Episode 12: HRH The Princess Royal on sailing, sport and the sea 

Our RYA 150th anniversary podcast series wraps up this week with a very special conversation with Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal, who has served as RYA President for over 35 years. 

Recorded at St James’s Palace, Her Royal Highness reflects on the RYA’s evolution, from the origins of rules-based racing to today’s focus on accessibility, club support and opening the water to more people through programmes like OnBoard and Sailability. 

She shares personal stories too, from navigating the challenging waters of the Channel Islands and western Scotland, to the freedom and wellbeing she finds in time spent on the water. 

Our series finale captures what sailing and boating means to our communities: connection, confidence and the joy of being part of an island nation shaped by its coasts and waterways.