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Princess Kate beams as she joins Prince William in Scotland for whisky smashing ceremony
Reach Daily Express | May 23, 2025 5:39 AM CST

has joined her husband in sunny Scotland this morning as they attend the official naming ceremony of the warship HMS Glasgow. spent the day in Edinburgh yesterday, .

The couple were greeted by a Royal Salute before Kate got underway with the main event, held at the BAE Systems' shipyard in Scotstoun, on the bank of the River Clyde in Glasgow. Wearing a blue and white dress from Suzannah London paired with a Philip Treacy hat, the princess formally named the ship by saying "I have the pleasure to name thjs ship HMS Glasgow, may God bless her and all who sail on her".

The Princess then flicked up a small red "launch" button to release a bottle of exclusive single malt whisky made by the nearby Clydeside Distillery. The ceremonial act is said to bring good luck and fortune to the vessel and its crew.

The distillery opened its doors in 2017, the same year that the HMS Glasgow build began, marking what is considered the start of two modern icons of Glasgow's maritime heritage.

Each bottle of the whisky sold will include a donation to HMS Glasgow's chosen charity, Place2Be, of which the Princess is patron, and which supports children's mental health in the city.

In June 2021, the Princess of Wales was appointed as the Sponsor of HMS Glasgow, a state-of-the-art Type 26 anti-submarine frigate, designed to protect the UK's nuclear deterrent and aircraft carriers.

The following year, Kate met Royal Navy sailors from HMS Glasgow at Windsor Castle to hear about the ship's progress and their experiences in the Royal Navy.

After the ceremony, the couple boarded the ship and met representatives from BAE Systems, which has led the delivery of the vessel, and others from the Royal Navy who will discuss the ship's capabilities.

The Prince and Princess also visited the BAE Systems' shipbuilding academy to meet apprentices and graduates and hear about the shipbuilding and maritime training the students received, including craft trades like fabrication, sheet metal work, welding, and pipe fitting. All skills which were needed to construct HMS Glasgow.

The event will end with the future King and Queen meeting a cross-section of BAE Systems employees from different backgrounds, trades and skills involved in the building of the ship, and members of HMS Glasgow ship's company and their families.


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