Latest news with #RoyalNavy
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE The sinister taxi driver loophole being exploited by grooming gangs all over the country so they can abuse young girls... as councils admit they have 'no power' over the drivers and can't track them: SUE REID
Piccadilly Station in Manchester was busy last week. Travellers hurried from trains to the taxi rank at nearby Fairfield Street, where minicab drivers wait night and day for fares. In Portsmouth, 240 miles to the south, the minicab trade was thriving too. The bustling Royal Navy seaport boasts a historic dockyard, where Admiral Nelson's HMS Victory attracts thousands of visitors who use the same type of 'private-licensed taxis' to reach the 18th-century flagship from the town centre.
ITV News
4 hours ago
- Entertainment
- ITV News
Queen Camilla shares photo to mark her 78th birthday
A new photograph of the Queen has been released to celebrate her 78th birthday on Thursday. Camilla was pictured smiling in the sunshine and leaning on a metal gate in front of a meadow at her Wiltshire home Raymill. The image taken by photographer Chris Jackson shows the Queen looking relaxed and wearing a turquoise dress in a Liberty fabric printed with a rainforest of toucans, lemurs and monkeys. Last year, Camilla was on duty on her birthday attending the State Opening of Parliament at the King's side. This year, she is said to be spending the day privately. The King, who is still being treated for cancer, is known to have been buoyed by his wife's support since his diagnosis last year. The pair celebrated their 20th wedding anniversary at the start of April and have had a busy run of engagements, including hosting a state visit by the French president last week and a high-profile trip to Italy earlier this year. They are coming up to their summer break in Scotland, but once that is over, the mammoth preparations for Donald Trump's state visit will be well underway. On Wednesday, the Queen was gifted a roll of clingfilm for her birthday in a special holder when she visited a nuclear-powered submarine in Plymouth. The wrapping was used in an emergency to fix a defect in the main engines of HMS Astute. 'There's nothing more useful, brilliant, how wonderful,' the Queen remarked about the present which had a small plaque with the words 'Clingflim keeping nuclear submarines at sea'. Camilla is also to be made a Vice Admiral – an honorary role – in recognition of her support of the Royal Navy, it was announced the same day.
Telegraph
6 hours ago
- Politics
- Telegraph
Navy chief's role in Afghan leak was covered up
Downing Street blocked news reports that the head of the Royal Navy was involved in the Afghan leak fiasco in the same week his promotion to the role was announced, it has emerged. Government lawyers told journalists they could not reveal that Gen Sir Gwyn Jenkins, now First Sea Lord, was at the heart of a 'national security incident', even if no details about a super-injunction were reported. Gen Sir Gwyn has found himself at the centre of a row over the scandal, in which the details of 25,000 Afghans who applied to be resettled in Britain were leaked. The incident, in February 2022, went undiscovered in Whitehall for 18 months before ministers created a bespoke new evacuation programme for Afghans on the list. The existence of the leak and airlift of thousands of people who helped British forces during the war in Afghanistan was only revealed on Tuesday after a court lifted a super-injunction barring the press from reporting it. It was also revealed that the data was accidentally leaked by a Royal Marine who was working under the command of Gen Sir Gwyn, then the director of Special Forces. After the incident took place, Gen Sir Gwyn was announced as the next UK National Security Adviser, although that promotion was cancelled by Sir Keir Starmer after the general election. The Labour Prime Minister instead promoted him to First Sea Lord, the most senior position in the Navy. It has now been reported that on the week that his promotion was due to be announced, Downing Street was contacted by reporters from The Times, who planned to write a story about his involvement in a ' national security incident '. The newspaper said it did not plan to break the terms of the super-injunction and would not reveal any details about the data leak, which had been banned to protect the Afghans on the list from reprisals by the Taliban. But government lawyers said any reference to an incident and Gen Sir Gwyn's involvement would constitute a breach of the injunction, and could result in reporters being sent to jail. The revelation has piled pressure on the Government, which had already been urged to 'come clean' about why it did not lift the super-injunction sooner. 