HMS Prince of Wales arrives in Portsmouth - reaction, photos and updates

HMS Prince of Wales has arrived in Portsmouth for the first time this afternoon.
HMS Prince of Wales arriving into Portsmouth. Picture: Tom CotterillHMS Prince of Wales arriving into Portsmouth. Picture: Tom Cotterill
HMS Prince of Wales arriving into Portsmouth. Picture: Tom Cotterill

HMS Prince of Wales passed by the Round Tower at about 2pm, and will dock at about 3pm. Shipping lanes into Portsmouth Harbour are closed and an air exclusion zone put in place for the arrival of the 65,000-tonne ship. Naval top brass hailed the ship’s imminent arrival as a ‘profound’ and ‘sublime’ moment for Britain as she anchored off the Isle of Wight. The carrier's sister ship, HMS Queen Elizabeth, also based at Portsmouth Naval Base, is currently on a visit to the US to undergo trials of the F35 fighter jets ahead of its first operational deployment planned for 2021.