The Royal Yacht
The Royal Yacht was a gift from the people of Norway to King Haakon VII. The ship is owned by His Majesty The King, but is manned and maintained by the Royal Norwegian Navy. The Royal Standard is flown from the aftermost mast when the King is on board.
The Royal Yacht Norge is used both privately and for official occasions, such as county visits, state visits, and other travels in Norway and abroad. During county visits, it is customary for the Royal Family to express their thanks by hosting a reception on board the Royal Yacht. Representatives of everyone who has contributed to the visit are then invited as guests.
The Royal Yacht has also been used on several anniversaries and major occasions, such as the consecration tour in 1991–1992 and King Olav’s consecration tour in 1958–1959.
In August 2025, Their Majesties The King and Queen travelled to Bjørnøya and Svalbard with the Royal Yacht.
The Royal Yacht towards Svalbard
Crew from the Navy
A Royal Resolution from 1947 stipulated that the vessel shall be crewed, operated, and maintained by the Royal Norwegian Navy.
During the summer season, the ship has a full crew of around 50 people. In winter, the crew is reduced to about 25. Their duties then mainly consist of watchkeeping and the maintenance of cabins and living quarters, as well as work on deck and in the engine room.
In February, the ship receives new conscripts who undergo both theoretical and practical training in preparation for the coming season.
The King, often accompanied by the Queen and the Crown Prince, inspects the vessel in spring and autumn. These occasions are known as embarkation and debarkation and mark the beginning and end of the sailing season.
Embarkation and debarkation
The Royal Yacht
Facts and Figures
- Length (overall): 80.2 metres
- Breadth: 11.6 metres
- Depth: 4.7 metres
- Gross tonnage: 1,628 tonnes
- Maximum speed: 16 knots
- Cruising speed: 14 knots
- Range: 6,500 nautical miles
- Home port: Oslo
- Call sign: LAMA
- Main class: 1A1 Yacht
- Engines: Two 1,760-hp Bergen diesel engines
- Built by: Camper & Nicholsons Ltd, Gosport, England in 1937
- Interior design: Architect Finn Nilsson
The history of the Royal Yacht
In 1905 the Norwegian Government formally invited Prince Carl of Denmark to become the king of Norway. The proposal included the promise of a royal yacht, financed by the state and placed at the king’s disposal. However, due to the difficult economic situation in Norway after the dissolution of the union with Sweden, King Haakon (formerly Prince Carl) did not call upon the Government to provide a yacht.
Not until after WWII did the question of a royal yacht arise again. The Norwegian press appealed to the people to raise the funds necessary to present King Haakon with a yacht on the occasion of his 75th birthday. In July 1947, the British motor yacht Philante was purchased for NOK 1.5 million.
The Royal Yacht - Philante
Philante
he Philante was built in England in 1937 for the British aircraft manufacturer Thomas Sopwith. The name Philante is an amalgam of the owner’s wife’s name, Phyllis, and the owner’s name, Thomas: Phil (short for “Phyllis”) + an (short for “and”) + t (for “Thomas) + e (to add an extra syllable).
After the outbreak of WWII the British Royal Navy requisitioned the Philante. First used as an escort vessel for convoys crossing the Atlantic, it was put into service as a school ship for training convoy escorts in 1942. The ship was returned to Thomas Sopwith in 1946 and sold to Norway the following year.
Renovation of the ship
The ship needed to be refurbished before it could be used, so King Haakon was given a model of the yacht on his 75th birthday. On 9 June 1948 the Royal Yacht was handed over to King Haakon.
In particular, the interior of the ship required extensive refitting, and architect Finn Nilsson was asked to be the designer. On 17 May 1948 the ship’s captain, Commander Christian Monsen, raised the command pennant for the first time, and on 9 June the gift was handed over to King Haakon.
The ship was christened the Norge.
In the years that followed, King Haakon used the Royal Yacht to visit communities along the coast of Norway and to travel abroad. In June 1955 the King paid a visit to Molde in Western Norway. It was to be his final voyage on the Norge.
Glimses from the vessel's history
King Olav took over the ship after his father died in 1957. A technical assessment resulted in a 10-year plan for upgrading the hull and technical equipment. Like his father before him, King Olav used the Royal Yacht in his official capacity as well as in his leisure time.
Kong Harald overtok K/S Norge ved Kong Olavs død i 1991. På samme måte som Kong Haakon VII og Kong Olav, benytter han skipet aktivt, både ved offisielle reiser i inn- og utland og privat.
King Harald took over the Norge after King Olav died in 1991. As King Haakon VII and King Olav, His Majesty and the Royal Family use the vessel on private journeys as well as in connection with official engagements in Norway and abroad.