'Outstanding military officer' Although Gen Sir Gwyn was running the team where the leak originated, ministers have fiercely defended him. John Healey, the Defence Secretary, said he was an 'outstanding military officer' and that 'we need someone like him to lead the Royal Navy through these challenging periods'. A Downing Street spokesman reiterated on Wednesday that the officer had 'no role in any aspect of [Afghan resettlement schemes], including decision-making'. But ministers are under pressure to demonstrate that there have been consequences for the leak, and Gen Sir Gwyn is the only senior member of the Armed Forces who has been named in connection with it. The leaked email was sent by a Royal Marine, who was in charge of vetting asylum seekers, to a group of Afghan contacts in the UK whom they trusted. The soldier worked out of the Regent's Park Barracks in central London under the command of Gen Sir Gwyn. Downing Street has refused to say whether the individual responsible has been sacked. On Wednesday, a spokesman for Kemi Badenoch, the Tory leader, said she believed Gen Sir Gwyn and her former colleagues in the Conservative government should be questioned in Parliament over the super-injunction fiasco, if they were called up. The Commons defence committee, as well as the intelligence and security committee, are both expected to launch inquiries into the leak. 'I think it's fair to say that if the defence select committee wants to look into this, then people should appear in front of it,' Mrs Badenoch 's spokesman said. They added that Gen Sir Gwyn should co-operate with any inquiry. The Prime Minister's official spokesman would not comment on whether the First Sea Lord would appear before a committee, but indicated that a ban on some government employees appearing before MPs would not apply to military officials. Sir Ben Wallace, the former defence secretary who applied for the injunction, said he would make 'no apology' for his role in the debacle. He is expected to be called before any inquiry into the leak. Tan Dhesi, the Labour MP and chairman of the defence committee, said: 'Rigorous safeguards must be in place to ensure that this cannot happen again. It's shameful that brave Afghans who served alongside British soldiers have had their safety jeopardised by this leak. 'While our defence committee has agreed to inquire into this shocking situation, we have yet to determine the full scope for that, including who will be called to give evidence.'
BBC News
8 hours ago
- Business
- BBC News
Royal Navy aircraft carrier departs from Portsmouth after upgrade
The Royal Navy's £3.2 billion aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth has left Portsmouth in the middle of two extensive periods of maintenance 65,000 tonne ship, which was commissioned into service in 2017, has been undergoing "significant" upgrade work at Portsmouth Naval Base for the past nine the ship will undergo sea trials to test newly installed navigation and propulsion control systems before going into dry dock at Rosyth in Scotland for seven Claire Thompson, HMS Queen Elizabeth's Commanding Officer, said: "The departure of HMS Queen Elizabeth from Portsmouth marks the end of one phase of our upkeep period and the beginning of another. The Royal Navy says HMS Queen Elizabeth is undergoing the equivalent of a car MOT after six years that has included a global deployment to the Indo-Pacific in 2021 and a series of NATO operations in European waters. The time in dry dock will allow engineers to inspect and improve systems inaccessible when the ship is afloat."We have achieved an enormous amount in 2025, with a significant upgrade to our propulsion system being the most notable item amidst a wide range of engineering projects tackled alongside our partners from industry," Capt Thompson added: "My focus remains generating a highly capable team that can take the ship from our docking period and work towards front-line duties."The sea trials will assess the 500-strong ship's company's ability to deal with a range of emergencies – including damage control and fire and floods training. You can follow BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
Daily Mail
10 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Queen Camilla shakes hand of adorable little boy on board HMS Astute after becoming first UK woman to hold top Naval role
Queen Camilla appeared in high spirits as she attended a garden party at HMNB Devonport on Wednesday to honour her new position as Vice Admiral of the United Kingdom. The royal, 77, attended the event in Plymouth, which marked the end of HMS Astute's first commission, which is the longest first commission of any Royal Navy submarine in history, at over 15 years. Camilla - who has become the first female Vice Admiral of the UK - put her best fashion foot forward in a sapphire pleated blue dress which fell elegantly to her ankles and paired the stunning ensemble with her trusty nude and black heels, pearl earrings and a classy gold brooch. It is one of the Queen's favourite hues to wear to royal events and she has proudly sported the colour this week at Battersea Dogs' and Cats' Home on Monday. During her visit, Camilla beamed as she inspected a guard of honour and was given a tour around the grounds by navy personnel. She also adorably bent down to shake hands with a smartly dressed young boy, who is thought to be a sailor's son. The Queen seemed pleasantly surprised when she was presented with an Admiral's Burgee by Rear Admiral Andy Perks, head of the submarine service, to mark her being made a vice admiral and recognise her ongoing support for the Royal Navy. The First Sea Lord said '... the honorary appointment reflects the high regard in which Her Majesty is held by all of us.' General Sir Gwyn Jenkins, First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff, said the honorary role would 'further enhance Her Majesty's relationship with the service'. To commemorate her