I would have thought better of him if the £50 million went to charity but it is his money to do as he wishes. Through his Gosling foundation, he gave £100 million to charity, most of it related to the Navy. The Royal Yacht Britannia was decommissioned in 1997 Sir Donald Gosling, a British businessman and longtime benefactor of the British Royal Navy who named his superyacht after a World War II warship, died on September 9. Elizabeth Gertrude- Sir Donald Gosling' s first yacht - laid up at a Thames quay. The Royal Family S ir Donald Gosling, who has died aged 90, was the co-founder of National Car Parks, and, from 2012, Vice Admiral of the United Kingdom. Created in 1993 by Peene-Werft, 74.98m Leander G belonged Sir Donald Gosling, who hosted many guests on board, including members of the royal family: Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip on a tour of Great Britain and HRH Prince Charles and The Duchess of Cornwall in the Caribbean. Sir Donald Gosling, who died in September at the age of 90, was a friend of the royal family through his association with the Royal Navy and loaned his own luxury yacht to … In December 2019 it was reported that the late Donald Gosling has donated £50 million in his will to pay for it. She was the 83rd such vessel since King Charles II acceded to the throne in 1660, and is the second royal yacht to bear the name, the first being the racing cutter built for the Prince of Wales in 1893. Sir Donald Gosling leaves £50 million in his will for a new Royal Yacht. Created in 1993 by Peene-Werft, 74.98m Leander G was built for Sir Donald Gosling, who hosted many guests on board, including members of the royal family: Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip on a tour of Great Britain and HRH Prince Charles and The Duchess of Cornwall in the Caribbean. Elizabeth Gertrude- Sir Donald Gosling' s first yacht - lays up at a Thames quay. The original Brave Goose at sea. The Royal Navy has lost one of its greatest supporters and benefactors with the death of honorary Vice Admiral Sir Donald Gosling on Monday. In 1994, he spearheaded an initiative to attempt and increase #60million for a new royal yacht following the decommissioning of the Royal Yacht Britannia. Sir Donald’s nautical passion was something that began at an early age, leading to the beginning of his Royal Navy service in 1944 and leading him to serve aboard the light cruiser HMS Leander in 1946, a vessel which became synonymous with his appreciation for the majesty of the sea. Sir Donald, who died at the age of 90 surrounded by his loved ones, was a successful entrepreneur and highly respected businessman. He joined the Royal Navy toward the end of World War II, in 1944. During her 43-year career, the yacht travelled more than a million nautical miles around the globe. Sir Donald sold the yacht in 2016. Born in March 1929, Gosling became infatuated with boats and ships during his childhood. Sir Donald Gosling The Prince Abdul Aziz, private yacht of the Saudi royal family, is already looking like a mere minnow at 482ft. But Leander, inside a dark-blue hull that is almost the exact shade of the old royal yacht, offers facilities that Britannia never did, including a swimming pool, two onboard exercise bikes and a team of stewardesses willing to run candlelit baths 24 hours a day. Silver Goose served Sir Gosling for most of the 1960s. It was the first of many yachts that would bear the Goose name, and she was followed in 1972 by the first, 35 metre Brave Goose – built by Toughs of Teddington on the River Thames – her name changed after a promise made to his son who had shown great courage going through an operation as a child. He was 90 years old. Sir Donald Gosling with the Queen in 2012 Getty Images The Royal Yacht was a victim of Prime Minister Tony Blair's cost-cutting in 1997, having served the royal family for 44 years, usually as part of royal tours. Sir Donald Gosling joined the Royal Navy towards the end of the Second World War in 1944 and served in the Mediterranean on the light cruiser HMS Leander. It is his wish. The … Gosling also was known as a yachting enthusiast who had his own luxury vessel and who donated millions of pounds to charity that support the Royal Navy. Donald then lent the family his luxury yacht, the Leander, and started a whip round among British business people for a royal yacht. Her original owner was Vice Admiral Sir Donald Gosling KCVO RNR, a member of Britain’s Royal Yacht Squadron, and was often used by the British Royal Family, notably Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip on a tour of Britain, as well as Prince Charles and The Duchess of Cornwall in the Caribbean. The Royal Yacht's final foreign mission was to convey the last governor of Hong Kong, Chris Patten, and the Prince of Wales back from Hong Kong after its handover to the People's Republic of China on 1 … Prince Philip, left, looks like the Queen, center presents Sir Donald Gosling, directly, using a flag … He was also munificent in his support of the Royal Navy, and generations of sailors and Royal Marines and their … Sir Donald was known for his love of the Navy served on HMS Leander. Like Queen Elizabeth, he … Sir Donald sold the yacht in 2016.