“Each time I have met your Commanding Officers and visited the submarine, I am reminded of the exceptional servicemen and women in our Royal Navy.”

⚓️🌊 The Royal Navy have appointed The Queen as Vice Admiral of the United Kingdom at a ceremony on HMS Astute to mark the end of the Submarine’s first commission.

With the Ship’s Company, The Queen, as Sponsor of the Submarine since 2007, celebrated the service of HMS Astute over the last 15 years – the longest first commission of any Royal Navy Submarine in history.

HMS Astute, the first of her class, is the lead Submarine in the Royal Navy’s fleet of Ship
Submerged Nuclear (SSN) or ‘Attack’ Submarines. They conduct a range of different missions, from intelligence gathering to homeland protection.

The Queen also serves as Sponsor of HMS Prince of Wales, and holds honorary roles as Commodore-in-Chief of the Royal Navy Medical Service and Naval Chaplaincy Services.