From the renowned Britannia, which was the "one place" where the late queen could "truly relax," to the largest privately owned superyacht in the world, the 180.61-metre Lürssen Azzam, discover the world's most magnificent royal yachts.
Norge | Camper & Nicholsons | 76.26-metres | 1937
One of only three remaining Royal yachts in Europe, the 76.26-metre motor yacht Norge was built in 1937 at England’s Camper & Nicholsons Shipyard in Gosport. Commissioned by the English aviation pioneer and yachtsman Sir Thomas Sopwith, the superyacht was sold shortly after to the British Admiralty in 1939 to serve in the Royal Navy.
Photo: Hans Due, Scanpix
Photo: Askjell RaudøyUnder the name HMS Philante, the vessel was known as the most luxurious warship of her time. She covered huge distances as a convoy escort vessel, clocking no less than seven Atlantic crossings between 1941 and 1942 alone. In 1947 the Norwegian government acquired the yacht and returned her to Camper & Nicholsons for a refit before christening her as Norge when she came into official service on 17 May, 1948. Today she is maintained in immaculate condition and can often be seen cruising in Norwegian waters throughout the summer months.
Read more: The ghost of yards past: Camper & Nicholsons - Part II 
Photo: Mads Claus Rasmussen, Ritzau ScanpixDannebrog | Danish Royal Dockyard | 78.43-metres | 1932
The 78.43-metre Danish Royal Dockyard yacht Dannebrog was launched in Denmark in 1931 and officially placed in service the following year. The impressive vessel was replicated from a design of the floating palaces from the XIX century, making the Dannebrog an extraordinary exhibition of detailed craftsmanship. 
The yacht serves as the official and private residence for Queen Margrethe II of Denmark and members of the Royal Family when they are on summer cruises in Danish waters or on official visits overseas. The yacht exhibits exterior and interior design crafted by Danish Royal Dockyard, who also penned her naval architecture. The vessel can accommodate up to 14 guests onboard, along with an impressive 52 crew members to meet their every need. 
Photo: Aurélien Herman / SuperYacht TimesPacha III | Camper & Nicholsons Shipyard | 36.25-metres | 1936
Princess Caroline of Monaco is the owner of the 36.25-metre classic motor yacht Pacha III. Originally named Arlette II, it was requisitioned by the Royal Navy and renamed Priamar. In the 1950s, it was purchased by French industrialist Louis Renault, renamed Briseis, and subsequently moored in Saint-Tropez.
Photo: Aurélien Herman / SuperYacht Times
Photo: Aurélien Herman / SuperYacht TimesIn 1990, after falling into a state of dilapidation, the yacht was bought by Stefano Casiraghi and Princess Caroline of Monaco. However, Casiraghi died in a racing accident that same year before he could enjoy the vessel. The yacht was fully restored over two years and renamed Pacha III in reference to the initials of Princess Caroline's children. Since the renovation, Princess Caroline and her family have used the yacht primarily for extended Mediterranean escapes. Pacha III can often be seen moored in the harbor of Monaco, and she remains a treasured possession of the Monégasque royal family.
Britannia | John Brown & Sons | 126-metres | 1953
The 126-meter-long Royal Yacht Britannia, originally named HMS Britannia, was built in 1953 by John Brown & Sons in the UK for the late Queen Elizabeth II, who was crowned the same year. With a fuel capacity of 490,000 liters and freshwater capacity of 195,000 liters, the yacht is well-equipped for extended ocean voyages. The exceptional superyacht could accommodate up to 250 guests and 271 crew members.
After serving for 44 years, the yacht was decommissioned and is now displayed in Edinburgh as a top tourist attraction. The lavishly designed vessel has sailed over one million miles and hosted 968 official royal visits. It was the Queen's favorite place to relax and boasted rooms adorned with gifts from around the world, including a whale rib found by her husband and a sun lounge furnished personally by the Queen. Sir Winston Churchill, Boris Yeltsin, Rajiv Gandhi, and Nelson Mandela were among the many famous figures who joined the Queen onboard. Four royal honeymoons took place onboard, including King Charles III and Princess Diana's 16-day trip to the Mediterranean in 1981. While there have been discussions about building a new Britannia for the British royal family and the country's service, an official decision has yet to be made.
Read More: Royal Yacht Britannia: A look back in History
Prince AbdulAziz | Helsingor Vaerft | 147.01-metres | 1984
The 147-metre Prince Abdulaziz superyacht was built in Denmark by Helsingor Vaerft in 1984. She was once the largest yacht in the world, although many others have since surpassed her. The Saudi royal family owns the superyacht, which is used for official and leisurely purposes. It was initially commissioned by the late King Fahd of Saudi Arabia, who named the yacht after his son. The impressive superyacht features exterior design and naval architecture by Maierform Maritime Technology GmbH.
Despite being surpassed in size, Prince Abdulaziz remains a demonstrative and luxurious yacht. The yacht's interior took fifteen months to complete and was designed by the renowned English interior decorator and designer the late David Hicks. Hicks was known for his bold use of colors, lighting, and juxtaposition of contemporary and classical features.
Azzam | Lürssen | 180.61-metres | 2013
Azzam, the largest privately owned superyacht in the world, was built by Lürssen in 2013 and has a length of 180.61-metres. Nauta Yachts designed her exterior, while Creation Line Decoration was responsible for the sumptuous interior spaces. Azzam can carry up to 36 guests in its eighteen guest suites, with a crew of sixty to cater to the guest's every need. 
Photo: Klaus Jordan
Photo: Klaus JordanSheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahyan of Abu Dhabi’s royal family commissioned the vessel as a day boat to access his preferred diving sites. The yacht has a gym, a pool, and even a "golf training room." It cost the Sheikh an estimated $600 million to build. Engineers were reportedly meticulously detailed about the yacht's stability to ensure minimal turbulence to prevent the chandeliers from clinking while at sea. Azzam's reign as the world's largest privately-owned yacht is soon to end, as Norwegian millionaire Kjell Inge Rokke is building the REV Ocean, a 183-meter-long vessel designed to clean the ocean floors.
Read more: Lürssen's giants: the German builder’s fleet of 100m+ superyachts
Photo: Ralph Dazert / SuperYacht TimesFoners | Izar | 41.5-metres | 2000
Foners, formerly known as Fortuna was once championed as the world’s fastest superyacht, reaching a top speed of 65 knots. The Izar motor yacht was first delivered by the Spanish shipyard in 2000 and was the superyacht to the Spanish royal family under the ownership of King Juan Carlos of Spain. 
The superyacht's esteemed speed was thanks to her three Rolls Royce gas turbines linked to triple waterjets in addition to twin MAN engines. The Spanish royal yacht features naval architecture by Donald L. Blount & Associates with an exterior design crafted by Studio Arch, Tommaso Spadolini, and interior design and curation by Celeste Dell'Anna. The Izar yacht is able to accommodate as many as 8 guests onboard with further accommodation for 6 crew. After experiencing two recessions and the Spanish citizen's confidence in their royal family decreased, subsequently encouraging the Spanish Royal yacht to sell their yacht.
Read more about this yachts designer: In conversation with Tommaso Spadolini: Three new superyacht designs for 2023