HRH The Princess of Wales is the ship’s sponsor, an honorary role that historically served to bestow good luck and divine protection on a ship, meaning that she will maintain a close connection with the ship and her crew throughout her service life.
Traditional Elements and Royal Presence
The naming ceremony, which took place at BAE System’s Scotstoun shipyard, was watched by a crowd including His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales, some of those who have helped build the ship, the ship’s company and their families. It concluded with the smashing of a bottle of whisky over the bow of the ship, rather than the traditional bottle of champagne, due to the frigate’s Scottish heritage.
Significance of the HMS Glasgow Milestone
This is an historic moment for the Type 26 programme, the city of Glasgow and the thousands of people involved in this great endeavour.
The naming of HMS Glasgow is a significant step towards this cutting-edge vessel joining the Royal Navy fleet and demonstrates our solid progress in delivering these powerful new ships. We are proud that they will play a vital role in protecting the UK.
Development of Type 26 Frigates
When complete, the 6,900 tonnes and 149-metre Type 26 frigates will be the backbone of the Royal Navy’s surface presence, designed to deal with missions across the full spectrum of its operations.
Work is already well underway on HMS Glasgow’s sister ships. HMS Cardiff moved to BAE Systems’ Scotstoun yard last year to begin outfitting. HMS Belfast, HMS Birmingham and HMS Sheffield are progressing at the Company’s Govan facilities, while steel will be cut on HMS Newcastle later this year. The eight ships are expected to enter service between 2028 and 2035.
