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Prince Philip’s former speedboat, a 1956 Albatross MkIII Super Sports Runabout, is set to go to auction in April through Bonhams. The first owner was precisely the late Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh and lifelong companion of Queen Elizabeth II.
Prince Philip was a man with many passions, including sports. These included a 1956 Albatross MkIII Super Sports Runabout. This Albatross Super Sports Runabout is one of 607 of its type that were made between 1956 and 1959.
In the golden years of the Royal Yacht Britannia, the Albatross was carried aboard often. The Albatross was carried on the Royal Yacht Britannia in its heyday and in 1967 was moved to Balmoral Castle where it is said to have been driven by the late Princess Diana. In 1957 he was often photographed in Cowes with eight-year-old Prince Charles sitting in the passenger seat, the same image later used 64 years later in the thank-you note issued by the prince in response to messages of sympathy he received after his father’s death in 2021.
The Albatross has remained unused since 1987 and is now up for auction. The boat is described in good, unrestored condition, still with its original Ford 100E engine. On file, then there are copies of correspondence related to the boat, both from Albatross Marine and Buckingham Palace. In short, a truly unique piece for collectors.
The ad says the sports boat was brought aboard the Royal Yacht Britannia and is in original, unrestored condition with a guide price of between £20,000 and £40,000.
The company was founded in 1949 by Archie Peace, an aeronautical engineer who had worked for the Bristol Aeroplane Company, in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk.
Here he was joined by partners Peter Hives and Bruce Campbell. All three men shared a background in aeronautical engineering. The next step was to transfer this knowledge to boat production. The materials? The tons of leftover aluminum alloy supplies that had remained unused after the war. However, it took money to support the investment. The three then came up with the idea of building three seaplanes to sponsor the company and attract money.
In 1951, the first Albatross Sports Runabout was launched, then presented to the boating press in March of that year. In less than four feet in length it housed three people and a marinized version of a four-cylinder Ford 100E with a top speed near 34 miles per hour.
Introduced in May 1956, the next model MkIII retained the riveted, stepless aluminum hull of the MkII with only minor modifications, but was equipped with an improved and more powerful version of Ford’s ubiquitous side-valve engine.
These kinds of boats were able to attract a distinguished clientele. Brigitte Bardot was photographed in an Albatross in Saint Tropez, while Greek shipowner Aristotle Onassis owned an Albatross. Even Prince Rainier of Monaco owned six at one time. For lovers of nautical history, Albatross speedboats competed successfully in the Six Hours of Paris and were prized by the late David Nations, once described by Lord Mountbatten as “the father of British water skiing.” Sold all over the world, these charming little boats were adored by royalty, celebrities, and boat enthusiasts. About 1,300 of various types were produced.
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Welcome to the special section “BAM 35 Years.” We are presenting “cult” articles from the Motor Boats archive, starting in 1990. A journey through time among stories unobtainable today, even in the great sea of the internet! A dive into
Welcome to the special section “BAM 35 Years.” We are presenting “cult” articles from the Motor Boats archive, starting in 1990. A journey through time among stories unobtainable today, even in the great sea of the internet! A dive into
Mark it in your diary: the fourth edition of the National Summit on the Sea Economy “Blue Forum,” entitled “Creating Value – the Sea in the Year of Jubilee, “ is scheduled to take place in Rome July 9-11, 2025.
At sea with top technology. Did you know that there is an American company that has eliminated the problem of tanks on board? With a buoyant system and a simple hose you can dive up to 5 or 10 meters
Send us your sea photos and enter history with us! Your pictures will be featured on our “bulletin board” immediately.
