HMS Prince of Wales: Huge Royal Navy warship leaves Firth of Forth as she sets sail for Portsmouth

It was confirmed this afternoon that HMS Prince of Wales is leaving the Firth of Forth in Scotland following months of repairs to her starboard and portside shafts. The ship’s official Twitter account confirmed that her systems were tested, her propeller shafts were tested, and that she was on her way to open sea.

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The Portsmouth-based warship left the drydock in Rosyth on Saturday (July 22) after being brought back to the Babcock shipyard, where she was built, to undergo urgent repairs. Captain Richard Hewitt, HMS Prince of Wales’ Commanding Officer, praised the efforts of all who sought to return the carrier to front-line duties again.

HMS Prince of Wales’ 750-strong ship’s company, who have remained with the carrier throughout. “We are returning HMS Prince of Wales to operations as the most advanced warship ever built for the Royal Navy,’ he said.

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"This year we will be operating F-35s, V-22 Ospreys, drones and the RN Merlin helicopters – pushing the boundaries of naval aviation and UK Carrier Strike capability as we progress towards a global deployment in 2025.

"Our sailors are paramount to ensuring our return to operations. They have approached the task of getting us back to sea with the remarkable ethos that I have come to expect from them. They are a credit to the ship and the Royal Navy.”

The plan is for HMS Prince of Wales to be back on deployment in the autumn of this year in the USA. She will return to Portsmouth beforehand for further tests.