The late Prince Philip’s much-used and beloved British speedboat, a 1956 Albatross Super Sport Runabout, is coming up for auction. The prince, married to Queen Elizabeth for 73 years, was a British naval officer and an avid sailor. The Royal Yacht Britannia carried his Albatross for more than ten years. In 1967, the boat was moved to Balmoral, the Queen’s estate in Scotland, where the late Princess Diana is said to have driven it. Here’s the auction announcement from Bonhams:
A classic motorboat formerly owned and driven by HRH the late Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, for more than 30 years, is to be offered in the Bonhams Goodwood Members Meeting Sale on 10 April. It has an estimate of £20,000 – 30,000.
Celebrated for his distinguished navy career, Prince Philip was a keen and skilled sailor of pleasure sail boats and powered craft. Little wonder that he should select Albatross Marine’s all-aluminium British speedboat, beloved by a distinguished clientele around the world, including Aristotle Onassis, Brigitte Bardot, Prince Rainier of Monaco and racing driver Prince Bira of Thailand.
The Duke’s 1956 Albatross MkIII Super Sports Runabout was carried on the Royal Yacht Britannia for more than a decade, including on the World Cruise of 1956/1957, and was famously photographed at Cowes driven by Prince Philip with the eight-year-old Prince Charles as his passenger. The image featured on the thank you card issued by the Prince of Wales in response to the message of sympathy received following his father’s death last year.
This boat was the second of the Norfolk-built craft owned by the Duke, an improved version on this original boat acquired the previous year. When the original boat was returned to Albatross for its first service, the company proposed that Prince Philip should receive the new Mark III model.
The three-seater craft, one of only 607 produced, was powered by a Ford 100E 1,172cc side-valve engine (as used in the Ford Anglia), which, combined with the Albatross’ riveted aluminium, stepless planning hull, gave the boat a top speed of 34 mph, ideal for water skiing.
In 1967 the boat was moved to the Balmoral Estate where it was used for water skiing and was later reputedly driven by the late Diana, Princess of Wales. It was decommissioned in 1987 and is offered in good unrestored condition, retaining its original engine. Read more:
https://www.bonhams.com/press_release/34137/
