took more of an interest in the sea than any other English monarch. He built a fleet of royal yachts, fine examples of ship design and decorative art, and he can be said to have been the father of yachting and of royal yachts. His successors were less keen on the sea but traveled to Europe on missions of peace and war; and royal yachts took part in regime change several times. In 1689 Queen Mary was bought over to join her husband William of Orange and complete the ‘Glorious Revolution’. In 1714 George I arrived from Hanover to establish a new dynasty. And in 1814, in a reverse process, King Louis XVIII was taken back to France to restore the monarchy after the defeat of Napoleon. This important new book is the first to describe the building and decoration of the yachts in such detail, using many newly discovered sources; and it is the first to describe their uses and exploits, often taking their royal passengers into controversy or danger. Besides the yachts themselves, it reveals much about the character of the kings, queens and princes involved – the impetuousness of the future William IV for example, or his brother George IV’s surprising love of sailing. It describes the design, accommodation, and sailing of the yachts, as well as their captains and crews. Sailing yachts came to an end when Queen Victoria discovered that steam power was more efficient as well as more comfortable, but they revived in the form of her son Edward’s cutter Britannia, and the Duke of Edinburgh’s Bloodhound and Coweslip. Their legacy can be seen in the widespread sport of yachting today, and in the lavish superyachts of billionaires. This beautifully illustrated book, full of anecdote and containing detailed descriptions of dozens of royal yachts, will fascinate naval historians, ship modelers and, indeed, anyone who sets foot aboard the deck of a modern yacht.

On today's world stage, there is one leader who stands apart from the rest. Queen Elizabeth II has seen more of the planet and its people than any other head of state and has engaged with the world like no other monarch in modern history.The iconic monarch never ventured further than the Isle of Wight until the age of 20 but since then has now visited over 130 countries across the globe in the line of duty, acting as diplomat, hostess and dignitary as the world stage as changed beyond recognition. It is a story full of drama, intrigue, exotic and sometimes dangerous destinations, heroes, rogues, pomp and glamour, but at the heart of it all a woman who's won the hearts of the world.

Former Classic Boat editor Nic Compton has spent over 20 years sailing and photographing classic yachts, and this is the culmination of his decades-long passion - a stunning collection showcasing the 20 most beautiful and fascinating classic boats still sailing today. They include: Bona Fide - the original fin-keeler that was 70 years ahead of her time Inward Bound - a 35ft cutter built in Argentina using salvaged timber from the General Belgrano Madoc - a 24ft clinker yawl built on a Tasmanian beach by hand Partridge - an 1885 cutter that took 18 years to restore Solway Maid - the last surviving William Fife yacht Timeless and magnificent, these yachts all have a story to tell, and they are captured with glorious full colour photography.

This intense descriptive veracity continues as the narrative moves on to shipboard service. The first phase of the memoir is a lengthy and vividly detailed account of the harsh regime at the Royal Navys training establishment in Gosport, Hampshire. The second phase, which is sustained over half the total memoir, is an account of the experiences in exotic waters from the Mediterranean, down the east coast of Africa, and eventually on to Singapore and Hong Kong. The third phase of the memoir, which is its centerpiece, spans a period of seven years as a member of the crew of the Royal Yacht Britannia. This is another big eye-opener, an insight into running one of the most unusual, famous, and in some eyes, controversial naval vessels of its day.The narrative continues and is built around a fascinating account of a single cruise in 1970, which followed the route taken by Captain Cooks voyage to Australia two hundred years previously. Finally, as a member of the task force that set out to the South Atlantic in 1982, featured are many vividly detailed battles that allowed the Falkland Islands to be returned to the United Kingdom.