Royal Navy: HMS Queen Elizabeth to depart from Portsmouth for Nato mission - here's when she will leave

She is due to leave HMNB Portsmouth tomorrow (February 4) and lead Exercise Steadfast Defender which is set to be one of the largest Nato exercises since the Cold War.

HMS Queen Elizabeth will be leaving Princess Royal Jetty, where she is currently berthed, tomorrow evening at 6pm and she will be out in The Solent at 7:20pm.

For the Nato exercise, HMS Queen Elizabeth will lead a carrier strike of eight ships – four of them British, including frigate HMS Somerset and two Tide-class tankers from the Royal Fleet Auxiliary – supported by US, Spanish and Danish vessels.

Commodore James Blackmore, Commander UK Carrier Strike Group, said: “Steadfast Defender demonstrates the unity of the alliance, our commitment to it – and that the UK continues to play a leading role in Nato.

“The exercise allows us to train with our neighbours in a truly challenging environment, especially at this time of year – but that is why we have to operate up there. The weather cannot put us off.”

For more information about the Nato exercise and HMS Queen Elizabet, click here.