The Royal Navy flagship has started the next stage of her global mission by reaching the Indian Ocean - flanked by warships and auxiliaries.

HMS Prince of Wales is continuing her eight-month global mission at the helm of the UK Carrier Strike Group (UKCSG). Accompanied by her task force of warships and aircraft, the 65,000 tonne warship has navigated the world-famous link between the Mediterranean, Suez Canal and Red Sea.

HMS Prince of Wales has transitioned through the Suez Canal and Red Sea. She has now reached the Indian Ocean. Pictured: The flight deck of HMS Prince of Wales as the ship goes under the Al Salam Bridge whilst transiting the Suez Canal en route to the Red Sea as part of Operation Highmast, on May 24, 2025. | Royal Navy

placeholder image — HMS Prince of Wales has transitioned through the Suez Canal and Red Sea. She has now reached the Indian Ocean. Pictured: The flight deck of HMS Prince of Wales as the ship goes under the Al Salam Bridge whilst transiting the Suez Canal en route to the Red Sea as part of Operation Highmast, on May 24, 2025. | Royal Navy

The UKCSG sailed through through the Canal last week to reach warmer waters and the Indo-Pacific phase of Operation Highmast. This is the furthest east HMS prince of Wales has travelled in her career.

She passed iconic sights Royal Navy sailors of years gone by will know all too well: from the Canal Memorial of the Inter-War period to the more recent impressive Al Salam bridge. Colloquially known as Friendship or Peace bridge, it stretches for 1,325 feet across the canal some three dozen miles from Port Said in Egypt - clearing the water by 230ft.

Pictured: HMS Prince of Wales sails under Al Salam Bridge whilst transiting the Suez Canal en route to the Red Sea as part of Operation Highmast.

HMS Dauntless along with the Carrier Strike Group transits the Suez Canal on 24th May 2025. — Pictured: HMS Prince of Wales sails under Al Salam Bridge whilst transiting the Suez Canal en route to the Red Sea as part of Operation Highmast. HMS Dauntless along with the Carrier Strike Group transits the Suez Canal on 24th May 2025. | Royal Navy

Pictured: HMS Prince of Wales on the Suez Canal, on route to the Red Sea, as part of Op HIGHMAST, 24 May 2025. | UK MOD Crown copyright

The Suez and Red Sea transit marks the end of a month of exercises and operations in the Eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean. Highlights of the opening phase of the global deployment included teaming up with the Italian Carrier Strike Group and bringing together an allied force of some 21 warships, three submarines, 41 fast jets, 19 helicopters, ten patrol aircraft and 8,000 personnel in the Ionian Sea.

After travelling through the Suez, the UKCSG transited the Red Sea without incident before emerging in the Indian Ocean. HMS Dauntless, HMS Richmond, Norwegian frigate HNoMS Roald Admundsen, Canadian frigate HMCS Ville de Québec and Spanish frigate ESPS Méndez Núñez all accompanied HMS Prince of Wales – with her deck filled with F-35B jet and Merlin and Wildcat helicopters – through the waterways into the Indian Ocean.

Royal Fleet Auxiliary sailors aboard RFA Tidespring travelled a different route to join back up with the formation. The goal of Operation Highmast is to reaffirm the UK’s security commitments in the Indo-Pacific region. upwards of 4,500 British military personnel will be involved in the deployment, consisting of 2,500 Royal Navy sailors and Royal Marines, nearly 600 RAF aviators and 900 soldiers.