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Superyachts: they’re the ultimate status symbol – floating palaces that combine jaw-dropping opulence with a hefty price tag.
Jeff Bezos’ $500 million extravaganza is one of the largest sailing yachts in the world; Formula 1 star Max Verstappen has a $15 million superyacht aptly named “Unleash the Lion”.
Now it seems royalty is getting in on the act – with none other than Prince William, his wife Kate and their kids Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis enjoying a holiday on a $30 million vessel themselves.
The boat in question? The Lady Beatrice, according to reports – a gleaming white cruiser that sleeps a whopping 16 guests in eight cabins, supported by a crew of at least eight.
The appearance of the Prince and Princess of Wales in the waters off the picturesque Greek island of Kefalonia certainly caused a bit of a stir.
The island has a reputation as the “St Tropez of Greece” thanks to its celebrity fanbase (think Demi Moore, Kylie Jenner, Michael Jordan and more), and it appears that Kate and William’s jaunt in July didn’t go unnoticed by eagle-eyed locals.
The family are said to have rarely stepped foot on solid earth – instead spending their time tucked away from prying eyes amid the opulent rooms of the 60m vessel owned by the British financier Peter Dubens.
Indeed, the superyacht – described by yachting website superyachtfan.com as “an emblem of grandeur and luxury” and a “remarkable maritime creation” – looks every inch a floating palace.
Originally built in the Netherlands and Feadship’s De Kaag shipyard, the interior was styled by design house Jon Bannenberg.
It boasts an opulent master suite with its own study and dressing room and onboard entertainment includes a piano and beauty salon.
There’s a formal dining area with a Renaissance-inspired fresco above a huge table, plus a tempting pool on the top deck.
Greek publication The Kefalonia Press reported that the Wales’ children “impressed with their politeness and patience during the procedures and inconveniences of the trip”, and that Prince George in particular was “fascinated by the seabed of Kefalonia”.
Indeed, Prince William is known to enjoy water activities. In 2023, the heir to the British throne memorably donned a lifejacket for a morning of dragon boating in the waters off Singapore, prior to that year’s Earthshot Prize awards.
His boat even won in a short race against another boat captained by British High Commissioner Kara Owen.
“I was lucky enough to be sitting next to him, and he is just a really nice guy,” Laura Greenwood, a member of the British Dragons who rowed with William, said at the time.
“He has dragon boated before, so he felt kind of confident in what he was doing … It was quite fast pace, so he kept up really well.”
Earlier, in 2022, William and Kate had amazed royal fans when they shared a video of themselves scuba diving during a trip to Belize for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.
The pair donned wetsuits and breathing equipment for the remarkable video which enabled viewers to see them in a new light.
“Belize is home to the second largest barrier reef in the world,” the duo captioned the footage on Instagram.
“While the effects of climate change are evident, the Government of Belize and communities across the country deserve huge recognition for their efforts to restore this incredible marine environment – with a commitment to protect 30 per cent of it by 2030.
“On Sunday, we were lucky enough to spend time diving at South Water Caye, directly above the spectacular Belize Barrier Reef.
“It was a privilege to see for ourselves the world-leading ocean conservation work being done here.”
While Kate and William were happy to share footage from that trip away, their most recent family jaunt was understandably shrouded in secrecy.
The Lady Beatrice superyacht reportedly disappeared from marine trackers shortly after the royals arrived on the Island.
The family reportedly stayed on board for five days before they left on July 26.
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