HMS Prince of Wales returns to Portsmouth after nine months of repairs

• The warship was welcomed back this afternoon

One of Britain's biggest warships, which has spent nearly a year undergoing repairs, has arrived back at its home port today Friday (4 August).

The vessel arrived back in Portsmouth this afternoon with crowds gathering to welcome it home.

HMS Prince of Wales suffered a broken propeller shaft after it sailed from the city's naval base in August 2022 for a diplomatic mission to the United States.

The £3 billion Royal Navy aircraft carrier came to a halt off the Isle of Wight and was brought under tow back into the harbour for the problem to be identified.

It was then taken to the Babcock shipyard where it was built in Rosyth, Scotland, to undergo the repairs which have taken nine months to complete.

The warship moved out of dry dock on Friday 19 July 2023 on her way back to Portsmouth.

There were fears the 65,000-tonne vessel was being “cannibalised” for parts to be used on sister ship HMS Queen Elizabeth but Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said this was “perfectly normal” and the ship would return to service by the autumn.

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