Katherine Jenkins becomes sponsor of HMS Cardiff
Katherine Jenkins has become the first celebrity to be made Sponsor of a Royal Navy warship, as part of a move to make the military more “accessible” to the wider public.
The Telegraph understands that Admiral Sir Ben Key asked the classical singer to sponsor HMS Cardiff, the second ship of the new fleet of Type 26 frigates, as part of “a deliberate attempt” to move away from traditionally asking the wives of admirals to sponsor such vessels.
The first vessel of any new class of ships will continue to have a member of the Royal Family as its sponsor.
Earlier this month, Kensington Palace confirmed the King had become Sponsor of HMS Queen Elizabeth, a position previously held by his late mother.
“It’s part of making the Armed Forces more accessible and trying to build closer connections between the Armed Forces and the people of the country,” a source close to Sir Ben told The Telegraph.
“Fewer and fewer people have Armed Forces experience in their families, so he is utilising these opportunities to draw a connection between the public and the military.”
They added that the decision to choose Jenkins was not just “because she’s a global megastar”, but because she is “supportive of the Armed Forces and can bring a different perspective”.
Kensington Palace previously said that the royal sponsor has an “enduring personal connection” with their ship.
As her sponsor, Jenkins hopes to have the same “life-long commitment” to HMS Cardiff.
Speaking to The Telegraph, the mezzo-soprano revealed that she was asked by the First Sea Lord as she reflected on how her father, Selwyn, who served in the Royal Navy, would have felt had he been here to see her take on the role.
“Whilst it wasn’t something that I was seeking out, I do think he’d be very, very proud of this going full circle,” she told The Telegraph.
“It’s obviously a massive, massive honour. I’ve been involved with His Majesty’s Armed Forces for nearly 20 years.
“Because of that strong connection and that love and respect that I have for the Armed Forces already, and with this ship being named HMS Cardiff they immediately thought that should be the one that you’re the sponsor of.”
The 43-year-old, who was speaking from HMS Cambria, the Royal Navy’s permanent reservist unit in Cardiff Bay, added: “It’s a lifelong commitment to the ship and to the crew and to the families really and knowing that I will have that interaction with them when they go off and when they come home. It makes it even more special the fact that it is HMS Cardiff.”
HMS Cardiff is one of eight Type 26 frigates commissioned for the Royal Navy. Cardiff is the second Type 26, following on from her sister and first of Class, HMS Glasgow.
Both are currently being fitted out at the BAE Systems shipyard in Govan, Glasgow.
The Type 26 City-class frigate will give the Royal Navy a world-class warship for the future and each ship will have a dedicated Sponsor who will have a distinctive role in its history.
As part of Jenkins’ commitment, she will be the guest of honour at key events in the ship’s career such as the naming ceremony, commissioning, and homecomings from deployments, to paying visits to HMS Cardiff at home and abroad to catch up with the crew.
It is something she plans to take very seriously, saying she intends to be “as supportive as I can be to the crew and to their families when they go off on difficult tours”.
Jenkins said she plans to “learn as I go” in her new role as Sponsor. “I intend to take the honour very seriously, and try my best to serve them all,” she said.
Commenting on Jenkins’ appointment, Sir Ben said: “I’m delighted that Katherine has accepted this invitation and committed to a relationship with the ship that will last its lifetime and is a tangible demonstration of her commitment to the Royal Navy and Armed Forces more generally.”
