Netflix’s royal drama, The Crown has been captivating audiences since 2016 by following the political rivalries and romance of Queen Elizabeth II's reign and the events that shaped the second half of the twentieth century. Taking readers behind the scenes, YachtCharterFleet identifies all the yachts that have featured on the show.
The hit series first premiered on the 4th of November 2016 and has since become one of the most talked about shows in the world, with the fifth instalment of the semi-fictional show currently airing on Netflix.
Each season follows a different moment in Royal history; from the marriage of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip all the way through the Queen’s reign spanning the 20th and 21st century. While fans of The Crown had hoped the series would run until the present day, creator Peter Morgan has confirmed that the up-coming sixth season of the show, taking the royal family into the early 2000s, will be the last in the series.
As viewers reach season five of the drama series, they witness the royals on various voyages onboard luxury superyachts. Viewers may begin to question which yachts are featured on The Crown? How much do they cost? What do the yachts look like inside?
We reveal all the details you need to know about the yachts used for filming in The Crown.
| Season | Yacht used by the Royals | Replica Yacht used in The Crown | Length | Charter Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 & 5 | Royal Britannia |
Royal Britannia |
125m (412ft) | Not Available |
| 5 | Yacht Alexander | Yacht Christina O | 99m (325ft) | $647,500 a week |
| 5 | Yacht JONIKAL (renamed BASH) | Yacht Titania | 73m (239ft) | €595,000 per week |
In season 2 of The Crown, viewers witness the first sighting of the Royal Yacht Britannia when Prince Philip embarks on his solo world tour. This yacht is seen in the hit drama as a replica of the real steam-propelled vessel that spent 44 years in the service of the Royal Family.
Philip’s tour sees him take the Royal Yacht through Bermuda, Tonga, up the Amazon, across Antarctica and to the Melbourne Olympics. From there, Britannia sails back to Bermuda where the 1920s fishing port in New Harbour became the King’s Wharf dock, and the Arabella Hotel golf course acted as Bermuda’s Port Royal course.
For deck scenes on Britannia, the crew traveled to Cape Agulhas in South Africa where the team built a huge fake deck suspended over the sea, providing a suitable backdrop for ocean-going scenes. The sea behind was used for all filming and acted as the Caribbean and the Antarctic Ocean.
The Crown Season 5 begins with a young Queen Elizabeth II launching the Royal Yacht Britannia, a yacht that sailed more than one million nautical miles on 968 state visits around the world. This vessel also served as the platform for several royal honeymoons including Princess Diana and Prince Charles in August 1981.
Launched on 16 April 1953, the Royal Yacht Britannia is 125m (412ft) with a bean width of 16m (55 feet) and boasts 5 opulent deck spaces where guests can relax, rejuvenate and socialize. The Queen chose deep blue for Britannia’s hull, instead of the more traditional black and proudly displays her crest on her bow and stern, but, unlike other vessels, her name is not on the side of the ship.
Although no filming took place on board, the interiors of Royal Yacht Britannia actually featured in season two of the Netflix Royal Drama during the Queen’s tour. The Royal Yacht Britannia team worked closely with Art Director James Wakefield to ensure that every scene set onboard was as precise and accurate as possible. After documenting and photographing, the team then created their very own Royal Yacht, with outstanding attention to detail to bring the same interiors to life.
As you can see in the images above, the Queen’s bedroom, which can be witnessed multiple times on the show during her tour of Britannia, was carefully created with crucial details allowing viewers to really see everything as it once was onboard. An eye-catching detail within the room, dating back to 1953, is an embroidered silk panel above The Queen’s bed which was beautifully replicated for the show.
Today, Britannia sits permanently docked in Edinburgh where visitors can take tours of its grand galleys or even rent it out for events. The Royal Yacht Britannia can not be rented for charter vacations.
Also starring in the fifth installment of The Crown, the classic yacht CHRISTINA O was selected to represent the yacht ALEXANDER, on which the Royal couple Princess Diana and Charles celebrated their tenth wedding anniversary.
Filmed on the Balearic Island of Mallorca, viewers witness Elizabeth Debicki and Dominic West in their portrayals of Princess Diana and Prince Charles respectively as they recreate their 1991 yacht vacation in Italy.
Launched in 1943, CHRISTINA O boasts an impressive history having once served in World War 2 as a convoy escort and was then bought for scrap value by the Greek Shipping tycoon, Aristotle Onassis, who spent a further $4 million refurbishing her as a luxury yacht, and went on to host luminary greats such as Paul Getty, Frank Sinatra and Elizabeth Taylor around the burgeoning French Riviera in the fifties and sixties.
Her interiors are striking and exquisite, from her stunning gilded spiral staircase to her exclusive piano lounge and bar, CHRISTINA O is home to an abundance of expansive social spaces that are ideal for elegant soirees or pre-dinner aperitifs.
Other highlights onboard include her Six Senses Spa and an exquisite mosaic-tiled pool that can be elevated at the touch of a button to become a dance floor.
Showcasing decadent Old-World glamor and allure, CHRISTINA O is still one of the largest yachts in the fleet and is available to charter for $647,500 a week.
This cost includes the incredible five-star service from her highly trained and professional crew of 38.
Season 5 of The Crown uses the 73m (239ft) superyacht TITANIA as a replica of the elegant Codecasa yacht JONIKAL (renamed BASH). The yacht provides the perfect backdrop for the iconic scenes of Princess Diana and Dodi Fayed, the son of the yacht's former owner, when the couple took a vacation around the French Riviera in 1997, mere days before their tragic deaths in Paris on 31 August.
The Crown filmed onboard superyacht TITANIA on the Balearic island of Mallorca, around the port town of Andratx and recreated the famous shot of Diana alone with her thoughts at the end of the diving board taken in Portofino, Italy,
Delivered in 2006 and refitted in 2020, she was designed by world-renowned naval architect Espen Øino and offers a timeless and sophisticated appeal, ideal for recreating the iconic scenes in The Crown.
Boasting impeccable interiors, the yacht's open plan layout lends her perfectly to entertaining and her opulent style adds a new level of luxury and excellence to her social areas. Putting the priority on indoor/outdoor living, superyacht TITANIA has everything a discerning traveler could desire on a private yacht charter.
Onboard highlights include an expansive beach club with an extendable swim platform, a beautiful winter garden and a full beam observation lounge. The motor yacht is versatile for a variety of charter party configurations with accommodation up to 12 guests in seven bespoke cabins.
It costs a total of €595,000 per week plus expenses to rent out the yacht TITANIA privately.
For more details on chartering any of the above yachts, speak to your preferred charter broker. They can provide you with personalized information and advice concerning your vacation, creating an itinerary that perfectly caters to your individual needs.
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