Due to the coronation of King Charles, the UK is enjoying a public holiday today (8 May 2023). There will be no Marine Industry News today.

The King, (pictured above aboard HMS Bronington) served in the Royal Navy between 1971 and 1976, rising from rookie sub-lieutenant fresh out of Britannia to command of a minesweeper.

In between he tried his hand at submarine escape, qualified as a helicopter pilot, took on some of the Royal Marines’ commando training and earned his spurs as a ship handler.

Prince Charles’ first ship upon completing his training at Dartmouth was guided-missile destroyer HMS Norfolk, the very embodiment of the ‘white heat of technology’ of Britain in the mid-to-late 1960s.

The future monarch commanded HMS Bronington for most of 1976. Former clearance diver Petty Officer John Friar says: “He was not a good sailor in that he got very seasick, but then again, so did Nelson.”

Bronington’s second-in-command – and therefore Prince Charles’ right-hand man – was Lieutenant Roy Clare, the future captain of HMS Invincible and rear admiral, who describes Lieutenant Wales as “a model of leadership”.

He says: “He was apt to go around the ship, talk to people, hear their stories, share moments with them – as a good commanding officer should.

“He was a good leader, really good at understanding that it’s not about ‘top down and telling’, but listening, helping people to be the strongest they can.”

Friar believes the future monarch’s time in the Navy broadened his horizons and “gave him a view of the other side of life which he had never seen close-up.

“He was very approachable and had time for his crew. He seemed fascinated at times with the crew as I suppose it was the first time he had been confined as he was on a small vessel in close contact with some ‘shady characters’! It certainly wasn’t a chosen crew and we had our fair share of misbehaving.”

Prince Charles left HMS Bronington at the end of 1976, which brought down the curtain on his active naval career.

A bearded Prince Charles with Lt Roy Clare and Admiral Mountbatten on the bridge wing of HMS Bronington.

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