ROYAL Barge 'Royal Nore' is to leave the River Thames and join the Royal Yacht Britannia Trust Collection in Leith.
The historic vessel has been owned by the Port of London Authority since 1971 and has been the Queen's mode of transport at several important river events including the official openings of London Bridge, the Thames Barrier, Millennium Dome and the Millennium Bridge.
At the Silver Jubilee in 1977, the Queen made a 'River Progress' trip on Nore up the Thames from Greenwich to Lambeth, opening the Silver Jubilee Walkway and the South Bank Jubilee Gardens along the way.
But after over 45 years on the Thames, the Royal Nore has been handed over to the Britannia Trust at a ceremony on Tower Pier.
PLA chairman, Christopher Rodrigues CBE said:
“The Royal Nore has played an important role in the history of the Thames and the nation for over 40 years. As she reaches the end of her working life, we are delighted that she is joining The Royal Yacht Britannia Trust collection in Edinburgh, and will be made more widely available for people to visit. The Royal Nore will continue to be available to participate in major events for years to come.”
Royal Yacht Britannia Trust Chairman, Rear Admiral Neil Rankin CB, CBE, added:
“We are delighted to welcome the Royal Nore to the Britannia collection at The Port of Leith, in Edinburgh. The two vessels enjoy a shared heritage, as the Royal Nore was often used to carry members of the Royal Family to Britannia when she visited London. As a link to some of the landmark events which have taken place in Britain during the last 40 years, we couldn’t have a better addition to our collection.”
Royal Nore pictured at Greenwich in 2012
Royal Nore passes on front of HMS Ocean in 2012.
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