British royals' old yacht up for sale

LONDON, Jan. 3 (UPI) -- A yacht once used by Britain's Prince Charles and Princess Anne has been fully restored in order to be put up for sale, its owner says.

Cindy McGrail said her family has decided to sell the royal yacht Bloodhound after restoring the 63-foot vessel to the glory it enjoyed during the 1960s, The Daily Telegraph reported Saturday.

"In a sense, these boats are irreplaceable and part of living history," McGrail said of the vessel currently kept in Dorset county. "But for us, Bloodhound became too big a commitment for a small family."

McGrail said her family wants the yacht once used by Prince Phillip, duke of Edinburgh, to remain in Britain despite the loss of potentially profitable international sales.

"We could have taken it to the south of France and got double the asking price. But we want to try and save a national treasure," she told the Telegraph.

The yacht was once valued at more than $1.45 million.