Royal Marines band surprises Britannia visitors for colonel's swansong

MEMBERS of The Massed Bands of Her Majesty's Royal Marines graced visitors at Her Majesty's Royal Yacht Britannia this morning with a surprise performance lead by Lieutenant Colonel Nick Grace OBE, who retires this year after over 35-years' service with the Royal Marines.
The band entertained visitors onboard the Royal Yacht Britannia in Edinburgh this morning. Picture: Contributed.The band entertained visitors onboard the Royal Yacht Britannia in Edinburgh this morning. Picture: Contributed.
The band entertained visitors onboard the Royal Yacht Britannia in Edinburgh this morning. Picture: Contributed.

Nick Grace, 52, who served as a musician on Her Majesty’s Royal Yacht Britannia between 1986 and 1991 will retire from the Royal Marines at the end of 2017 as the nation’s senior military musician after more than three decades of service - of which the last eight and a half years have been as the Principal Director of Music Royal Marines.

Nick first joined the Royal Marines Band Service in 1982 playing Euphonium and Cello, and has conducted bands on numerous recordings including with major record companies such as DECCA and SONY. His final performance with the band will be at the Royal Marines’ Memorial Service at Portsmouth Cathedral on 8, October.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Lieutenant Colonel Nick Grace commented: “The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo and Her Majesty’s Royal Yacht Britannia both hold many memories for me. I have had the great pleasure of performing at three Tattoos over the years, and hold many memories of performing on the former Royal Yacht of the British monarch Queen Elizabeth II. It’s an honour to be back and I’m delighted to have been given the opportunity to play onboard one last time before I retired as the Principal Director of Music Royal Marines.”

The band entertained visitors onboard the Royal Yacht Britannia in Edinburgh this morning. Picture: Contributed.The band entertained visitors onboard the Royal Yacht Britannia in Edinburgh this morning. Picture: Contributed.
The band entertained visitors onboard the Royal Yacht Britannia in Edinburgh this morning. Picture: Contributed.

The Band is in Scotland’s capital performing at The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, the world’s longest running military tattoo. The Tattoo celebrates the theme ‘Splash of Tartan’ this year, paying tribute to the UK’s rich maritime heritage and Scotland’s Year of History, Heritage and Archaeology. More than 1,200 performers will take part each evening, including the UK’s best military acts and international contingents from France, India, USA and Japan.

Nick Grace has regularly conducted at national and international events including: The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo in 2011, 2014, 2017 and its tour to Australia and New Zealand in 2016; the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Armed Forces Muster and Jubilee Pageant at Windsor; the Jubilee River Thames Pageant in 2012; ITV’s BAFTA winning live broadcast celebrating the Queen’s 90th Birthday at Windsor; the 2015 Rugby World Cup Opening Ceremony at Twickenham; the World War 1 Centenary commemorations for Gallipoli at the Cenotaph; the 70th Anniversary ‘Victory in Japan’ on Horse Guards Parade and the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Jutland in Orkney.