Appeal to rename naval college in tribute to duke
RENAMING Britannia Royal Naval College in Dartmouth in honour of the Duke of Edinburgh is among suggestions being put forward as a lasting tribute marking his close ties with the military.
The Devon college was where the duke first met the Queen in 1939 and MPs are among those who have raised the idea of it taking his name.
Britannia Royal Naval College, commonly known as Dartmouth and positioned overlooking the port, is the naval academy of the United Kingdom and the initial officer training establishment of the Royal Navy.
Royal Naval officer training has taken place in Dartmouth since 1863 and the college was where Prince Philip trained as a cadet, graduating as the best cadet on his course before his distinguished career in the Royal Navy. Discussions will take place in the coming months over how best to commemorate the life and achievements of the duke, who died on Friday aged 99.
Conservative MP Tobias Ellwood, chair of the House of Commons defence select committee, told Sky
News: “He had so many roles to play right across the Armed Forces, including the Royal Marines as well, and everybody will be deeply touched by what is going on and thinking carefully about how they can pay tribute to him. There has been talk of changing the name of Dartmouth college to recognise the Duke of Edinburgh and the fact that he came top of his class there.”
He added: “Tributes have come from near and far, and that bond with the military is something very exceptional indeed, and everybody has been very proud to be associated with the Duke.”
The i newspaper quoted Mr Ellwood saying: “Aside from his selfless duties in supporting the Queen, he will be remembered as an exemplar of that generation who stepped forward in our hour of need. And it all began at Dartmouth.”
The newspaper added that Lord Dannatt, former Chief of the General Staff, said he was sure that some in the Royal Navy “would be delighted” by the suggestion.
A statue of the Duke on the Mall near Buckingham Palace has also been proposed, as has the idea of a new royal yacht named after Philip.
All four of the previous royal consorts – Prince Albert, Queen Alexandra, Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother – have memorials in central London and are also remembered in other ways with their names attached to public institutions.
Downing Street said it was too early to consider proposals for a lasting memorial to the Duke of Edinburgh’s life. The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said “we will want to look carefully at all the proposals that have been set out” but “it’s not right, while we are in this period of mourning” while the focus was on funeral preparations to consider a memorial.
“There will be a time to rightly consider longer-term tributes,” the spokesman said.