UK royals give Boaty McBoatface polar ship its official name
Britain's Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and naturalist Sir David Attenborough attend the naming ceremony for the new polar research ship at Cammell Laird shipyard in Birkenhead, Britain, September 26, 2019. REUTERS/Phil Noble
BIRKENHEAD, England (Reuters) - Prince William and his wife Kate formally named a new British polar research ship "Sir David Attenborough" on Thursday, a more dignified title than the public's choice of "Boaty McBoatface".
The humorous moniker was the most popular suggestion in an online poll that went viral in 2016, but the government opted to honor the naturalist and broadcaster Attenborough, who has become a campaigner on climate issues in his 10th decade.
As a consolation prize, the name Boaty McBoatface was instead given to a small, yellow autonomous underwater vehicle, capable of traveling long distances under the sea ice to collect data, which forms part of the ship's research equipment.
Crowds gather for the naming ceremony of the polar research ship RRS Sir David Attenborough at Cammell Laird shipyard in Birkenhead, Britain, September 26, 2019. Peter Byrne/Pool via REUTERS
The ceremony to formally name the Sir David Attenborough took place at a shipyard in Birkenhead, northwest England, where the giant ice-breaker was built.
Kate, Duchess of Cambridge, pressed a yellow button to activate a lever that smashed a bottle of champagne on the ship's hull, in accordance with maritime tradition.
Her husband Prince William, grandson of Queen Elizabeth, said in a speech that the state-of-the-art vessel would help expand global knowledge of the polar oceans and the impact of climate change on them.
British naturalist Sir David Attenborough gives autographs during the naming ceremony for the new polar research ship at Cammell Laird shipyard in Birkenhead, Britain, September 26, 2019. REUTERS/Phil Noble
"As last week's climate protests the world over, and yesterday's report on our oceans and frozen regions demonstrated, there has never been a more important moment for this ship to get to work," he said.
Ushering Attenborough to speak just after him, William made clear his preference for the official name.
"It is my immense privilege and relief to welcome Sir David Attenborough, rather than Boaty McBoatface, to speak," he said.
Britain's Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, receives flowers from children dressed as penguins during the naming ceremony for the new polar research ship RRS Sir David Attenborough at Cammell Laird shipyard in Birkenhead, Britain, September 26, 2019. REUTERS/Phil Noble
The 93-year-old naturalist said it was the greatest possible honor to have the ship named after him.
"Great problems require great research and facts to solve them, and that's what this astonishing ship will be here to do," he said.
Operated by the publicly funded British Antarctic Survey, the Sir David Attenborough is 129 meters long and can break ice up to one meter thick at three knots (5.6 km per hour). It requires a crew of about 30, and can carry up to 60 scientists and support staff.
Britain's Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, attend the naming ceremony for the new polar research ship RRS Sir David Attenborough at Cammell Laird shipyard in Birkenhead, Britain, September 26, 2019. Peter Byrne/Pool via REUTERS
It will conduct ice trials in the northern hemisphere from March 2020, and is scheduled to enter full service from October next year.
(Reporting by Phil Noble in Birkenhead and Estelle Shirbon in London; editing by Stephen Addison)
Britain's Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, wave as they attend the naming ceremony for the new polar research ship RRS Sir David Attenborough at Cammell Laird shipyard in Birkenhead, Britain, September 26, 2019. REUTERS/Phil NobleBritain's Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, arrive at the naming ceremony for the new polar research ship RRS Sir David Attenborough at Cammell Laird shipyard in Birkenhead, Britain, September 26, 2019. Peter Byrne/Pool via REUTERSBritain's Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, presses the button to release a bottle during the naming ceremony for the new polar research ship RRS Sir David Attenborough at Cammell Laird shipyard in Birkenhead, Britain, September 26, 2019. REUTERS/Phil NobleBritain's Prince William with Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and naturalist Sir David Attenborough attend the naming ceremony for the new polar research ship at Cammell Laird shipyard in Birkenhead, Britain, September 26, 2019. REUTERS/Phil NobleCatherine, Duchess of Cambridge, arrives at the naming ceremony for the new polar research ship RRS Sir David Attenborough at Cammell Laird shipyard in Birkenhead, Britain, September 26, 2019. Peter Byrne/Pool via REUTERSBritain's Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, arrives at Cammell Laird shipyard to attend the naming ceremony for the new polar research ship RRS Sir David Attenborough in Birkenhead, Britain, September 26, 2019. REUTERS/Phil NobleBritain's Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, join Sir David Attenborough during the naming ceremony for the new polar research ship RRS Sir David Attenborough at Cammell Laird shipyard in Birkenhead, Britain, September 26, 2019. Peter Byrne/Pool via REUTERSBritain's Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, wave as they attend the naming ceremony for the new polar research ship RRS Sir David Attenborough at Cammell Laird shipyard in Birkenhead, Britain, September 26, 2019. Peter Byrne/Pool via REUTERSSir David Attenborough attends the naming ceremony for the new polar research ship RRS Sir David Attenborough at Cammell Laird shipyard in Birkenhead, Britain, September 26, 2019. Peter Byrne/Pool via REUTERSBritish naturalist Sir David Attenborough arrives at Cammell Laird shipyard to attend the naming ceremony for the new polar research ship in Birkenhead, Britain, September 26, 2019. REUTERS/Phil NobleChildren dressed as penguins attend the naming ceremony for the new polar research ship RRS Sir David Attenborough at Cammell Laird shipyard in Birkenhead, Britain, September 26, 2019. REUTERS/Phil NobleBritain's Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and naturalist Sir David Attenborough attend the naming ceremony for the new polar research ship at Cammell Laird shipyard in Birkenhead, Britain, September 26, 2019. REUTERS/Phil NobleBritain's Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, attend the naming ceremony for the new polar research ship RRS Sir David Attenborough at Cammell Laird shipyard in Birkenhead, Britain, September 26, 2019. Peter Byrne/Pool via REUTERSCatherine, Duchess of Cambridge, arrives for the naming ceremony for the new polar research ship RRS Sir David Attenborough at Cammell Laird shipyard in Birkenhead, Britain, September 26, 2019. Peter Byrne/Pool via REUTERSBritain's Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, attend the naming ceremony for the new polar research ship RRS Sir David Attenborough at Cammell Laird shipyard in Birkenhead, Britain, September 26, 2019. REUTERS/Phil NobleCatherine, Duchess of Cambridge, arrives for the naming ceremony for the new polar research ship RRS Sir David Attenborough at Cammell Laird shipyard in Birkenhead, Britain, September 26, 2019. Peter Byrne/Pool via REUTERSBritain's Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge arrive at Cammell Laird shipyard to attend the naming ceremony for the new polar research ship RRS Sir David Attenborough in Birkenhead, Britain, September 26, 2019. REUTERS/Phil NobleBritish naturalist Sir David Attenborough arrives at Cammell Laird shipyard to attend the naming ceremony for the new polar research ship in Birkenhead, Britain, September 26, 2019. REUTERS/Phil NobleWorkers stand on the new polar research ship RRS Sir David Attenborough ahead of its naming ceremony at Cammell Laird shipyard in Birkenhead, Britain, September 26, 2019. REUTERS/Phil Noble
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