special visit, she was also gifted a bunch of flowers and a golden cling film holder which had printed on the side: 'First of Class, Second to None,' along with an HMS Astute plaque. After a week of sunshine and a heatwave, Plymouth was hit with grey skies and drizzle, but the Queen refused to let the weather rain on her parade. She instead came prepared, holding up a translucent umbrella to ensure her signature platinum blonde blow-dry remained perfectly intact. The honorary vice admiral role, which dates back to the mid-16th Century, will include the formal presentation of a burgee, or pennant, by Rear Admiral Andy Perks, head of the submarine service, recognising the Queen's ongoing support for the Royal Navy. Sir Gwyn, who is a Royal Marine, met Camilla on Tuesday when she was installed as an honorary freeman and liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Stationers and Newspaper Makers, an organisation associated with the Royal Marines. He said during the City of London event: 'We're super proud of Her Majesty's role with HMS Astute, as are the crew, it really matters a lot to us as a Navy and to them as a crew that it's the Queen's submarine.' The Queen joked to him about not wanting to serve on a submarine and the head of the Royal Navy said afterwards: 'I think we would all recognise that being a submariner is a very special skill set, you have to be really committed to the role and what you do for the country. 'It can be phenomenally rewarding, it's an amazing sense of teamwork onboard, but it's not for everyone.' HMS Astute will undergo a major overhaul at Devonport naval base to allow her to continue patrols safeguarding the UK's interests for years to come. Commander Christopher Bate, commanding officer of the hunter-killer submarine, 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. He said: 'Her Majesty the Queen has supported us from the very beginning, she has consistently shown a deep commitment to all aspects of our work. 'Her continued engagement with our activities and achievements over the years has meant a great deal to us.' It's been a busy day for Queen Camilla, as she also visited a local children's hospice before she attended the navy event. She listened to performances and spoke with care users, families and staff during a visit to Little Bridge House in Fremington, Devon, on Wednesday. The unit - part of Children's Hospice South West - is celebrating its 30th anniversary of providing care for babies, children and young people with life-limiting conditions, and also helps support their families. During her second visit to Little Bridge, the Queen spoke of the importance of children's hospices, saying more are needed around the country. Her speech followed a game of air hockey with Daisy Clark, 15, a bereaved sibling. The Queen immediately won a point from her opponent and played a second short rally, which ended in a draw. Addressing staff, she said: 'These children's hospices are such wonderful places. 'I don't think we realise quite how lucky we are to have them. I think it would be wonderful if we could have a few more. 'Everyone who works in them and makes them such happy places deserve a huge, huge thank you.' She said on her first visit to a children's hospice she thought they would be sad places, 'but they are completely uplifting'. Camilla also praised the work of the charity's co-founder Eddie Farwell, who died earlier this year, and the Queen unveiled a commemorative photograph of him and his family. Mr Farwell opened Little Bridge House with his wife Jill in 1995 after they experienced the urgent need for hospice care for children in the South West. Their two eldest children, Tom and Katie, had life-limiting conditions, and the family had to travel more than four hours to Oxford for support. They went on to set up two other children's hospices in Cornwall and Bristol. During her visit, the Queen heard a performance by Vanessa Klos, 18, a bereaved sibling who wrote a song in memory of her brother Jordan. Speaking to the press, Ms Klos said: 'It's a song I have written called You Are the Reason. 'I wrote it for my little brother, who sadly passed away in December 2023. 'It's a song that allows me to express my emotions, and it's helped me grieve with his passing. 'It was an absolute pleasure (to sing for the Queen), I'm just so happy that I even got invited to do such a thing. 'I was holding tears back thinking about my little brother.' She added that the Queen told her the song was beautiful, and Jordan would be proud of her. Lizzy Farwell, daughter of Eddie and Jill, who remains an ambassador for the charity, described the visit as 'really moving'. She said: 'It's incredibly special to have the Queen here. 'To come here and celebrate 30 years of the Children's Hospice South West was really an honour. 'When my dad passed away, she wrote to me to send her condolences. It was very special for her to take that time.' She added that the photograph unveiled by the Queen was special to her as it was one of the few pictures of her, her parents and her two siblings. Phil Morris, chief executive of the charity, added that the visit 'meant the world' to the families who use the service and the staff. 'She gave us such encouragement to carry on, she said there should be more children's hospices in the UK and around the world, which really shows her compassion,' he said.
