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Sailors can be deployed across the world on extensive deployments that can last months. From supporting British Overseas Territories hit by humanitarian disasters, to full scale Carrier Strike Group deployments, personnel spend intensive periods on duty while travelling thousands of nautical miles.
For the families, the hope is their nearest and dearest can be back home with them in time for Christmas. The biggest Royal Navy homecoming took place on November 30, as HMS Prince of Wales sailed to HMNB Portsmouth alongside HMS Dauntless and Norwegian frigate HNoMS Roald Amundsen.
Thousands of people lined the Hot Walls and other parts of the city to welcome the UK Carrier Strike Group home. Families of personnel held brilliant signs and dressed in bright costumes to catch the attention of their loved ones on the ships.
Here are a selection of pictures from festive Royal Navy homecomings over the years. Be sure to click through all the pages to see if you can spot yourself.
9. Royal Navy Christmas homecomings over the years
After more than four years away from the UK, Royal Navy frigate HMS Montrose returned to Plymouth for Christmas in 2022. | Royal Navy
10. Royal Navy Christmas homecomings over the years
In 2022, hundreds of families and friends lined the jetty in Devonport Naval Base to welcome home the ship, which hadn't been seen in the UK since October 2018. | Royal Navy
11. Royal Navy Christmas homecomings over the years
Between 2018 and 2022, before her Christmas homecoming, HMS Montrose sailed 140,000 nautical miles. | Royal Navy
12. Royal Navy Christmas homecomings over the years
HMS Montrose spent much of that period in the late 2010s and early 2020s patrolling the Persian Gulf, spending 1,512 days away from the UK. | Royal Navy