Latest news with #Commander Chris Bate
The Independent
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Queen receives ‘brilliant' birthday gift: A clingfilm holder
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.'
Yahoo
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Queen given household gift during visit to submarine
The Queen received a birthday gift that helped keep a nuclear-powered submarine at sea when all else failed, clingfilm. Camilla's 78th birthday, celebrated on Thursday, was marked with the presentation of a clingfilm holder from Commander Chris Bate whose crew used the household item to fix a defect in the main engines of his submarine HMS Astute. 'There's nothing more useful, brilliant how wonderful,' said the royal guest about the present which had a small plaque with the words 'Clingflim keeping nuclear submarines at sea'. The Queen is HMS Astute's Lady Sponsor and has developed a strong bond with the crew and wider navy that saw her made a Vice Admiral when she visited Devonport naval base in Plymouth to meet its submariners. She boarded the vessel's huge hull as the first phase of its working life over almost 20 years came to an end, and met eight of its past commanders who stood close to the turret. Later in a garden party speech to the crew and their families, she looked forward to the submarine's return to service after a four-year refit and warned with the 'global tectonics shifting unpredictably' she may return into an 'unfamiliar world'. But said this was a 'challenge that I know will be taken on with her usual tenacity'. She 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.'
