Birmingham was launched by Lady
Empson, wife of Sir Derek Empson and commissioned in time to attend
the Silver Jubilee Fleet Review, where she served as the 'Admiralty
Board Yacht'. In 1993 she attended the Battle of Atlantic 50th
Anniversary Fleet Review. H.M.S Birmingham was the venue of the
1998 St Malo Anglo-French Naval Agreement. She was due to pay
off in 1998 but this was delayed until 1999 and she decommissioned
at Portsmouth 10th December. A short time later she was towed
to Devonport and stripped of all useable equipment before returning
to Portsmouth in May 2000 to await scrap or sinking. She left
Portsmouth under tow on October 20th 2000.