In 1962 Bloodhound was purchased for the Royal Family at the request of Prince Philip.

In February she was sailed from Plymouth to Gosport to be refitted by Camper and Nicholsons and the work was finished by June.

Prince Philip sailed Bloodhound with Uffa Fox at Cowes Week in August of that year.

She had a permanent crew of three, and one skipper was a descendant of Sir Francis Drake.

When not in royal use, Bloodhound and her crew were chartered to yacht clubs across the country at a daily fee of £1 (later increased to £2) per participant, used to expose thousands of people to offshore sailing.