Q&A ยท 37:51-38:47

Could the Royal Navy name a ship HMS Anzac?

Australian restrictions on the Anzac name would not bind another state, though an Australian ship is the more likely bearer.

Question

Would Australian restrictions on the name Anzac apply to a hypothetical HMS Anzac?

Short answer

No; Australian law would not bind the Royal Navy, although an Australian HMAS Anzac is the more likely real-world case.

Notes

Australian legal protection of the name Anzac could not ordinarily prevent the Royal Navy from commissioning an HMS Anzac because one country cannot legislate for another sovereign state. A British use of the name would therefore fall outside Australian law. In practice, a future ship bearing the name is more likely to be Australian and commissioned as HMAS Anzac. The legal possibility and the likely real-world naming choice are separate questions.