Royal Navy: Anticipation builds on HMS Prince of Wales as she returns to Portsmouth before major deployment

HMS Prince of Wales returned to Portsmouth this afternoon (March 17) after conducting training drills and other trials. The 65,000 tonne warship hosted King Charles III during the proceedings, who spoke to members of the ship’s company and thanked them for their service.

They also stopped off at Glen Mallen in Scotland to take on ammunition and other supplies ahead of their mission in the Indo-Pacific region. Due to set off this Spring, HMS Prince of Wales will take charge of the UK Carrier Strike Group (UKCSG) and conduct diplomatic meetings as well as military drills. They will visit Japan, Australia and elsewhere as they complete operations alongside Nato and international allies.

Paul and Lisa Gater watched the £3.2bn aircraft carrier sail past The Round Tower in Old Portsmouth as she headed for HMNB Portsmouth. Their son, AET Adam Gater, is on board and set for the biggest mission in his career so far.

“He’s really excited and has noticed an upbeat atmosphere on the ship as they get closer to departure,” his father told The News. “Anticipation is building for them. Being away from his family and doing the things he’s done has definitely helped him grow as a person. Each time he comes back from a trip, you can see he’s more confident. Overall, he’s enjoying life in the Royal Navy.”

Lisa added her son has thoroughly enjoyed his time in the Royal Navy so far. “We’re so proud of his career and think it’s a wonderful career to have,” she said. “We’ll definitely be here when the ship leaves.”

The Indo-Pacific mission, scheduled to last for roughly nine months, is one of the largest deployments the UK has conducted in recent years. Martin Moore, a former Royal Navy commander who joined the crowd to see the flagship, said the aim of every deployment is to support the prosperity and security of the nation.

The Southsea resident added: “The Royal Navy is global and we still have partners and work with our allies around the world, and you’ve got ships deployed everywhere from the South Atlantic to the Indo-Pacific. It’s vitally important to work with our close allies so that we can operate together and deliver joint effect.

“The most important thing is that you operate together in normal times so that if anything does happen in the future, you are able to react and respond accordingly. We’re in a peacetime deployment and supporting global Britain.”

The 56-year-old added that sailors training with their counterparts in other navies is vitally important. “You build up trust, relationships and understanding of the operating environment,” he said. “That is key to our future security and it’s very important for operational capability development for those nations to trust each other.”

Cdr Moore said varied tasks being undertaken on the deployment shows how versatile the Royal Navy is as a force. “You have an economical and security benefit to the UK,” he added. “When you deploy the carrier group, you get the full spectrum of capabilities. This is a normal deployment, it shouldn’t be deemed as exceptional, and it supports the Royal Navy’s global footprint.”

The Indo-Pacific mission comes after prime minister Sir Keir Starmer called for more patrols in the area to counter the influence of China, as well as the enduring Russian invasion of Ukraine. Portsmouth natives Louise and Chris Hyde came to see HMS Prince of Wales and show their support.

Ms Hyde said it was sad that the government was forced to increase defence spending due to the growing global tensions. “It’s a shame we’re under threat after enjoying peace time,” she added. “ It’s frightening. It’s reassuring that we’ve got our aircraft carriers in Portsmouth.

“We’re proud of them and always try to support them. I’m sure the Navy is up to speed. The sailors are very brave and we’re in safe hands. It’s reassuring to see the deployment happening. They’ve got to be kept active and this is the only way to do it, to go on these exercises. They’re always well received abroad.”