After working up in UK waters, "Royalist" was operational with the British fleet in the Mediterranean. From August 1956, NZ PM Sid Holland was persuaded by Anthony Eden to maintain Royalist on station in the Med as an invaluable, 'strategic deployment' and 'deterrent' against Egyptian or Israeli aggression. It was purely precautionary move, Eden assured Holland. At the same time Eden and the RN continued the dual strategy while both negotiating with Egypt and preparing with war, and attempting to lock Royalist into the strategy, through the persuasion by the CNS Mountbatten of Lord of the Admiralty,Lord Hailsham. The fleet awaited the possibility of action against Egyptian air force during the Suez crisis. "Royalist" was intended to be mainly a radar picket and aircraft direction ship for the RAF English Electric Canberra bombers and RN carrier-based Hawker Sea Hawk and de Havilland Sea Venom aircraft. "Royalist" had the standard RN long-range air warning Type 960 radar carried by other British cruisers and carriers in the area, but "Royalist" was somewhat better equipped for aircraft direction than its other counterparts in the area.