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| Have you ever watched TV and recognised a certain historic warship? Or visited HMS Belfast and felt like you've seen parts of it before? |
HMS Belfast has been moored on the River Thames since 1971 and has become an iconic London landmark. In that time, the ship has played a starring role in some iconic cultural moments of the last few decades.
Only Fools and Horses might be best known for Del Boy, Rodney and Uncle Albert, but did you know that HMS Belfast makes an appearance too?
In He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Uncle, Uncle Albert runs away from Nelson Mandela House. Del Boy and Rodney form an ad hoc search party, and head to HMS Belfast as part of their mission to find their man.
Fans of Outnumbered might remember that the Brockman family head on board in the episode The Family Outing. We see them explore the Fo’c’sle, at the front of the ship, and take a trip up to the Captain’s chair, which are still unmissable parts of a visit today.
Some of you may recall the Don’t Tell the Bride episode which had HMS Belfast’s Quarterdeck as a wedding location, where the bride arrived by speedboat. Unsurprisingly, the bride loved the wedding - who doesn’t love a visit to HMS Belfast? |
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| VISIT HMS BELFAST | Climb on board and discover brand new interactive displays and immersive historical exhibitions.
Explore all nine decks of this iconic warship including the top of the Flag Deck to deep under the Thames waterline in the lower decks.
Plus enjoy fun family activities every day, until 31 August. | |
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| HMS Belfast has also featured in some particularly memorable music videos and performances over the years.
Children of the 1980s might remember the catchy It Feels Like I’m in Love by Kelly Marie, which used the ship as an exceptional backdrop for some particularly memorable dance moves.
Basildon’s finest electronic superstars, Depeche Mode, used HMS Belfast as the backdrop to their anthem People are People, and eagle-eyed MTV viewers will have seen Dave Gahan stroll through the engine rooms, 15ft below deck.
But it isn't just the small screen that's been lit up by HMS Belfast. You can see HMS Belfast in a brief - but we like to think crucial - role during Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.
While the Order accompany Harry through London on his trip to Grimmauld Place, they swoop down to the Thames and pass HMS Belfast on their way.
And in 2012, when Daniel Craig was announced as the new James Bond, he stayed true to 007’s character and arrived on the ship by speedboat before being revealed as the latest actor to play the world’s most famous secret service agent.
Recently the ship made an appearance in the final episode of Killing Eve season three. What better way to end an award-winning BBC drama, than a scene on Tower Bridge overlooking the ship?
Gamers will recall that the video game World of Warships previously included HMS Belfast on their roster of fighters. But the iconic Second World Warship was simply too strong and over performed in online battle, so was taken off as an option to purchase on the game.
However, if you visit HMS Belfast’s new World of Warships: Command Center on board, you can now take the virtual helm of the ship whilst on it and lead it into battle. Click here to find out more.
Of course, the best way to see HMS Belfast is in person. We don't think the screen quite does it justice.
HMS Belfast is London's warship experience. Click here to plan your next trip on board. |
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| WHILE YOU'RE IN THE AREA | Not too far from HMS Belfast is Churchill War Rooms, the secret underground nerve centre of the Second World War. Plan the ultimate historic day with a visit to both sites.
See where Churchill and his inner circle planned the route to victory. Then learn about Churchill's life and legacy in the award-winning Churchill Museum.
It's just three stops on the tube from HMS Belfast, or arrive in style with a quick Thames Clipper ride up the river! | |
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