Countess of Wessex Christens HMS Daring

Sophie, the Countess of Wessex, christened the HMS Daring, the Royal Navy’s newest warship, in Portsmouth today. Even though the weather was grey and cloudy, many people came out to celebrate the ship’s christening, and to hear the Countess speak.

The countess is the patron of the ship, and was present when the ship first launched in 2006, according to The News of Portsmouth. “It is an enormous pleasure to be here with our ship proudly wearing the White Ensign and the Union Jack in her home port. She is a testament to those who designed and built her and she will be an inspiration to all the men and women of the Royal Navy called to serve on board”.

It was also a special celebration for the youngest member of the Daring’s crew. Able Seaman Daniel Small cut a cake with the countess in honor of his 17th birthday. He told reporters that, “it’s quite an honor to be at the center of a ceremony like this”.

Now that the flags have been raised, and the commissioning pennant has been broken, the HMS Daring is now officially part of the royal fleet, and is eligible for deployment. The HMS Daring will now be preparing for exercises with aircraft carriers and amphibious task groups.

To read about, and to discuss the Countess of Wessex, please visit this thread.

Filed under The United Kingdom
Tagged Patronage, Royal Navy, The Countess of Wessex.