Queen's Royal Navy role celebrated in Portsmouth exhibition

An exhibition exploring the Queen's many Royal Navy engagements over the decades is set to open to mark her Platinum Jubilee.

The display at the National Museum of the Royal Navy in Portsmouth features photographs of fleet reviews, ship launches and visits.

A naval uniform and admiral's cap worn by her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, is also set to go on show.

The exhibition opens on 9 April, a year on from the death of Prince Philip.

The museum said the exhibition - Her Majesty's Service: The Queen's Role At The Heart Of The Royal Navy Family - explored "the Queen's long and loyal service".

It added it "shows both her role as ceremonial head of the Royal Navy and as granddaughter, daughter, wife and mother of naval officers".

Photographs record the decades of service when, as a princess aged just 18, she launched her first naval ship, HMS Vanguard in 1944.

She has launched numerous others since then, including HMS Dreadnought, the navy's first nuclear powered submarine, on 21 October 1960.

A National Museum of the Royal Navy spokeswoman said: "It captures the wide variety of duties, from the launching of ships, visits to personnel and the presentation of Queen's Colours to world tours on the Royal Yacht, fleet reviews and street parties.

"There have been seven fleet reviews during her reign, including one to celebrate her coronation in 1953 just off the coast of Portsmouth, and most recently in 2005, to mark the bicentenary of the Battle of Trafalgar."

The museum said the recently acquired naval uniform belonging to the Duke of Edinburgh would be displayed for the first time alongside his admiral's cap, adding "an intimate touch to the exhibition".

It joins other uniforms worn by the Princess Royal and a flying suit worn by the Prince of Wales.

The museum said 41 shell cases from the gun salute fired to commemorate the death of the Duke of Edinburgh had also recently been donated to the museum.

Portsmouth is also taking part in the Platinum Jubilee beacon lighting with beacons being lit at Fort Purbrook and Southsea Castle on 4 June.

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