Charles rules the waves on nostalgic trip to Britannia

KING Charles went for a walk down memory lane last night, touring the former Royal Yacht Britannia where he and his family spent so many happy summers

- Richard Palmer

The monarch, 74, boarded the yacht at her permanent home in Leith in Edinburgh where she is a tourist attraction seen by 300,000 visitors a year.

It marked the 25th anniversary of the vessel's arrival in the Scottish capital and there were former crew and staff on board to greet him alongside members of the charitable trust that runs the yacht.

Charles was six in 1954 when he and Princess Anne sailed on Britannia's maiden voyage to Malta to meet their parents.

They and the rest of the family spent many summer holidays aboard, sailing around the Western Isles and landing on remote beaches away from the public eye.