Power at the helm: New skipper takes command of HMS Prince of Wales as CSG25 nears end
Captain Ben Power has taken command of HMS Prince of Wales, taking over from Captain Will Blackett while the ship was alongside in Souda Bay in Crete.
The handover comes as the flagship leading Carrier Strike Group 25 is on its last leg of an eight-month deployment that has taken the ship and her crew through the Mediterranean, Indian Ocean and Pacific under Operation Highmast, the Royal Navy's most ambitious global mission since 2021.
Capt Power joins HMS Prince of Wales having commanded two of the Royal Navy's major surface ship classes.
He previously commanded the offshore patrol vessel HMS Medway, leading her 2020 deployment to the Caribbean to support counter-narcotics operations and hurricane relief efforts.
He took command of HMS Dauntless in 2022, guiding the destroyer through a demanding regeneration period, overseeing crew training and new engine upgrades that restored the ship to operational status.
Capt Power has also previously served as a Fighter Controller and on exchange with the Royal Australian Air Force as an Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) Weapons Controller.
Now his role as commander of the nation's flagship places him at the centre of the Royal Navy's carrier programme, a post regarded as one of the most significant in the Senior Service.
The 65,000-tonne ship is designed to operate fifth-generation F-35B Lightning jets and helicopters as part of the UK's expeditionary strike capability.
HMS Prince of Wales has spent much of this year at sea with allied navies, conducting flight operations, replenishments and international visits across several oceans.
The change of command in Souda Bay signals the start of the ship's transition home, arriving back in Portsmouth in time for Christmas.
Capt Blackett leaves after almost two years in command, having led the carrier through her regeneration and deployment phase.
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