WATCH: Royal Navy flagship HMS Queen Elizabeth returns home to Portsmouth as crowds gather to see her
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The Royal Navy flagship was greeted by dozens of well-wishers who packed The Round Tower in Old Portsmouth and lined up across the Hot Walls this evening (July 30). Sailors waved back to the residents who arrived to see her.
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Hide AdHMS Queen Elizabeth left Rosyth in Fife, Scotland, last week (July 22) - sailing into the North Sea and heading back to the Solent. She had been docked where she was built for several months after propeller shaft misalignment fault was discovered in February. Sailors and engineers worked hard to fix the £3.2bn warship and bring her back to full capabilities once again.
Before returning to HMNB Portsmouth, the carrier sailed alongside the Isle of Wight for the Cowes Week regatta - exchanging gun salutes with the Royal Yacht Squadron. Once she was in sight of Old Portsmouth, excited residents lined up to cherish the moment by taking pictures and shooting video.
Ryan Goddard, 16, of Waterlooville, arrived at 4am to catch a glimpse of the carrier before returning to see her again this evening. He told The News: “We never expected her to be the size that she was. She was absolutely massive. Me and my family have been followers of HMS Queen Elizabeth. Yes she had her faults, but now they’ve fixed those faults and she’s going back on deployments.
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Hide Ad“Every chance we get, we come down to watch her arrive or leave.” Ryan added that he is immensely proud of the ship’s crew who work so hard for us all. “They serve our country well”, he said, “and that’s why we’re still here because they protect us. I’m about to start a catering course at college, so I could end up doing catering in the navy.”
Albie Brough, 14, of Havant, said his brother Tom serves in the Ops room aboard the ship. “I come to see her every time she visits and leaves,” he added. “I came down to support him. He’s been in the Navy for seven and a half years, but this is the last time he’ll be on deployment as he’s joining the police force.”
Nick Holliwell, alongside Ned and Nancy, were waiting to see Ronnie - an Able Seaman on board. “It’s our first time in Portsmouth.” he said. “People have lined the walls and brought BBQs. It’s a really nice thing to see the flagship coming home and people coming to pay respect to it.
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Hide Ad“I can’t wait to see Ronnie. He’s been back home a few times, but I haven’t seen him for a month now. We’ll celebrate at the pub. He loves the Navy. It has given him a real defining moment in his life. He just embraces it and it’s a great path for people to take.”
Harry Hudson, 16, of Rowlands Castle, said he came to Old Portsmouth to go to the beach and thought he would stay to see the carrier. “I’ve always wanted to come and see her, but never actually done it,” he added. “It’s coincidental that we came down here when she is. It’s nice to see the patriotism of everyone supporting her.”
Sam Roberts, 16, of Petersfield, said: “I’m passionate about the military now and started looking into it a bit more. It’s quite a big event. I’m looking into joining the Royal Marines. Brilliant to see everyone here.” Will Dawes, 16, of Petersfield, said it will be the first time he has seen an aircraft carrier up close. “I’ve got a new iPhone 14, so I’m very excited to capture the detail of the ship. It’s great to experience this with my friends.”
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Hide AdThe ship’s company have been put through her paces while being back at sea. This has included marine engineering trials and testing the carrier’s speed and agility. Boat drills, damage control exercises and intelligence briefings helped to bring the crew back up to speed. Her Commanding Officer, Captain Will King, hinted that HMS Queen Elizabeth could have a busy schedule in the future.
“Whilst no warship wants to find itself spending unscheduled time out of the water, I am enormously proud of the work that has gone on in Rosyth,” he said. “Everybody on board is looking forward to getting back to sea, where we belong, and picking up a busy programme in the autumn.”
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