For wartime visits to Malta and Normandy, the king travelled in an Arethusa-class cruiser. HMS Arethusa was selected for his 16 June 1944 visit to the Normandy invasion area. Large, fast destroyers escorted the cruiser with orders to do whatever was needed to get her to safety. The choice of cruiser reflected confidence in the class's compact, durable design and ability to survive damage.
Notable Point · 9:34-10:13
Why the king travelled in an Arethusa-class cruiser
The king used an Arethusa-class cruiser for Malta and HMS Arethusa for Normandy, with fast destroyers assigned to get the ship to safety.