The 1956 Summer Olympics held in Melbourne, Australia, was boycotted by Egypt, Iraq, Cambodia and Lebanon (in response to the Suez Crisis), by The Netherlands, Spain and Switzerland (in protest for the Soviet Union's presence in the Hungarian Revolution), and by The People's Republic of China (due to the Republic of China's presence in the competition). Once underway, the Games progressed smoothly, and came to be known as the "Friendly Games".
The beard that Matt Smith (Philip, Duke of Edinburgh) starts 'growing out' while aboard the Britannia is fake and glued on. He said that it was miserable to wear but that it did make him feel confident.
Her Majesty's Yacht Britannia served as the royal yacht of the British monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, for 43 years. After its decommissioning, it was permanently berthed at Ocean Terminal, Leith in Edinburgh, Scotland, and has become a popular visitor attraction. It had a capacity for 250 guests, 1 platoon of Royal Marines and a crew of 21 officers and 250 Royal Yachtsmen.