A historic 1930s yacht that was used to teach King Charles III how to sail was rescued by a lifeboat crew after taking on water.
The boat – called Bloodhound – was bought by Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip in 1962.
As well as Charles, his sister Princess Anne also learned on the vessel.
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The former racing yacht had been sailing from Leith in Edinburgh, Scotland, to the south coast for sea trials.
The boat was towed to Great Yarmouth, where its crew was put up in a hotel overnight.
However, the skipper chose to stay on-board the yacht during the night.
Caister Lifeboat was called by HM Coastguard to attend to the 63ft (19.2 metre) vessel near Bacton, Norfolk, on Sunday (6 Apr).
“Bloodhound is an ocean racing yacht which was built in 1936,” a spokesperson for Caister Lifeboat told Need To Know.
“From 1962 to 1969, she was owned by the British Royal Family.
“Bloodhound was one of the most successful ocean racing yachts ever built.
“The crew launched and made their way to the location.
“They were on scene by 4.30pm and immediately transferred crew and water pumps to Bloodhound.
“With the water under control with our pumps, a tow was setup and then began the long tow back to Great Yarmouth Harbour.
“They arrived at the mooring location in Great Yarmouth Harbour.
“Four of the Bloodhound crew members were taken to The Furzedown Hotel to get a decent nights sleep.
“The skipper of Bloodhound choose to stay onboard for the night so he could keep and eye on his amazing vessel.
“Thank you to all those involved in the shout.
“A very successful outcome.”
The boat was bought by The Royal Yacht Britannia Trust in 2010 and has been berthed in Edinburgh as a tourist attraction.
It was previously used by the Royal Family on holidays in the Western Isles.
Franck Bruyère, Chief Executive of The Royal Yacht Britannia Trust, said: “We are delighted with the professional and swift support received from the local lifeboat team.
“Thanks to their efforts and the dedication of our crew, we are pleased to confirm that Bloodhound is sound once again.
“The safety and wellbeing of our crew remain our top priority, and we are proceeding with caution and care.
“The Royal Yacht Britannia Trust is committed to restoring and preserving Bloodhound so that she can continue to inspire future generations and honour her remarkable heritage by continuing to inclusively educate the next generation.
“The Trust will continue to oversee restoration works while preparing Bloodhound for a new chapter in her storied history, ensuring the legacy of this exceptional Royal yacht endures.”
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