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.
Patron
Our former Prince of Wales was Patron from 2002, and since the accession of His Majesty King Charles III a review is underway by Palace staff across all Royal Patronages
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, he 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 10 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.
He became patron of The Royal Navy Club in January 2002.