HMS Royalist was an improved Dido-class light cruiser – one of five Bellona-class cruisers with greatly improved main armament giving more capability against sea and air targets. Light anti-aircraft armament and fire control was also improved.
Royalist was further modified after completion with extra facilities and crew for directing carrier aircraft operations.
The ship was handed over to the Royal New Zealand Navy on 9 July 1956. When Captain Peter Phipps went to take command of Royalist in 1955, New Zealand diplomat Frank Corner showed his own view, when he noted that Phipps agreed that the ship was a white elephant, unsuitable for use in the Pacific. However The RNZN had operated the Bellona and Black Prince (the same class as Royalist) since 1946 as part of NZ Defence contribution in 1946–54.[17] Phipps claimed the cruiser’s range was limited and it could not even reach Panama without refuelling. However, Captain Phipps also stated when the cruiser reached Auckland, that it was updated, as a most modern warship, with the capability to take “three targets simultaneously, and shoot down air targets with reasonable frequency often on the first salvo”
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