The royal rowbarge Gloriana, currently docked at the St Katharine Dock yard, will be used to transport the Olympic flame down the Thames from Hampton Court Palace to Tower Bridge on July 27, 2012, the first day of the Games.
According to an article in the London Evening Standard, the Queen's rowbarge Gloriana cost about £1 million. The flame's arrival to the rowbarge Gloriana will symbolize the end of the 70-day Olympic torch relay. A flotilla of historic boats will surround the rowbarge throughout its trip to Tower Bridge. A crew of 18 people will row the boat.
Our contributor writes:
"The 94ft Royal rowbarge lead the 1,000 boats at the Diamond Jubilee pageant.
The Gloriana is docked for a private view on 13-14 July. Work on the Royal Barge to mark HM Queen Elizabeth 11 Diamond Jubilee was undertaken by Hare & Humphreys Ltd, a company founded by Peter Hare & Paul Humphreys in 1987."
The photos above were taken on July 12, 2012.