Queen Camilla received an unconventional 78th birthday gift this week: a clingfilm holder, presented by a submarine commander whose crew once used the everyday household item to keep a nuclear vessel operational.
The unique present, given by Commander Chris Bate of HMS Astute, came with a small plaque bearing the inscription: "Clingfilm keeping nuclear submarines at sea."
The Queen, who celebrates her birthday on Thursday, reportedly remarked: "There’s nothing more useful, brilliant how wonderful."
As HMS Astute’s Lady Sponsor, the Queen has cultivated a close relationship with the crew and the wider Royal Navy, a bond recognised by her appointment as a Vice Admiral during a visit to Devonport naval base in Plymouth.
She boarded the submarine’s substantial hull as it neared the end of its initial two-decade operational phase, meeting eight of its former commanders.
Addressing the crew and their families at a garden party, she expressed anticipation for the submarine’s return to service following a four-year refit.
She also cautioned that with "global tectonics shifting unpredictably", the submarine might re-enter an "unfamiliar world" – but said this was a “challenge that I know will be taken on with her usual tenacity”.
Camilla referenced the ingenuity of the crew “…from the innovation of one petty officer to code cutting-edge long-range communications software, through to the resourceful solution to maintain a vacuum, in the middle of the Indian Ocean, with clingfilm!
“I can only imagine what the unofficial toolkit in a submarine might look like.”
The present comes after an unauthorised biography of King Charles claimed he had no idea what cling film was and “shrieked” at the sight of it.
Ahead of the royal visit, Commander Christopher Bate, commanding officer of HMS Astute, said the crew took enormous pride in the Queen’s sponsorship of their submarine and support for all onboard since she formally named the vessel nearly 20 years ago.
“Her Majesty the Queen has supported us from the very beginning, she has consistently shown a deep commitment to all aspects of our work,” he said.
“Her continued engagement with our activities and achievements over the years has meant a great deal to us.”
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