'They have to help our country': Beaming families wave off HMS Prince of Wales from Portsmouth for sea trials
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Outpourings of emotion from proud families as they wave to their loved ones
Ecstatic families beaming with pride said goodbye to the Royal Navy flagship as she set sail for sea trials.
HMS Prince of Wales passed The Round Tower in Old Portsmouth this evening (April 24) in the glorious sunshine. Loved ones lined the Hot Walls, waving, cheering, and excitedly waving signs and banners as she sailed past.
The Bell family, of Portsmouth, were waiting patiently to see Chief Petty Officer David Bell, who has served in the Royal Navy for 27 years. He served on Operation Highmast, the UK Carrier Strike Group’s last major deployment.
His daughter Daisy, 14, told The News: “It’s going to be hard being away from him for a long time, but he has to go away. I’m really proud of him. I’m going to miss him an awful lot, but I know he has to go away to help our country.”
Daisy said it was amazing to see her dad return from his last deployment in time for Christmas. “I was so happy,” she added, “it was one of the best Christmas’ ever. We had steak and chips, his favourite meal, and lobster. A full family Christmas. It’s going to be really emotional seeing him leave. You try and hold it in.”
CPO Bell’s partner Kirsten said: “It’s gonna be a bit different for him as he’s now chief of the ops room. It’s going to be harder, but we’re proud of him and I’ll know he’ll do a good job. It’s an incredible feeling to see all the other families here.”
When asked how she handles her soulmate being away, she added: “You just get used to it. I’ll be honest, I do everything anyway, so I might as well carry on as normal.”
“Very emotional”
Hundreds of people were waiting patiently to see their loved ones. Personnel of all ages are aboard the flagship, many on their first operation. This includes AB Finley Restell, 17, of Portsmouth.
His stepdad Mark said: “I’m excited for him. I can’t wait for it. I hope he’s going to love it, enjoy it, and embrace it, and come back a few months time more of a man for it. He talked about it when he was 15 and signed up as soon as he left school. He was a bit nervous a few weeks ago, about being home for such a long period, but now he’s chomping at the bit to get out there and see some of the world.
“The more he embraced being part of the Navy, the more he wants to see parts of the world and see what it has to offer. Hopefully he comes back with so many memories. I’m proud as punch. I couldn't have wished for something better for him “
Kerrie and Mitch Ballard travelled from West Bromwich to see their daughter, 20-year-old Weapons Engineer Meghan Ballard. “It’s very emotional because she’s worked so hard,” Kerrie said. “She’s nervous about her first deployment, but it’s wonderful to see her at sea for the first time. The families have got to be so proud of all of them.”
Mitch added: “It’ll be something she’ll always remember. She wanted to join the Royal Navy since she was a little girl. Joined cadets, worked her way through, and joined when she could. She learned social skills, discipline, and it has made her a better person and everything she is today.”
Grace Clark, trainee accountant in Lee-on-the-Solent, was holding a sign for her boyfriend, Leading Hand Stanley Bastable, 23. It read “Stan, looking mighty fine on RO9.”
“I’m really proud of him knowing he’s on HMS Prince of Wales and doing such an amazing job,” she said. “It makes the sadness of him leaving worth it. This is the first time he’s been away, as we haven’t been together very long.
“I’m going to miss him loads, but seeing the ship and all the amazing work they do makes me very proud of him, knowing he’s out protecting us and part of something incredible. He laughs that I always know what’s going on, looking at the news reports and everything else. It’s lovely how much everyone comes and supports everyone. As someone who’s new to this, it’s nice to see everyone smiling and supportive. It makes you feel less alone.”
The 65,000 tonne warship is going to sea for the first time since she came back from Operation Highmast on November 30. Returning as part of the biggest Royal Navy homecoming in 20 years, her arrival back in Portsmouth marked the end of an eight-month Indo Pacific mission.
This involved extensive military exercises, traversing through the Red Sea while being under threat from Iran, and defending the freedom of navigation in the South China Sea while being harassed by Beijing.
What has HMS Prince of Wales been doing in Portsmouth and what is next for the flagship?
Since being in Portsmouth, the ship’s company have worked side-by-side with naval base staff and contractors to clean, service, maintain and upgrade thousands of systems for operations. Tonnes of food, spare parts, and supporting equipment, were loaded onto the Queen Elizabeth-class carrier before today’s departure.
Her current sea trials will see the mighty warship embark a suite of Merlin and Wildcat helicopters, alongside Malloy cargo drones. The ship’s company, numbering at over 900-strong, are readying themselves for the next phase of operations.
Commander David Mason, the flagship‘s Commander - second-in-command to Captain Ben Power - said: “HMS Prince of Wales ship’s company is looking forward to sailing, for the first time since returning from deployment in 2025, with their headquarters and air wing embarked.”
The ship will undergo combined training in home waters before taking on ammunition in Scotland. Executive Warrant Officer David Wilson, the most senior rating on the carrier, added: “After our time alongside the ship’s company is excited and keen to get back to sea.”
Operation Firecrest will see the flagship will conduct various tasks in the North Atlantic and High North. HMS Prince of Wales will be at the helm of the UK Carrier Strike Group later this year, under Nato’s Arctic Sentry mission. The High North continues to be a critical area of interest to the Royal Navy. Regular operations are organised to the Arctic Circle and surrounding areas, often with British allies.
This comes at a time of rising threats from Russia on the surface and beneath the water. There has been a 30 per cent rise in Putin’s vessels being spotted in UK waters in the past two years. Prime minister Sir Keir Starmer has granted the Royal Navy and Royal Marines permission to board shadow fleet vessels - merchant ships which carry sanctioned cargo to boost Russia’s economy - but action has yet to materialise.
First Sea Lord General Sir Gwyn Jenkins previously warned that Moscow was strengthening its submarine force, and a hybrid navy of conventional warships and autonomous systems was needed to defend Britain’s waters and undersea cables. Recently, Type 23 frigate HMS St Albans and other assets had to be deployed to monitor a pair of Gugi spy submarines for a month, after the submersibles were spotted loitering over pipelines and infrastructure cables beneath the sea.