HMS Queen Elizabeth: 18 pictures of Royal Navy flagship preparing and leaving Portsmouth on deployment

The huge aircraft carrier left Portsmouth on Friday and is bound for the North Sea. She is crewed by up to 900 sailors and is equipped with her F-35 Lightning II stealth fighters and Merlin and Wildcat helicopters.

HMS Queen Elizabeth will lead a mixed group of warships from various nations as they head to the Norwegian Sea.

First Sea Lord, Admiral Sir Ben Key, said: “It is great to see HMS Queen Elizabeth deploying once again to exercise and operate with our allies and partners, demonstrating our commitment to maintaining free and open use of the oceans for all.

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“With HMS Prince of Wales having deployed last week, both our aircraft carriers are at sea this autumn operating with F35-B Lightning, ensuring the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force remain ready to deliver the nation’s conventional strike capability.”

The 65,000-tonne carrier and her Strike Group will be joining Nato allies for their exercises in the North Atlantic. It is the second time HMS Queen Elizabeth had lead an international carrier strike group, having previously been deployed to the Indo-Pacific in 2021.

Here are 18 pictures showing some of the preparations from Royal Navy sailors and the aircraft carrier leaving Portsmouth.