Will be first national flagship since Britannia, which was decommissioned in 1997PM faced pressure to name it after Prince Philip, who helped design BritanniaBy Jemma Carr For MailonlinePublished: 19:38 EDT, 29 May 2021 | Updated: 20:54 EDT, 29 May 2021Boris Johnson has announced a successor to the Royal Yacht Britannia to promote British trade on the world stage following Brexit. The vessel will be used to host trade fairs, ministerial summits and diplomatic talks as the UK seeks to build links and boost exports following Brexit. It will be the first national flagship since Britannia, which was decommissioned in 1997, but the new vessel will be a ship rather than a luxury yacht. The Government intends to build the ship in the UK, at a reported cost of up to £200 million. Boris Johnson has announced a successor to the Royal Yacht Britannia to promote British trade on the world stage following Brexit (an artists impression of the new national flagship)Mr Johnson said: 'This new national flagship will be the first vessel of its kind in the world, reflecting the UK's burgeoning status as a great, independent maritime trading nation.
