HMS Black Prince (81) instead of five, and improved anti-aircraft armament. She was built by Harland & Wolff of Belfast, Northern Ireland, with her keel being laid down on 1 December 1939. She was launched on 27 August 1942, and commissioned on 30 November 1943. "Black Prince" was named after Prince Edward (1330-1376), the eldest son of King Edward III. After commissioning, "Black Prince" served on Arctic convoys and then came south in preparation for the invasion of Europe, being employed on offensive sweeps against German coastal convoy traffic. On the night of 25 and 26 April 1944, accompanied by Canadian destroyers, she was
Edward of Angoulême over £400 were spent on candles alone. Edward's baptism was also celebrated with "splendid tournaments." One of his godparents was Bishop Jean de Crois. The name the Black Prince chose for his eldest son had been borne by three English kings and had already become a popular name with political implications by the time Edward and his brother, Richard (b. 1367), were born. In Yorkist times, these were the most popular names. After prolonged suffering, Edward died of the bubonic plague; although the exact time of his death is not known, the date of January 1371 is commonly used. The