Heavy traffic in Portsmouth as thousands head to seafront to watch HMS Prince of Wales' arrival

Drivers coming into Portsmouth this afternoon face long delays as people head to the seafront to watch HMS Prince of Wales arrive.
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There are heavy delays southbound on the M275, and on other major routes going towards Southsea, including London Road and Eastern Road.

Drivers in Gosport are also stuck in traffic with many choosing to get a glimpse of the Royal Navy carrier from the marina and ferry port.

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Crowds have been gathering on the seafront to witness the first time HMS Prince of Wales, one of the navy’s biggest-ever aircraft carriers, heading into Portsmouth for the first time.

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HMS Prince of Wales arrives in Portsmouth - reaction, photos and updates

Portsmouth Naval Base has confirmed HMS Prince of Wales will pass by the Round Tower at about 2pm.

From there she will be head into the naval base where she is expected to dock at about 3pm.

Shipping lanes into Portsmouth Harbour will be closed and an air exclusion zone put in place for the arrival of the 65,000-tonne ship.

Naval top brass hailed the ship’s imminent arrival as a ‘profound’ and ‘sublime’ moment for Britain as she anchored off the Isle of Wight earlier this week.

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