Safeguarding the Sovereign - the Royal Navy and Public Duties.

For only the second time in nearly 600 years, the Royal Navy is to provide the Guard at the Royal Palaces in London. This high-profile task is usually carried out by the British Army, although in recent years the RAF and Commonwealth Units have also filled it too. It marks a significant opportunity for the RN to showcase its role as defender of the nation, and direct defender of the Sovereign.

Ceremonial duties often attract a mixed response in some quarters. While there is something very impressive about watching the Changing of the Guard or other State Ceremonial function happen, some people ask whether it is the best use of public money. Likewise, for the people involved it means long hours, hard work and often little tangible reward. Is the price worth it?

Image by Ministry of Defence; © Crown copyright

There is often an argument made that what the military need is some kind of ceremonial duties regiment, borne purely for this sort of function and used in no other way. Other nations have this, a single unit that carries out all the elements of protocol and reception without having a meaningful operational role. But this perhaps detracts from the value of having an operational unit carry out their role – the soldiers, sailors and airmen you see marching down the mall do this as part of their job, not their only job. It adds an air of credibility and class and prevents the emergence of a ‘plastic soldier’ cult of troops borne for ceremonial purposes only.

Some will ask whether the fact that the Royal Navy is due to do this role means that the British Army hasn’t got enough soldiers to fill this role. Coming on the back of news that the Army is getting even smaller, has it still got the critical mass to deliver this on an enduring basis? In reality the answer is yes, there are enough soldiers to muster the guard, but why not spread it around all three Services and beyond?

Spreading public duties work around helps ease the burden on any one specific area and help ensure that units are not over committed or focused on this role – and that they can continue to function operationally too. It also makes life easier for the participants, as after a while the appeal of very long hours and the alleged delights of the, in the words of some, ‘appalling’ transit accommodation on offer in central London wane. There is a fine balance to be struck between public duties work being retention positive and a negative retention experience – getting it right is key.

From a personal perspective, ceremonial duties may be hard work, but they break up the routine of military life and provide a fresh challenge to people. You may be an engineer or a gunner normally, but the opportunity to mount the guard provides a genuinely ‘once in a lifetime’ opportunity to do something a bit different – paradoxically helping retention by providing fresh challenge.

To the Royal Navy the chance to fulfil this ceremonial function is a good opportunity to experience one of the broader parts of defence, the intangible ‘soft power’ and ‘fabric of the nation’ role that the British do so well. There is something deeply impressive about watching this sort of parade, and people flock from across the world to see it happen. It is impressive to watch and can often be used to influence people you’d prefer to be on side.

Soft Power is a good way of helping the UK project a message, or demonstrating values and standards that represent what we, as a nation, believe in. The chance to draw on centuries of ceremonial tradition and practise, when coupled with an impressive band and ideally an evening reception is a good way to leave people feeling well disposed towards the UK.

This is why every Royal Navy ship excels at hosting receptions when alongside, working on close co-operation with local authorities and the Embassy / High Commission to seize the chance to invite a wide cross section of the community onboard to talk about their role and work.

Most people will never spend time at sea onboard a Royal Navy warship, but the opportunity to attend a reception on one, be hosted by the Ships Company and have a pleasant evening is one that is rarely passed up. It provides the perfect opportunity to influence and send a message about the role of the ship, the work of the RN and help discretely influence and inform key guests about UK policy.

The spectacle of an RN ship undertaking a sunset ceremony, particularly when accompanied by the Band of the Royal Marines is an experience that stays in the mind of all who see it. While hard work for the crew, it helps influence and generate a very positive image of the UK that may well repay over years to come in unexpected ways.

The Royal Navy excels at this sort of messaging, having literally centuries of experience of using their platforms as a means of sending a benevolent message to other countries. This is reflected in the design of most major large ships these days which have the space to not only host cocktail parties, but also talks and discussions too.

A good example of this was the news this week that the First Sea Lord had hosted his Japanese and US peers onboard HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH off the coast of the USA. The vessel provided the perfect means to host and support discrete staff talks, resulting in further agreement to deepen and enhance cooperation between the three navies – work which has been ongoing for several years now.

The messaging around the presence of a British super carrier, embarking US personnel and likely to deploy out to the Asia Pacific region is impressive. It helps send a message of co-operation, of the technological potency of UK capabilities (reinforcing the message that the UK is able to be a ‘day one’ partner of choice) and that the UK can operate at a considerable distance from the homeland, either unilaterally or as part of a coalition. By hosting onboard, the ship was effectively employed in the role of a soft power asset, able to message and influence how others perceive the UK. This will count for a great deal in many quarters as a means of assessing the UKs capability and reach.

This sort of soft power arrangement may have been spectacular but is just one of the many events held every year onboard ships like the QE around the world. Wherever a Royal Navy ship is deployed, there is the chance to message positively about the work of the RN and reinforce messaging on wider UK values and goals. You only need to look at the variety of locations where the RN has operated this year to realise that it functions as one of the most effective means of sending a message about British intentions out there.

Commencing State Ceremonial duties in London then will be a great way to finish off the year for keeping the RN very much in the public eye and helping to showcase its work around the globe. It is hard work, and a great deal is being asked of the sailors who are participating in this duty. They will leave behind gapped positions and need to pick up work on their return – this is an extra duty, not their full-time job. But they will doubtless do an excellent job of safeguarding the Sovereign.