The Prince of Wales braved blustery weather and rain with his wife Camilla today as he attended an official commissioning ceremony to formally welcome his namesake £3.1billion aircraft carrier into the Royal Navy.
Prince Charles, 71, and Duchess of Cornwall, 72, beamed and waved after arriving at Royal Navy aircraft carrier at Her Majesty’s Naval Base Portsmouth for the ceremony in the Hampshire port today.
The 919ft (280m) long aircraft carrier can be put into action for various work such as high-intensity war fighting or providing humanitarian aid and disaster relief.
To celebrate the commissioning of the ship, Charles has also been given a new title by the Navy of Commodore-in-Chief, Aircraft Carriers.
The Duchess of Cornwall, who is the ship’s sponsor, told around 3,000 people at the ceremony that it is ‘the beginning of an exciting new era in our long naval history’.
Britain’s Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, along with Captain Darren Houston, attend the official commissioning ceremony of the new Royal Navy aircraft carrier, HMS Prince of Wales, at the Naval Base in Portsmouth
Camilla looked elegant in a dove grey coat as she met with sailors aboard the HMS Prince of Wales, in Portsmouth
The Royal Navy’s new QE Class aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales as it arrives in Portsmouth. HMS Prince of Wales is the second of the Royal Navy’s QE Class aircraft carriers, built by the Aircraft Carrier Alliance
Prince Charles, 71, and Camilla, 72, braved the blustery weather and rain as they arrived for the official commissioning ceremony of the £3.1 billion HMS Prince of Wales today in Plymouth
The Duchess of Cornwall wore a stunning duck egg coat which she paired with a matching hat and a matching umbrella
The royals appeared in high spirits as they watched the official ceremony welcoming the HMS Prince of Wales into the navy fleet
She said the carrier ‘joins a Navy which has protected this nation’s shores, and its interests across the globe, for over five centuries’, adding: ‘The sheer scale and size of HMS Prince of Wales is simply breathtaking.
‘Just to give you a comparison, Clarence House would fit nearly 25 times onto the flight deck. May I say how pleased I am that this great ship shares my husband’s name.
‘And now, as Honorary Commodore-in-Chief, Aircraft Carriers, I am delighted that he will have an even stronger link to this ship and her sister.’
The carrier, which is taller than Nelson’s Column and has a flight deck the size of three football pitches, will have at least 700 people serving on board and the capacity to hold around 1,600 personnel.
It will also be able to carry 36 jets and four helicopters, as well as enough food to last 45 days.
The Duchess sheltered beneath an umbrella and braved the rain ahead of the ceremony today in Plymouth
HMS Prince of Wales (pictured, right) is currently sitting alongside HMS Queen Elizabeth (pictured, left) at their home port of HMNB Portsmouth
The Duchess clutched her umbrella tightly as she made her way into the commissioning ceremony of the Royal Navy aircraft carrier
Prince Charles appeared in high spirits as he made his way into the Portsmouth Naval Base alongside wife Camilla
Figures of Prince Charles, Prince of Wales and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall on a cake at the official Commissioning Ceremony of the aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales (pictured right, Camilla’s figurine, and left, Prince Charles)
An incredible cake bearing figurines of the royal couple had been made ahead of the ceremony in Plymouth today
The duchess said that the HMS Prince of Wales, along with its HMS Queen Elizabeth sister carrier, are ‘the largest and most advanced ships ever to fly the White Ensign’.
She added: ‘We remember, with great sorrow, the loss of the battleship HMS Prince of Wales and so many of her ship’s company off the eastern coast of Malaya on this day in 1941. 78 years on, we now stand proudly before her successor.’
The carrier is the eighth Navy vessel to bear the name HMS Prince of Wales.
The duchess’ role as the carrier’s lady sponsor is ‘akin to being a godmother’, according to a Navy spokesman, and means she will attend significant events ‘during the life of the ship’.
The band of Her Majesty’s Royal Marines Collingwood, performed ahead of the royals’ arrival, which saw them greeted by Navy officials.
Camilla could be seen sheltering beneath a coordinated umbrella while she marched alongside Charles into the navy base ahead of the ceremony.
But once inside it appeared spirits were lifted and the royal couple chatted to various Navy officials ahead of the ceremony.
