Where is HMS Queen Elizabeth now? 'Awe-inspiring' Royal Navy carrier leaves Rosyth and back at sea in Scotland
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‘Fantastic progress’ has been made to bring her back to sea
A Royal Navy aircraft carrier has left the dry dock in Rosyth after spending several months on the side-lines.
HMS Queen Elizabeth completed her docking period and left the basin in Scotland yesterday (April 19). Striking pictures show the 65,000 tonne warship passing through the narrow lock at Rosyth, from the site where she was originally built. Seven tugs were needed for the operation.
A social media statement from Babcock International said: “An awe‑inspiring sight at Rosyth – engineering excellence supporting a vital national asset. HMS Queen Elizabeth departs, with sea trials next. A proud milestone delivered by our team.”
What has been going on with HMS Queen Elizabeth? When may she be back on the open water?
The £3.2bn carrier, with a full ship’s company, is currently at anchor just outside the dockyard. She is waiting for the right weather conditions to pass under the Forth Bridges.
Temporary airspace restrictions are in place in place over the Firth of Forth and in the vicinity of North Queensferry until April 24. The measures, introduced under Article 239 of the Air Navigation Order 2016, are intended to support national defence and security during the carrier’s movement.
The UK Defence Journal reports that these restrictions include prohibiting un-manned aircraft from flying below 1,400 feet above mean sea level within a defined area over the Firth of Forth between 1am on April 19 and 11pm on April 24.
Vice Admiral Steve Moorhouse, former Commanding Officer of HMS Queen Elizabeth, visited the ship’s company in March. In a social media statement, he said: “As a former CO, great to be back with HMS Queen Elizabeth and see the fantastic progress they’ve made as they prepare to return to sea. Brilliant sailors doing brilliant things.”
HMS Queen Elizabeth left Portsmouth on July 16, 2025, and headed to Scotland while carrying out sea trials en-route. Since November 2024, she has been undergoing a planned upkeep period where significant upgrades have been made to her propulsion systems.
While alongside HMNB Portsmouth, mechanical issues were identified during routine machinery trials. Her planned seven month docking period had been extended slightly to just over eight months.
Like most of the Royal Navy fleet, HMS Queen Elizabeth is subject to the Lloyd’s Rules regulatory framework, where the ship needs to be inspected in the dry dock every six years. Navy Lookout reports that this involves a full survey of the hull, rudders, and propellers. Hull valves and sea chests need to be checked and repaired if there are any signs of corrosion.
Her return comes as her sister ship, HMS Prince of Wales, prepares to conduct Operation Firecrest in the North Atlantic and High North. Both carriers hit the headlines following insults from US President Donald Trump. He brazenly described them as “toys” and said they “don’t work” in a separate tirade.