MoD stalls decision over Royal Yacht

The Ministry of Defence says that it will not consider the process of appointing designers to create a replacement for

Britannia, the Royal Yacht, until a year-long feasibility study has been completed.

The study will decide on the “size, shape and form” of the replacement yacht, says an MoD spokesman.

The fate of Britannia’s successor may rest with politicians: the Labour Party has stated that, if it forms the next Government, it will not honour the current

Government’s proposal to pay for the ship from public funds. The project is expected to cost in the region of 60m.

The current Royal Yacht is scheduled for decommissioning at the end of this year.