The warship is currently in drydock in Rosyth, Scotland following a propeller shaft misalignment fault and has been there since March after the fault was discovered just before she was due to leave the city to take part in Exercise Steadfast Defender - Nato’s largest operation since The Cold War. A faulty coupling, discovered on the starboard propeller shaft in February, threw a spanner in the works to those plans, stopping her from going to the North Sea and working alongside allied warships and other units, as well as Exercise Joint Warrior. Her sister ship HMS Prince of Wales was instead dispatched in her place.
So while we wait for news of how the repair work is progressing we look back at some of her previous adventures around the globe – and a bit closer to home:
41. HMS Queen Elizabeth
Part of the galley team on board HMS Queen Elizabeth, Leading Chef Humphries, CS Coult and CS Brook bake hundreds of bread rolls for ship's company as well as a batch of popular bakewell cookies. Photo: LPhot Belinda Alker
42. HMS Queen Elizabeth
While deployed with the UK Carrier Strike Group in August 2021, HMS Queen Elizabeth completed a transfer of live munitions from solid support ship RFA Fort Victoria Photo: POPhot Jay Allen
43. HMS Queen Elizabeth
HNLMS Evertsen, RFA Tidespring and HMS Queen Elizabeth to conduct a double replenishment at sea whilst transiting the South China Sea. HMS Queen Elizabeth was able to launch Jets from VMFA-211 whilst conduct a fuel replenishment with RFA Tidespring. Whilst this happened RFA Tidespring also conducted a replenishment with HNLMS Evertsen, this procedure is known as a double RAS. Photo: POPhot Jay Allen
44. HMS Queen Elizabeth
The Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth leaving Glen Mallan in Loch Long with the Arrochar Alps behind. Picture: Andrew Milligan/PA Wire Photo: Andrew Milligan