HMS Queen Elizabeth: The Queen sends message welcoming Royal Navy carrier back to Portsmouth - latest updates
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The Royal Navy’s fleet flagship finally sailed back into her home port after leaving on her first operational mission.
HMS Diamond and HMS Defender, which were part of the Carrier Strike Group, have already arrived back in Portsmouth today.
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According to shipping movements published by the Queen’s Harbour Master, Queen Elizabeth will pass the Nab Tower in the Solent at about 2.30pm.
The main harbour channel will be closed to outbound shipping from 2.50pm while the carrier manoeuvres her way in, and will remain so until 4.50pm.
Queen Elizabeth is expected to be alongside at about 3.20pm.
The best spots to watch the carrier and the other ships sail back into Portsmouth include the Square Tower and the Round Tower – although you should expect them to be busy as they are popular.
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Live updates as HMS Queen Elizabeth returns to Portsmouth
Key Events
- Carrier returns after first operational mission
- Deployment has taken QE to the Far East
- HMS Diamond and HMS Defender have also returned
Linda catchpole waiting on son, Adam Catchpole, who is on HMS QE
Picture: Alex Shute
What will the weather be like?
According to the Met Office the forecast for this afternoon is:
- 2pm - cloudy - 9C
- 3pm - overcast - 9C
- 4pm - heavy rain - 9C
- 5pm - heavy rain - 9C
Reminder of the timings for HMS Queen Elizabeth’s return
According to shipping movements published by the Queen’s Harbour Master, Queen Elizabeth will pass the Nab Tower in the Solent at about 2.30pm.
The main harbour channel will be closed to outbound shipping from 2.50pm while the carrier manoeuvres her way in, and will remain so until 4.50pm.
Queen Elizabeth is expected to be alongside at about 3.20pm.
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Jon Pearson, director of warship support at BAE Systems in Portsmouth, insisted aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth’s maiden mission to the Far East and back had been a ‘massive success’.
Royal Navy doubles its training capacity for women
The Royal Navy has doubled its training capacity for women to push for 25 per cent representation in three years.
Currently one in six sailors passing out of the navy’s basic training base is a woman – with efforts underway for the navy to have one quarter female capacity by 2025.
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