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PM backs a new Royal Yacht payed for by charitable donations

by liamssoft | January 17, 2012 at 12:21 am

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DAVID Cameron has backed plans to celebrate the Queen's Diamond Jubilee by building a privately-funded, 600ft royal yacht to replace the last royal yacht Britannia, which served the Queen for 44 years but was taken out of service by Labour in 1997.

It comes after Education Secretary Michael Gove called for her 60-year reign to be marked with a "lasting legacy".

Number 10 said the PM would "react favorably" to ideas for a new multi-million-pound vessel — but has ruled out using taxpayers cash and using private money and charitable donations instead.

The £60m yacht is believed to have already found £10m in backing from Canadian financial leaders and an unnamed £5m private donation, as well as an offer by Foyles bookstores to contribute £500,000 for library books.

The plan for the yacht is the brainchild of Rear Admiral David Bawtree, a former naval base commander in Portsmouth.

www.thesun.co.uk