King Charles visits Royal Navy nuclear submarine as Putin continues his doomsday threats
His Majesty boarded a nuclear submarine and met with Royal Navy submariners who act as the nation's first line of defence against atomic war.
King Charles has stepped on board a Royal Navy nuclear submarine just days after Vladimir Putin’s Russia threatened to resume testing nukes at a former Soviet facility in the Arctic.
His Majesty warmly greeted dozens of serving submariners at the Royal Naval Armaments Depot (RNAD) at Coulport, part of HM Naval Base Clyde, in Faslane, Scotland.
The King was welcomed on board one of the Vanguard-class submarines which acts as Britain’s nuclear deterrent and he met with Gold Deterrent Pin holders.
According to the British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) holders of the presitigous pin “are recognised as service personnel who have spent the most time under the water” serving the nation.
Submariners stationed on nuclear subs can spends months at sea in total secrecy as they act of the nation’s first line for defence in the doomsday scenario of atomic war.
In 1974 the then-Prince Charles qualified as a helicopter pilot and flew Wessex aircraft as part of the 845 Naval Air Squadron from the commando aircraft carrier HMS Hermes.
The King, who has been undergoing treatment for cancer in recent months, wore full Navy uniform for his visit to the base on Thursday where he was welcomed by First Sea Lord Admiral Sir Ben Key KCB CBE and received the royal salute from several senior members of the Navy.
It marks the first time the King has visited the base as head of the armed forces, though he did visit in 2011 and 2013 as the Prince of Wales.
His visit this week comes after Russia announced on Tuesday it was “fully ready” to resume live nuclear testing at a former Soviet Arctic facility on the Novaya Zelmlya archipelago.
