Note Discloses Britain's Queen Wanted New Royal Yacht

By: Yassmine ElSayed

CAIRO, Dec. 30 (SEE) -A newly discovered note in the U.K.'s

National Archives disclosed that Queen Elizabeth II acknowledged government

officials that she would welcome a replacement for the Royal Yacht Britannia

once it was decommissioned.

In a piece reported by AP claimed that the 1995 note is

unusual because the queen is required to remain politically neutral and avoids

lobbying the government on specific requests.

The message from her deputy private secretary to the Cabinet

office said Elizabeth would "naturally very much welcome" a new royal

yacht.

But it made clear that palace officials recognized the

decision had to be made by government ministers, not the queen.

The Royal Yacht Britannia was in service from 1954 to 1997.

The queen was known to be deeply attached to the Britannia. She was photographed shedding a tear when the vessel was put out of service.