His/Her Dutch Majesty's Ship

His Netherlands Majesty's Ship (Dutch: Zijner Majesteits, literal translation: His Majesty's) or Her Netherlands Majesty's Ship (Dutch: Harer Majesteits, literal translation: Her Majesty's) is an incorrect, but common, translation of the ship prefix of the Royal Netherlands Navy for naval ships commanded by an officer. The English abbreviation for both prefixes is HNLMS (Dutch: Zr.Ms. or Hr.Ms.). Sometimes HNMS is used, but this could also mean Norway. One way to avoid the ambiguity of HNMS is to use "HNLMS" for the Netherlands and "HNoMS" for Norway. HNLMS is in fact an incorrect translation of the Dutch Hr.Ms., which correctly translates to "Her Majesty's". For example, Hr.Ms. Tromp translates to Her Majesty's Tromp and not Her Majesty's Ship Tromp.

Jane's Information Group publications tend to use the official prefix Hr.Ms. even in English language publications, rather than HNLMS.


This naval article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

Famous quotes containing the words dutch, majesty and/or ship:

    The French courage proceeds from vanity—the German from phlegm—the Turkish from fanaticism & opium—the Spanish from pride—the English from coolness—the Dutch from obstinacy—the Russian from insensibility—but the Italian from anger.
    George Gordon Noel Byron (1788–1824)

    History is a child building a sand-castle by the sea, and that child is the whole majesty of man’s power in the world.
    Heraclitus (c. 535–475 B.C.)

    Every day brings a ship,
    Every ship brings a word;
    Well for those who have no fear,
    Looking seaward well assured
    That the word the vessel brings
    Is the word they wish to hear.
    Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)