WATCH: HMS Prince of Wales sails into Portsmouth and makes glorious return after huge Nato exercise

The 65,000 tonne aircraft carrier sailed past The Round Tower in Old Portsmouth this afternoon - greeted by dozens of well-wishers and family members of those aboard ship. She left Portsmouth on February 12 to lead the UK Carrier Strike Group (CSG) on Exercise Steadfast Defender.

The vessel replaced her sister ship HMS Queen Elizabeth, with her crew only having a short time to prepare for intense exercises alongside Nato allies. After completing Exercise Joint Warrior off the coast of the UK, sailors headed to the coast of Norway where they carried out operations alongside more than 30 ships, submarines and over 20,000 personnel.

They combined with other ships in a large formation on Exercise Nordic Response, before heading to Rotterdam and back to her home port.

A Royal Navy spokesperson said: “HMS Prince of Wales is returning to her home port of Portsmouth after successfully leading the UK’s involvement in Exercise Steadfast Defender, the largest Nato military exercise since the end of the Cold War.”