The Duke of Kent has attended a special Service of Thanksgiving at Westminster Abbey, as the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) celebrate 200 years of saving lives at sea.
The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) was set up in 1824 and has since saved nearly 150,000 lives. From responding to distress calls from paddle-boarders and wild swimmers to executing complex rescues of small boat crews, the RNLI has consistently evolved to meet the needs of those at sea.
Yesterday at Westminster Abbey, representatives from RNLI lifesaving communities, along with the display of historic and modern lifeboats, attended a Service of Thanksgiving with the Archbishop of Canterbury and The Duke of Kent leading the celebrations.
Queen Elizabeth II became Patron of the RNLI in 1952, the same year she became Queen. At this time, The Duke of Kent's mother, Princess Marina, was President of the charity, a role which her son took over in 1969.
During his time as President, The Duke has visited the vast majority of the RNLI's lifeboat stations, and has paid many repeat visits.
The Duke of Kent met volunteers and workers at the charity and inspected three lifeboats, including the William Riley, an oar powered boat built in 1909; a D Class lifeboat; and a modern Shannon class boat.