HMS Queen Elizabeth: When did Royal Navy flagship leaving, best places to see her leave in Portsmouth, other ships also departing and traffic - recap updates

HMS Queen Elizabeth is set to depart Portsmouth this afternoon.
HMS Queen Elizabeth. Picture: LPhot Kyle Heller/ Royal NavyHMS Queen Elizabeth. Picture: LPhot Kyle Heller/ Royal Navy
HMS Queen Elizabeth. Picture: LPhot Kyle Heller/ Royal Navy

The Royal Navy’s fleet flagship will be sailing out from the naval base at around 3.45pm.

Other members of the Carrier Strike Group, designated CSG21, are also departing from Portsmouth throughout the day.

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HMS Queen Elizabeth’s sister ship HMS Prince of Wales left the naval base yesterday.

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HMS Queen Elizabeth is 'Portsmouth's ship' says naval base boss

The carrier will leave on her first deployment this month and it is expected to last for seven months.

CSG21 will visit more than 40 countries during that time.

Joining HMS Queen Elizabeth will be four Royal Navy warships, the USS Sullivan from America and a Dutch frigate.

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The £3bn warship, with eight RAF and 10 US Marine Corps F35B stealth fighter jets on board, will depart for Asia accompanied by six Royal Navy ships, a submarine, 14 naval helicopters and a company of Royal Marines.

Follow our live blog for all the updates as HMS Queen Elizabeth leaves Portsmouth this afternoon,

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Recap update as HMS Queen Elizabeth departed Portsmouth

Key Events

  • The Royal Navy’s fleet flagship will leave this afternoon
  • Other ships in the Carrier Strike Group also departing naval base

Welcome to our live blog

We will bring you all the updates, reaction and photos throughout the day.

HMS Queen Elizabeth is 'Portsmouth's ship' says naval base boss

Years of hard work throughout the city to prepare for the Royal Navy’s newest carriers should fill everyone with national pride.

That is the message from Portsmouth Naval Base as the Carrier Strike Group, designated CSG21, prepares to set sail on Saturday.

The strike group, which includes four Royal Navy warships, the USS Sullivan from America and a Dutch frigate, will be out on deployment for seven months and aims to visit more than 40 countries in that time.

The £3bn warship, with eight RAF and 10 US Marine Corps F35B stealth fighter jets on board, will depart for Asia accompanied by six Royal Navy ships, a submarine, 14 naval helicopters and a company of Royal Marines.

Royal Navy 'back on the global stage' as Carrier Strike Group prepares to sail from Portsmouth

The Royal Navy is back ‘on the global stage’ as final preparations are made for the carrier strike group to set sail with HMS Queen Elizabeth leading the way, a senior officer has said.

Portsmouth Naval Base is buzzing with British and American forces personnel as the Carrier Strike Group aims to sail on Saturday on exercise ahead of deployment.

Led by the Royal Navy with flagship HMS Queen Elizabeth, the group includes four other navy ships, two Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessels, USS Sullivan from America and a frigate from the Dutch navy.

Spare parts, food and supplies are being put on board all five navy vessels, and there’s even a spot of redecorating taking place, with the ship getting a fresh lick of paint.

What time is HMS Queen Elizabeth due to leave?

She is scheduled to sail out of the Naval base at 3.45pm.

This is according to the Shipping Movements.

HMS Diamond and HMS Defender have already left Portsmouth

HMS DiamondHMS Diamond
HMS Diamond

HMS Diamond sailed out of the harbour at around 8am this morning. Photo by Alison Treacher.

HMS Defender left at around 10am.

Where are the best places to see HMS Queen Elizabeth leave?

The Square Tower and the Round Tower in Old Portsmouth are both popular spots for watching ships leave and arrive back in Portsmouth.

What is the weather forecast?

Currently the Met Office is forecasting rain for the afternoon in Portsmouth.

From 3pm to 4pm there will be light rain.

From 4pm to 5pm there will be heavy rain.

HMS Defender and HMS Diamond are heading to Scotland

Two of the Royal Navy’s “Premier League” warships have left Portsmouth bound for Scotland for exercises ahead of a tour of the Indo-Pacific region.

The destroyers HMS Defender and HMS Diamond left the naval base this morning ahead of the first deployment of the UK’s Carrier Strike Group (CSG).

Exercise Strike Warrior 21 will run from May 8 to May 20 in Scotland, with 10 nations taking part and with 31 warships, three submarines, 150 aircraft and around 13,400 military personnel involved.

HMS Defender’s ship’s company lined the deck to wave to family and friends on the quayside as the vessel left the port.

The Strike Warrior programme will include 1,500 ground troops at military ranges across the country and maritime exercise areas off the west and north coasts.

Australia will join Nato nations the UK, the US, Denmark, France, Germany, Latvia, the Netherlands, Norway and Poland in taking part with 34 naval units.

The exercises will mirror a broad range of crisis and conflict situations.

HMS Queen Elizabeth, the Royal Navy’s fleet flagship at the centre of the CSG, will deploy shortly after the completion of Strike Warrior.

A coffee shop is now officially open on HMS Queen Elizabeth

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