Overview

• Queen Camilla received the honorary rank of Vice Admiral of the Royal Navy on July 16 during a visit to HMS Astute at Devonport naval base
• Commander Chris Bate presented her with an engraved clingfilm holder inscribed “Clingfilm keeping nuclear submarines at sea” in tribute to a 2022 engine repair
• The crew’s improvised use of galley clingfilm sealed a main engine vacuum leak and sustained propulsion for over two and a half years
• In a garden party speech she praised their resourcefulness and warned of an “unfamiliar world” upon the submarine’s return after a four-year refit
• Camilla has served as HMS Astute’s Lady Sponsor since 2007 and maintains active engagement with its crew amid evolving global security shifts