Royal Navy: Excited HMS Prince of Wales crew revel in Liverpool celebrations with carrier named new flagship

Celebrations have been commencing on Merseyside since the 65,000 tonne aircraft carrier arrived over the weekend. The £3.2bn warship was officially named at the force’s flagship on Monday (December 2) at 10am.

HMS Prince of Wales will also receive the Freedom of the City of Liverpool; joins a rich pantheon of Merseyside and national figures and organisations including Great War admiral Sir David Beatty and Max Horton - the man who defeated the U-boats in World War 2 - Nelson Mandela, Beatles Sir Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, former Liverpool FC manager Jürgen Klopp and others.

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Captain Will Blackett, the flagship's Commanding Officer, said his ship already enjoyed a “deep link” with Liverpool, which served as “a real source of inspiration and pride which will carry us through the challenges ahead. He added: “This is an incredible City with national duty and service etched into its heart and I see a poignant link between the duty performed by Liverpool and the duty our sailors hold in the Royal Navy.”

HMS Prince of Wales will be awarded the Freedom of the City at Liverpool Parish Church, Chapel Street, at 12.30pm on Friday (December 6). The scroll will be presented to the ship, allowing for sailors to march through the city ‘with drums beating and bayonets fixed’ according to historic law. Hymns, readings and prayers from the Lord Lieutenant of Merseyside, Mark Blundell, will be read to mark the occasion. The service will be followed by a march through the city-centre - involving some of the ship’s company - from roughly 1.45pm.

This will be followed by a reception on board the warship, after which the ship’s company will hit the town in uniform for a ‘rig run’ with Liverpudlians encouraged by their Lord Mayor to show their legendary hospitality to the sailors. Marine Engineer Declan Bennett, 21, from Kirkby in Merseyside, asked to be drafted to HMS Prince of Wales due to her connections with the area. “This is brilliant – I am made up. I am here in my home port, I get to show off the ship to my and my girlfriend’s families, so happy days,” he said.

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Petty Officer John Meacock added: “This is a great opportunity for us to show what we do – so much of the Navy’s actions are done out of sight,” said the senior rate who has 33 years under his belt. “Also everyone says that Liverpool is the best run ashore – even if they are from Newcastle.”

Minister for Defence Procurement and Industry, Maria Eagle MP, met the ship’s company and hosted a forum to present the UK’s new Defence Industrial Strategy. The MP for Liverpool Garston said: “It was fantastic to see HMS Prince of Wales’s berthed on the River Mersey, showcasing the impressive defence capabilities, sailors and service personnel keeping Britain safe and secure at sea across the globe.

“It’s a proud moment for the people of Merseyside ahead of the deployment of HMS Prince of Wales next year to the Indo-Pacific region to exercise with partners and allies to help promote a free and open Indo-Pacific.” Following the parade, HMS Prince of Wales will return to Portsmouth.