▁Royal ▁Har bour , ▁R ams gate ) ▁is ▁a ▁har bour ▁situated ▁in ▁R ams gate , ▁south - east ▁England , ▁serving ▁cross - Channel ▁fre ight ▁traffic ▁and ▁smaller ▁working ▁and ▁pleasure ▁craft . ▁It ▁is ▁run ▁on ▁beh alf ▁of ▁the ▁public ▁by ▁the ▁local ▁authority , ▁Th an et ▁District ▁Council . ▁A ▁car ▁passenger ▁fer ry ▁service ▁to ▁Ost end ▁operated ▁by ▁Trans E uropa ▁Fer ries ▁was ▁susp ended ▁in ▁April ▁ 2 0 1 3 . ▁ ▁History ▁The ▁construction ▁of ▁R ams gate ▁Har bour ▁began ▁in ▁ 1 7 4 9 ▁and ▁was ▁completed ▁in ▁about ▁ 1 8 5 0 . ▁The ▁two ▁most ▁influ ential ▁architect s ▁of ▁the ▁har bour ▁were ▁father ▁and ▁son ▁John ▁Shaw ▁and ▁John ▁Shaw ▁Jr , ▁who ▁designed ▁the ▁clock house , ▁the ▁ob el isk , ▁the ▁l ighth ouse ▁and ▁the ▁Jacob ' s ▁Lad der ▁steps . ▁ ▁The ▁har bour ▁has ▁the ▁unique ▁distinction ▁of ▁being ▁the ▁only ▁har bour ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁Kingdom ▁awarded ▁the ▁right ▁to ▁call ▁itself ▁a ▁Royal ▁Har bour . ▁This ▁was ▁best owed ▁by ▁King ▁George ▁IV ▁after ▁he ▁was ▁taken ▁by ▁the ▁hospital ity ▁shown ▁by ▁the ▁people ▁of ▁R ams gate ▁when ▁he ▁used ▁the ▁har bour ▁to ▁depart ▁and ▁return ▁with ▁the ▁Royal ▁Y acht ▁Squadron ▁in ▁ 1 8 2 1 . ▁ ▁Because ▁of ▁its ▁proxim ity ▁to ▁main land ▁Europe , ▁R ams gate ▁was ▁a ▁chief ▁emb ark