LONDON — The prince of Wales dubbed a new warship a "hell of a piece of kit – screams UK power" after it was officially named by his wife.
Kate pressed a button to smash an exclusive bottle of whisky into the hull of the grey stealth-like HMS Glasgow, the first of eight Type 26 anti-submarine frigates to be built in Glasgow.
Wearing a navy blue outfit with white details and a matching hat, she announced the moment by telling guests gathered at a River Clyde berth in Glasgow: “I have the pleasure to name this ship HMS Glasgow, may God bless her and all who sail on her.”
Crowds of employees and their families from BAE Systems, which is leading the design and build of the frigates, and senior naval officers applauded as the single malt bottle sent a shower of whisky into the water.
William later told a group of BAE staff during a reception: “It’s massive, I can see that’s where the future is going.
“It’s quite impressive, it’s a hell of a piece of kit – screams UK power.”
The ceremony began with a royal salute from the ship’s company for Kate, the official sponsor for HMS Glasgow, and William.
Second Sea Lord Vice Admiral Martin Connell thanked the royal couple for their support and all those involved in the Type 26 endeavor.
He also hailed the latest ship as “a pure-bred anti-submarine warfare platform, setting the standard for naval warfare”, ready to “meet the global and geopolitical challenges of today.”
Connell added: “HMS Glasgow and her class represent the next chapter of naval innovation, safeguarding the UK’s interests and contributing to national prosperity.”
Simon Lister, BAE Systems managing director, told those gathered for the ceremony: “In a world that continues to be volatile, we cannot underestimate the importance of this ship and the work we are doing here.”
The couple had a tour of the vessel, which is being fitted out, after the naming ceremony then met BAE staff, apprentices and members of HMS Glasgow’s company in a nearby training centre.
William and Kate competed to complete a pipe puzzle connecting pieces of copper piping – a secondary school Stem activity – under the watchful eye of BAE apprentices.
The prince later complained he did not realize it was a competition, saying to laughter from Kate, “it’s a race? – that’s fine, then I’ll race” but when his wife was declared the winner, William replied her effort was “wobbly”.
Apprentice Natalie Black guided Kate through the test and said afterwards: “We had a little discussion about what her kids get up to and I complimented her on how well she was doing up the bolts and she said it was just like playing with the kids’ toys.”
Kate was given another task – to complete a traditional ship’s clinometer, which measures the lean angle of a vessel – and tightened a wing nut on the simple tool which will go on display on HMS Glasgow’s bridge.
During the reception, the princess repeatedly spoke about how impressed she was by the sheer scale of the ship, the number of people involved in the build and the technology on board.
Talking to the ship’s company and their families, she said: “It’s so exciting to see it all come together, all the technology is so impressive,” she said.
“What’s really interesting as well is seeing the international interest.”
She admitted that she was still getting to grips with the naval language, telling one woman: “I’m still learning all my naval lingo. There are a lot of abbreviations that I don’t fully understand. I’ve got a lot to learn.”
©2025 dpa GmbH. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
