The adventures of the royal yacht Dannebrog, which has sailed under the Danish flag for 90 years

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The Danish Royal Family’s Dannebrog is celebrating its 90th anniversary this week. This is the “oldest” operating ship, which serves not only as a means of transportation, but also as a residence for a European monarch.

The rulers had their own courts in ancient Egypt. Two full-sized rowboats made of Lebanese cedar, found in hiding places at the foot of the pyramid of Cheops, were used by the pharaoh to travel along the Nile. Among the Vikings, royal ships differed not only in decorations, but also in the color of the sails – purple. And in modern times, royal yachts were the first to appear in England under King Henry V. True, he had to sell them for debts.

From the middle of the 17th century, “ceremonial yachts” began to be built in Holland, and one of them was presented to the English king Charles II in 1660. This began a tradition of British royal yachts that was later copied by other royal families in Europe. In the 19th century, royal yachts began to compete in size and modernity, they were symbols of national wealth. But the First World War put an end to this trend. Monarchs who retained their thrones had to make excuses for extra expenses. In addition, many of them had royal wagons at their disposal, which made it faster and more convenient to travel.

Today, most royal families generally prefer to fly on airplanes. In Britain, which has replaced 83 royal ships since the time of Charles II, the last yacht “Britannia” was permanently moored in the port of Edinburgh in the late 90s of the last century. Queen Elizabeth II, known for her restraint, is said to have wept when the ship she had traveled over a million nautical miles since 1954 blew her farewell horn. But now 300,000 visitors aboard it annually. To date, there are only three royal yachts left in Europe, which are used for their intended purpose. One of them is “Dannebrog”.

Dannebrog is originally the name of the Danish national flag, with a documented history dating back to the 14th century. It is not surprising that the same name bears – already the second – a ship that sails under this flag. The previous steam-wheeled yacht was built in 1879. This ship was truly historic. It was on it that on November 23, 1905, the Danish Prince Carl arrived in Norway to take the throne of this country under the name Haakon VII. From July 11 to 23, 1909, the Dannebrog, with the King of Denmark Frederik on board, made a flight to Russia to visit his sister Dagmar, who became the wife of Emperor Alexander III, Maria Feodorovna. And from May 14 to May 17, 1912, the ship carried out a sad mission: to deliver the body of King Frederick VIII, who suddenly died in Hamburg, Germany, to his homeland. By the end of the 20s of the last century, it was outdated and was recognized as unsuitable for operation.

A new yacht for the royal family was laid down at the naval shipyard in Copenhagen on January 2, 1931. The ceremonial launching of the yacht’s hull took place on October 10, 1931, and on May 26, 1932 – exactly 90 years ago – the ship was put into operation.

The ship’s hull is steel; it has a clipper-like bow and an elliptical stern, typical of warships of that time. To this day, the royal yacht can be used as a hospital ship or patrol ship in case of emergency. During voyages, the ship also performs tasks such as maritime surveillance, rescue of drowning people and training of future officers. Since the yacht is part of the Navy, the crew is recruited from military sailors. The ship “Dannebrog” is managed by the royal captain, who is a member of the court staff. The crew consists of nine officers, seven sergeants, two constables and 36-39 specially selected sailors. Officers are usually posted to the yacht for a period of two to four years, and conscripts – only for one summer.

Each year in January, a team of recruits travel to the Navy Primary School in Frederikshavn, where they complete basic naval training before meeting the Queen aboard her ship, the Dannebrog, in April. It is the conscripts who perform all practical tasks, such as steering and observation service during voyages, guarding the yacht in the port, as well as cleaning and polishing brass parts, of which there are a lot on the ship, both outside and inside. Cooks, bakers and machinists are also recruits with appropriate professional training. After completing their service and training aboard the royal ship, most of them continue their naval careers on other ships of the Danish Navy.

And yet the yacht “Dannebrog” is, above all, the official and private residence of the royal family during summer cruises in Denmark or during official foreign visits to neighboring countries. When viewed from the outside, the ship can be divided into two parts: in front of the chimney, the crew, cargo, and engine room. In the stern are the royal apartments, which can accommodate 14 guest passengers. There is the queen’s office, dining room, living room, bedroom and more. The Queen and her son Frederick take part in interior design, furniture and equipment selection. By the way, a significant part of the valuable furnishings and equipment of the monarch’s rooms were delivered to the “Dannebrog” from its predecessor.

Since the start of operation, the yacht has traveled more than 300,000 nautical miles and visited most ports in Denmark, Greenland and the Faroe Islands, as well as most ports in Europe. Made cruises in the Mediterranean and Caribbean seas. King of Denmark Christian X with his wife Alexandrina of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Frederick IX with his wife Ingrid of Sweden sailed on board. But for the last 50 years, every year at the end of April or the beginning of May, Queen Margrethe II boards it, and thus starts the summer navigation in Denmark. Crown Prince Frederik is a frequent visitor on the yacht, and his son Prince Christian, who will one day become King Christian XI, feels at home on it. In 1980-1981, the yacht underwent a major overhaul with the replacement of the propulsion system and navigation equipment. From year to year, inspections show that the ship’s hull is in excellent condition.