QUEEN AND THE ROYAL FAMILY ON ISLAND CRUISE

THE QUEEN USED TO ADORE HER ANNUAL CRUISES AROUND THE WESTERN ISLES OF SCOTLAND ABOARD THE ROYAL YACHT BRITANNIA AND WEPT WHEN THE SHIP WAS DECOMMISSIONED IN 1997. THOSE DAYS SEEMED DESTINED TO BE MORE THAN A MEMORY, BUT SO KEEN WAS SHE TO REPEAT THE EXPERIENCE THAT SHE HAS SPENT AN ESTIMATED £200,000 CHARTERING A NEW CRUISE FOR HER CHILDREN, GRANDCHILDREN, NEPHEWS AND NIECES. AMONG THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE TRIP WILL BE TWO PARTIES TO CELEBRATE THE 60th BIRTHDAY OF THE PRINCESS ROYAL NEXT MONTH AND THE 50th BIRTHDAY OF THE DUKE OF YORK EARLIER THIS YEAR. BATHED IN GLORIOUS SUNSHINE, AN EXCITED ROYAL FAMILY ARRIVED EN MASSE AT STORNOWAY ON THE ISLE OF LEWIS TO BEGIN THEIR HOLIDAY. THE QUEEN DRESSED IN A LIME GREEN TROUSER SUIT AND PASTEL HEADSCARF, BOARDED THE LUXURY HEBRIDEAN PRINCESS, WHICH WILL BE THEIR HOME FOR THE NEXT TEN DAYS. SHE WAS JOINED BY THE DUKE OF YORK AND HIS DAUGHTERS, PRINCESS EUGENIE AND BEATRICE, WHO BOTH APPEARED SUN-TANNED AND WERE BOTH DRESSED IN SHORT, DARK SKIRTS. THE PRINCESS ROYAL, BOARDED WITH A BACKPACK AND WEARING CREAM TROUSERS AND A JACKET, FOLLOWED BY HER HUSBAND, VICE-ADMIRAL TIM LAURENCE, WHO WAS CARRYING TWO BAGS. VISCOUNT LINLEY, PRINCESS MARGARET'S SON, WAS PRESENT WITH HIS WIFE SERENA STANHOPE AND THEIR TWO CHILDREN, CHARLES AND MARGARITA. THE VISCOUNT'S SISTER, LADY SARAH CHATTO, HER HUSBAND, DANIEL, AND THEIR SONS, SAMUEL AND ARTHUR, APPEARED CHEERFUL AS THE BOARDED. THE HON MARY MORRISON, THE QUEEN'S LADY IN WAITING AND ONE OF HER CLOSEST CONFIDANTES WAS ONE OF A FEW ROYAL SERVANTS. SHE BOARDED CARRYING LUGGAGE, TWO ITEMS OF WHICH WERE SIMPLY MARKED 'THE QUEEN' IN BLOCK LETTERS. AMONG THOSE TO JOIN THE TRIP LATER ARE THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH, PRINCE EDWARD AND THE COUNTESS OF WESSEX, WITH THEIR CHILDREN, AND PETER PHILIPS AND HIS WIFE, AUTUMN. THE QUEEN WAS HALF AN HOUR LATE BOARDING BUT SHE GAVE A CHEERY WAVE TO HUNDREDS OF CHEERING PASSENGERS ON A NEARBY FERRY THAT WAS HEADING ULLAPOOL. THE HEBRIDEAN PRINCESS IS A FORMER CAR FERRY BUT, AFTER AN EXTENSIVE REFIT, NOW BOASTS 30 LUXURY CABINS AND SUITES. THE SHIP'S ITINERARY IS BEING KEPT SECRET BUT THE QUEEN HAS A FAVORITE PICNIC BEACH ON THE REMOTE ISLAND OF COLONSAY AND ANOTHER SCARISTA ON HARRIS IN THE OUTER HEBRIDES. IT WILL END WITH A VISIT TO THE LATE QUEEN ELIZABETH, THE QUEEN MOTHER'S HOME AT THE CASTLE OF MEY ON THE NORTHERN COAST OF CAITHNESS AT AROUND THE TIME OF THE 110th ANNIVERSARY OF HER BIRTH. THE QUEEN AND THE OTHER ROYAL HOLIDAYMAKERS WILL COME ASHORE TO BE ENTERTAINED TO LUNCH AT THE CASTLE BY THE PRINCE OF WALES AND HIS WIFE, BEFORE HEADING ON TO BALMORAL FOR THE REMAINDER OF HER SUMMER BREAK.