The Princess Royal has joined survivors of one of the darkest days in the history of British warfare to lay wreaths on the water at the scene.
HMS Royal Oak was torpedoed by a German U-boat at its base at Scapa Flow, in Orkney, on 14 October 1939.
It sank with the loss of 833 lives, while almost 400 crew were saved.
BBC NEWS | UK | Scotland | North East/N Isles | Princess lays battleship wreath