Portsmouth waves goodbye to HMS Prince of Wales as second carrier sets sail
HMS Prince of Wales – the largest vessel in the fleet – has left Portsmouth Harbour, becoming the second aircraft carrier now at sea.
Aircraft carriers are, it seems, like buses. Nothing for ages, then two almost together.
The 65,000-tonne vessel is close behind her sister ship, fleet flagship HMS Queen Elizabeth, who left on Monday.
Plenty of people came to wave her off as well as friends and family of those on board.
"I've come to watch my daughter leave on the Prince of Wales. This is her first time out on the ship," one proud parent said.
"She only passed out on 14 June so she's very new to the Navy and we're supporting her by watching her today."
Another onlooker said: "Seeing all the smiles and people's families and stuff like that, having people that have served in the Navy, it's just nice to see it all.
"I'm quite proud that that's our Navy."
The deployment is only expected to be a couple of weeks for work-up training ahead of a future longer stint away.
A routine deployment says the Royal Navy, but it certainly will not feel like that for those on their first time at sea.
In a post on X, HMS Prince of Wales said: "After a brief period of leave, we return to sea with our focus firmly on preparations for Operational Sea Training."
Hundreds of people braved grey skies and the threat of rain to watch HMS Queen Elizabeth set sail from Portsmouth Harbour on Monday.
The Royal Navy has not released many details about what the aircraft carrier is doing and, similar to Prince of Wales, BFBS Forces News was told that she is on a routine tasking.
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