Intrigued Princess Royal up close and personal with Royal Navy Portsmouth sailors showing "genuine interest"

Princess Anne was welcomed aboard HMS Tyne and given demonstrations by Patrol, Underwater Exploitation and Diving Force Command (PUXD) yesterday (September 23). Cutting-edge capabilities were demonstrated to her to showcase the unit’s impact on the Royal Navy.

Lieutenant Commander Samuel Fields, Commanding Officer of HMS Tyne, said: “HMS Tyne was honoured to host Her Royal Highness on behalf of the Patrol, Mine Warfare and Diving community. The Princess Royal showed a genuine interest in our recent operations and how we integrate un-crewed technology with crewed platforms, working together across squadrons to tackle modern challenges.

“I’m immensely proud of my Ship’s Company for showcasing the very best of the Offshore Patrol Squadron during our busy maintenance period ahead of winter operations.”

The Princess Royal was accompanied to HMNB Portsmouth by His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Hampshire. Commodore Marcel Rosenberg, Commander of the naval base, welcomed her to Portsmouth alongside Commodore Ian Feasey, Commander of the force’s surface flotilla.

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Princess Anne was given an informative introduction to the unit from the Captain of PUXD, Captain Simon Pressdee. PUXD is a globally dispersed force of approximately 1,750 personnel, tasked with using autonomous and remote technology.

The PUXD Force Command is structured into five specialised Groups and Squadrons: Mine Threat Exploitation Group (MTXG), Second Mine Countermeasures Squadron (MCM2), Diving and Threat Exploitation Group (DTXG), Overseas Patrol Squadron and Costal Forces Squadron (CFS).

Captain Pressdee said: “It was an honour to host Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal and to have the opportunity to showcase the remarkable work that our highly specialised cadres continually deliver across diverse global commitments. The visit also served as an opportunity to demonstrate the novel technologies that we are pioneering, placing us firmly at the vanguard of the future Royal Navy operational capability.”

Her Royal Highness met with personnel from across these specialisations, including Delta Squadron of DTXG, who provided an operational update on their recent and upcoming participation in Operation Highmast - the huge UK Carrier Strike Group deployment in the Indo-Pacific.

The Princess Royal was then welcomed aboard HMS Tyne to see a first-hand demonstration of the innovative technology on board, as well as discussions with the crew around their role in protecting critical underwater infrastructure across the globe.