THE ROYAL NAVY CLUB
of 1765 & 1785 (United in 1889)
The Royal Navy Club (charity no. 248962) uniquely connects officers qualified for sea command in the Royal Navy, serving or retired. It also provides opportunities for members to dine together in order to renew friendships, exchange professional views and network. It has an unbroken history of RN sea command from 1765 and is proud to list Admiral Lord Nelson amongst other significant British naval sea commanders since.
Our charitable purpose is to support needy widows, widowers, siblings, orphan children and dependants of former members.
Our Patron: His Royal Highness, THE Prince of Wales
On 15th September 1971, His Royal Highness joined the Royal Naval College, Dartmouth, under the graduate entry scheme, as Acting Sub-Lieutenant. The Duke of Edinburgh, and his great-uncle, Lord Mountbatten, had both been at Dartmouth.
A 1974 Pacific voyage on the frigate HMS Jupiter included calls at Singapore, New Zealand, Tonga, Western Samoa, Honolulu, San Francisco, Acapulco and Bermuda. On 1st May 1973, The Prince of Wales was promoted to Acting Lieutenant.
On 2nd September 1974 The Prince joined the Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton for helicopter flying training before being assigned to 845 Naval Air Squadron as a pilot on board the commando carrier HMS Hermes. Following a lieutenant’s course at the Royal Naval College, Greenwich, The Prince was given command of his own ship; the minehunter HMS Bronington, for the final ten months of his active service in the Royal Navy ending on 15th December 1976.
In January 1977 he was promoted to the rank of Commander before ending his active Royal Naval service later that year.
COVID-19 restrictions conspired to prevent the prize being presented in person. Both prizes were presented to the deserving winners at the Founders’ Day dinner on 3 February 2022 by the First Sea Lord, Admiral Sir Ben Key KCB CBE ADC. The Royal Navy Club introduced an annual prize in 2017 very much associated with our core ethos of sea command.
