HMS Prince of Wales returns back to Portsmouth just days after leaving the city

THE Royal Navy’s newest aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales is due back home tomorrow – after spending just four days at sea.
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Portsmouth’s Queen’s Harbour has warned mariners to expect the 65,000-tonne vessel to begin to enter the city’s harbour shortly after 3.30pm.

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The Ministry of Defence has insisted the carrier had always been set to return tomorrow.

HMS Prince of Wales pictured previously departing Portsmouth Naval Base. Photo: Paul CurrieHMS Prince of Wales pictured previously departing Portsmouth Naval Base. Photo: Paul Currie
HMS Prince of Wales pictured previously departing Portsmouth Naval Base. Photo: Paul Currie

A spokesman added: ‘Following a successful period at sea, it was always planned that HMS Prince of Wales would return to Portsmouth of August 26, in order to re-store ready for the next period at sea.

‘It also allows the crew time with families over the bank holiday, ahead of a busy operational autumn period.’

The ship is the newest of Britain’s two Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers.

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Her older sister, HMS Queen Elizabeth, is currently on deployment in the Far East.

As previously reported, HMS Prince of Wales completed a two-month stint at sea earlier this year, making her maiden trip to Gibraltar.

The mighty warship’s deployment came after a lengthy period of maintenance and repairs, following a leak which cost millions of pound to fix.

The News has approached the Ministry of Defence for comment about HMS Prince of Wales’s return.

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