The Royal Yacht Norge

The Royal Yacht Norge is the official vessel of the Norwegian royal house and one of the world's oldest royal yachts still in active service. The ship was built in 1937 at Camper & Nicholsons in Gosport, England, originally as a pleasure yacht for British businessman Thomas Sopwith.

The ship was taken over by the Norwegian state in 1947 and converted to a royal yacht at the Naval Main Shipyard in Horten. King Haakon VII put the ship into service in 1948. The Royal Yacht Norge is 263 feet long and has a crew of around 50 people during the season.

The ship is primarily used in summer for official journeys along the Norwegian coast and for foreign visits. It has participated in several historic events, including the state visit to Great Britain in 1951 when the ship sailed under Tower Bridge in London.

In 1985, a fire broke out on board causing extensive damage. The ship was restored at Horten Shipyard and was back in service in 1986. Today the Royal Yacht Norge is an important symbol of the Norwegian monarchy and is used to represent Norway on official occasions.