Royalist lacked the pre-wetting, ABC spraydown equipment, specifically requested by the RNZN in 1955. The Devonport UK, dockyard noted that installing spraydown to wash nuclear fallout was possible, providing a wall-size copy of the plan of the pre-wetting system under installation in , and suggested the New Zealand dockyard could do the job. After modernisation, in 1957, "Sheffield" operated for only 15 months with the fleet, maintained as a static HQ ship capable of GFS, it had space, comfort, and elaborate staterooms. "Royalist" like the other Dido cruisers had a margin, allowing only the 47 officers, a standard cabin. "Royalist" offered speed and extra communications systems and an AIO (Action Information Office) fitted late 1943. The "Dido" cruiser, HMS "Scylla", was also fitted with AIO as Admiral Vian, RN D-Day command ship, Scylla detonated a mine, 23 June 1944, uneconomic to return to wartime service