Overview

• During an impromptu address in Portsmouth, she acknowledged the challenge of “scattered” service families and thanked staff for maintaining vital links.
• She made a rare personal remark about her grandchildren when presented with a child’s apron, joking it might suit her granddaughters who enjoy cooking.
• Speaking with naval families, she said boarding school can provide stability for children, drawing on her experience with related charitable work.
• It was her first visit to the charity since taking on the patronage in March, continuing a role her late mother, Queen Elizabeth II, held for 70 years.
• Founded in 1825, the Naval Children’s Charity supports young people from naval families with crisis grants, mental‑health resources, and its Life Chances Programme; the visit came during a packed day of four engagements across southern England.