HMS Queen Elizabeth: Well wishers wave off Royal Navy flagship from Portsmouth as she sails for sea trials

The fleet flagship left Portsmouth Naval Base for two weeks of sea trials which involve the ship's helicopters and jets. Loved ones cheered from the Round Tower and sea walls in Southsea as sailors on board looked out from hatches on the side of the 65,000-tonne warship.

Ahead of sailing, the ship posted on Twitter: ‘The first female FDO (Flight Deck Officer) on a QE Class carrier has brought on the first of our aircraft as we make preparations to sail. Flying jets and helos, the next two weeks will prove our Carrier Strike capability as we prepare for our #CSG23 deployment.’

A Royal Navy spokeswoman said: ‘HMS Queen Elizabeth is due to leave His Majesty's Naval Base Portsmouth to embark on her next stage of training and trials.

‘The ship will remain in UK waters for these trials which are in preparation for her Carrier Strike deployment later in the year.’

ALSO READ: Royal Navy carrier to leave Portsmouth - why is she leaving?

The departure comes as sister ship HMS Prince of Wales has been undergoing repairs in Rosyth after she suffered a driveshaft failure off the Isle of Wight last August. The MoD has denied the ship has been ‘cannibalised’ for parts for HMS Queen Elizabeth, and said it is expected to return to its operational programme in the autumn.

ALSO READ: Cost of defence projects for navy, RAF and British Army soared by £9bn in a single year