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Reports surfaced recently that King Charles was involved in the decision to change the name of the UK’s new royal submarine from HMS Agincourt to HMS Achilles. The name change was met with criticism from former Tory defence ministers Grant Shapps and Sir Gavin Williamson, who branded it “woke nonsense” and “pathetic”. However, it is unclear whether or not they were aware of the King’s support for a name change.
The Ministry of Defence had reportedly expressed concerns that the original name of the vessel, which refers to a battle England won against France in 1415, may have offended the French. The discussions about renaming the submarine began over a year ago, while Shapps was still in office. One defence source suggested that King Charles had initiated those discussions.
The Royal Navy’s Ships’ Names and Badging Committee put forward the names of ships and submarines, which are then approved by the monarch. While HMS Agincourt was the name agreed under Queen Elizabeth II, King Charles reportedly wanted another name and gave his approval to HMS Achilles instead. The Royal Navy said the name was particularly appropriate as this year marked the 80th anniversary of the end of World War Two, in which an earlier HMS Achilles received battle honours.
Former Nato commander Chris Parry also criticized the decision to rename the submarine, calling it “craven political correctness and ideology gone mad”. The original name, HMS Agincourt, was announced in 2018 by Sir Gavin, and would have been the sixth Royal Navy vessel to bear the name of the famous victory. However, concerns were raised that reviving the name could cause unnecessary offence to France, a key ally.
Both the Palace and the MoD declined to comment on King Charles’ involvement in the decision to change the name of the submarine. While the name change may have caused controversy, the Royal Navy has defended the decision, saying it was proposed by the Ships’ Names and Badging Committee and approved by the monarch
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