Not a 'Royal Yacht' like Mr Green's gin palace; a place for pleasure or ridicule or contempt, but a symbol of the UK as a trading, maritime nation. A symbol of our status in the world, a symbol of our history as a global player.
Something, actually, that no other country has. A reminder, to other nations of our class and history and reliability whatever else is happening in the world.
And nor would it be a plaything for the Queen and other royals. It would not be a weekend 'toy', but a serious statment of our capability and our confidence.
Obviously not a Sunseeker or Princess Yachts' jelly-mold; nor a MacDuff shipyard trawler. These things are currently built in Germany or Holland or Italy. Usually with MTU or Caterpillar engines.
We'd need to do better than that for our Royal Yacht. It would obviously have to be British built. Could we do it? I think we could. Vospers? Babcocks? Harland & Wolff? Might just help to kick-start our national shipbuilding strategy too.
Not ostentatious, not something Abramovich would own. Something the Queen, or actually, the UK would own.
I'd go for something like this personally.
Essentially a floating advertisement for our nation. A place used by the Queen on state visits but also a floating conference & trade facility.
In short, a facility for impressing the fuck out of foreigners.
And which can be built without costing the UK taxpayer a bean.
What's not to like?
Thanks for reading.
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