It is her pride and joy – and the only place she can truly escape the stresses that come with being one of the hardest-working members of the Royal Family.
Now, Princess Anne has told how her £500,000 yacht was saved by a £15 fan belt from a Vauxhall Astra after breaking down at sea.
The Princess Royal and her husband, Vice-Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, were on a sailing holiday off the West Coast when Ballochbuie suffered engine trouble.
The couple – both experienced sailors – were forced to make their way to shelter on the Isle of Eigg in the Inner Hebrides.
They called for help to fix the problem, but no one on the small island, home to only 100 people, had the necessary parts.
The only vehicles allowed on Eigg are those belonging to the islanders – who are not required to have MoTs for their cars.
A fan belt was finally sourced in a garage 80 miles away in Tobermory on Mull, most likely Mackay’s Garage – the only one in the village.
It was taken by road to Fishnish terminal, before a ferry crossing to the mainland at Lochaline. It was then driven 70 miles north to Mallaig, where another ferry crossed to Eigg – a journey which would have taken at least five hours.
The Princess, who is President of the Royal Yachting Association, revealed her experience to fellow yachtswoman Celia Bull, who lives on Eigg, at last month’s London Boat Show.
Miss Bull, who runs Selkie Explorers yacht charter business, said: “A request was sent out and the good folk of Tobermory commandeered a Vauxhall Astra fan belt to set the royal engine to rights.
“She said it was a really good memory – she loves sailing around the Inner Hebrides.
“The princess was quite amused the fan belt came off an Astra and was impressed by the resourcefulness of people inding a way of getting something to work.”