They went on to watch on while the boat was formally welcomed into the Royal Navy today.
Every effort had been made to welcome the royal couple to the ship ahead of the commissioning ceremony, including two figurines of Camilla and Charles sculpted atop a special cake.
Leading Seaman Damien Bye was one of those to help raise the White Ensign on the stern of the Royal Navy aircraft carrier during the ceremony.
Camilla last visited the ship for its naming ceremony in 2017 and will be the guest of honour at the ceremony taking place inside the hangar of the ship, which is docked at its home port of Portsmouth Naval Base.
Captain Darren Houston, commanding officer of HMS Prince of Wales, said: ‘We are extremely honoured to host the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall at our commissioning ceremony.
The Duchess smiled as she inspected members of the ship’s company during the commissioning ceremony of the Royal Navy aircraft carrier
Meanwhile Prince Charles saluted during the commissioning ceremony of the Royal Navy aircraft carrier
Members of the ship’s company appeared focused in front of the commissioning ceremony for the vessel
Having sheltered from the rain, the Duchess of Cornwall beamed as she spoke with members of the ship’s company
The royal looked relaxed while taking in the rows of members of the ship’s company ahead of the commissioning ceremony
Prince Charles and Camilla both beamed after arriving out of the rain at the event in Plymouth today
‘The last time our lady sponsor saw the ship was two years ago, so we are looking forward to showing her the vast changes that have since taken place.’
A Royal Navy spokesman said: ‘The ceremony consists of a royal guard made up by the ship’s company who will be inspected by their royal highnesses, as well as a service by the chaplain of the fleet and music from the Band of the Royal Marines.
‘Following this will be the cutting of the commissioning cake and the hoisting of the white ensign which officially designates the ship as part of the Royal Navy’s operational fleet.’
Explaining Camilla’s role, she said: ‘The role of the lady sponsor is akin to being a godmother, attending significant events during the life of the ship and taking an interest not only in the ship’s activities, but also the welfare of the ship’s company.
‘In turn, the ship keeps the lady sponsor appraised of newsworthy items of interest.’
Camilla appeared charmed by the ship’s company and was seen chatting to various members during the ceremony
The royal’s pale blue outfit stood out amongst the dark colours of the navy uniforms at the aircraft carrier
The Duchess of Cornwall is lady sponsor of the vessel, and is akin to a ‘godmother’ for the ship, according to A Royal Navy spokeswoman
The Prince of Wales saluted the White Ensign while the Duchess of Cornwall watched on at today’s ceremony
The royals watched on during the official commissioning ceremony, which saw the ship welcomed into the navy’s fleet
The royals proudly watched on while the commissioning ceremony took place on the HMS Prince of Wales today
She added: ‘While the ship is named the HMS Prince of Wales and uses the Prince of Wales’s three ostrich feather badge with the motto Ich Dien, it is named after its predecessor HMS Prince of Wales.
‘She is the eighth Royal Navy vessel to bear the name.’
The carrier was united with its twin ship, HMS Queen Elizabeth, for the first time at Portsmouth last week, which returned from the US, where it had been carrying out trials of its F35B Lightning jet fighters.
Last Wednesday, the two giant aircraft carriers docked together, stern to bow, for the first time at their home base of Portsmouth.
HMS Queen Elizabeth arrived at the Hampshire naval base following a three-month deployment to the USA for test flights of its F-35B Lightning jets.
Prince Charles and Camilla both met with navy officials and the ship’s company while attending the ceremony today
Members of the ship’s company raised the White Ensign on the stern of the Royal Navy aircraft carrier
Leading Seaman Damien Bye who helped raise the White Ensign on the stern of the Royal Navy aircraft carrier
The seamen braved the drizzly weather to raise the White Ensign on the stern of the Royal Navy aircraft carrier, HMS Prince of Wales during the ceremony
The 65,000-tonne warship manoeuvred into place alongside HMS Prince of Wales, which arrived for the first time at Portsmouth last month.
The Queen Elizabeth and its carrier strike group sailed from the UK in August to carry out the flight tests
Major upgrade work was carried out on the jetties at Portsmouth so that the two giant ships could berth next to each other.
During their 50-year service, the two 919ft (280m) long aircraft carriers can be pressed into action for various work such as high-intensity war fighting or providing humanitarian aid and disaster relief.