"Duchess" was recommissioned on 3 January 1961, with post-refit workups and maintenance dominating the ship's activities until early April. From April until July, she was involved in a program of anti-submarine warfare training and general exercises, interspersed with short maintenance periods. On 24 July, "Duchess" sailed from Portsmouth, bound for Malta and the Mediterranean Fleet. On 7 August, while en route, a port visit to Ajaccio was almost cancelled when a possible mutiny aboard a British merchant ship was reported: the destroyer was to sail to assist, but was not required. "Duchess" reached Grand Harbour on 18 August, and was drydocked for maintenance. Returning to service in September, the rest of "Duchess" year was dominated by exercises and flag-showing port visits. Exercises and port visits resumed in January 1962, and continued until 26 March, when the destroyer left Malta heading for Portsmouth. In addition to the schedule of Home Fleet exercises, "Duchess" made official visits to Stockholm and Helsinki with in May, underwent refit from July to October, as in November was part of the search for the helicopter that crashed off St David's Head carrying Lord Windlesham. On 17 December, the ship's fifth commission was paid off.