Queen declares HMS Queen Elizabeth ready for duty

It was more than 70 years ago, in the closing months of the war in Europe, that Princess Elizabeth launched her first warship at the age of 18.

Then it was the mighty battleship Vanguard, the last of its kind to serve in the Royal Navy.

And yesterday, aged 91, the Queen commissioned Britain’s biggest ever warship, the HMS Queen Elizabeth, into the Royal Navy. 

The Queen (pictured) visited the UK’s biggest and most powerful warship before she welcomes the £3.1billion HMS Queen Elizabeth into the Royal Navy

In December 1944 the then Princess Elizabeth, centre, launched the world's biggest battleship HMS Vanguard 

In December 1944 the then Princess Elizabeth, centre, launched the world’s biggest battleship HMS Vanguard 

Cakes created for the special commission ceremony included a scale model of the carrier and others depicting the Queen and sailors holding up 'HMS Me' signs 

Cakes created for the special commission ceremony included a scale model of the carrier and others depicting the Queen and sailors holding up ‘HMS Me’ signs 

The Queen was presented with the cake during the special ceremony in Portsmouth, Hampshire, on Thursday afternoon  

The Queen was presented with the cake during the special ceremony in Portsmouth, Hampshire, on Thursday afternoon  

The Queen shared a laugh with Princess Anne (centre) and the ship's commanding officer Captain Jerry Kyd while she welcomed the UK's new £3.1billion aircraft carrier into the Royal Navy

The Queen shared a laugh with Princess Anne (centre) and the ship’s commanding officer Captain Jerry Kyd while she welcomed the UK’s new £3.1billion aircraft carrier into the Royal Navy

In a moving speech to the crew while stood in the hangar of the 65,000 ton aircraft carrier at Portsmouth naval base, she said it embodied the ‘best of British’.

The Queen said: ‘The most powerful and capable ship ever to raise the White Ensign, she will in the years and decades ahead represent the country’s resolve on the global stage.’

Dressed in all purple, the Queen said the new £3.1billion vessel ‘embodies the best of British technology and innovation, a true flagship for the 21st century’. 

She praised the service personnel who will crew the carrier, saying: ‘As the daughter, wife and mother of naval officers, I recognise the unique demands our nation asks of you and I will always value my special link with HMS Queen Elizabeth, her ship’s company and their families.’

In November 1944, as Princess Elizabeth, she launched the 44,500 ton HMS Vanguard at Clydebank, near Glasgow. She visited the ship again in 1946, and it carried her to South Africa in 1947 on a royal tour with her parents, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, and sister, Princess Margaret.

Yesterday, the Queen addressed 3,700 guests including families, VIPs, and the ship’s commanding officer, Captain Jerry Kyd. A few hundred yards away was Nelson’s flagship HMS Victory. 

The Queen (pictured walking with the ship's commanding officer, Captain Jerry Kyd) today said the huge vessel is a 'true flagship for the 21st century

The Queen (pictured walking with the ship’s commanding officer, Captain Jerry Kyd) today said the huge vessel is a ‘true flagship for the 21st century

The Queen was standing next to Captain Jerry Kyd (left) and Princess Anne (right) as she welcomed Big Lizzie into the Royal Navy 

The Queen was standing next to Captain Jerry Kyd (left) and Princess Anne (right) as she welcomed Big Lizzie into the Royal Navy 

The Queen (pictured walking in front of Captain Jerry Kyd) has officially welcomed the UK's new £3.1 billion aircraft carrier at a ceremony

The Queen (pictured walking in front of Captain Jerry Kyd) has officially welcomed the UK’s new £3.1 billion aircraft carrier at a ceremony

The Queen (pictured) arrived in Portsmouth on Thursday morning to welcome HMS Queen Elizabeth into the Royal Navy 

The Queen (pictured) arrived in Portsmouth on Thursday morning to welcome HMS Queen Elizabeth into the Royal Navy 

She said HMS Victory was a reminder of the ‘debt we owe to the Royal Navy which for more than 500 years has protected the people of this country and our interests around the world’. The ceremony finished with a cake representing the ship being cut by the commanding officer’s wife, Karen Kyd, and the youngest member of the ship’s company, Steward Callum Hui, 17.

Cheekily, it featured a figure depicting the Queen holding a sign saying ‘Me’, because she shares her name with the carrier – although it is actually named after Elizabeth I.

HMS Queen Elizabeth was formally commissioned in to the fleet yesterday, but she will not carry out its first mission until 2021, after sea trials.

The Navy has not had an aircraft carrier since HMS Illustrious was scrapped in 2014. First Sea Lord Admiral Sir Philip Jones said that now it had one it could ‘flex our muscles globally’.

Inside HMS Queen Elizabeth – Britain’s biggest warship

The Queen Elizabeth is 919ft long with a flight deck of four acres, space for three football pitches.

The 65,000 ton aircraft carrier is the largest and most powerful warship ever built by the UK.

It is 184ft from the carrier’s keel to its masthead – 13ft more than Niagara Falls – and it contains 226 miles of pipework.

At present, the warship has a crew of around 700, but that will increase to 1,600 when it has a full complement of around 40 F-35B jets and Crowsnest helicopters.

It will have an operational range of up to 10,000 nautical miles and will be capable of speeds in excess of 25 knots (29 mph).

Facilities include a chapel, a medical centre, five gyms and two weight rooms.

Its bakery produces up to 2,000 rolls or baguettes a day.

Her Majesty entered the ship’s hangar on Thursday morning and met some Royal Navy members during the famous ceremony

The 91-year-old was smiling while she was being driven to the hangar in Portsmouth, which is the home of Big Lizzie 

The 91-year-old was smiling while she was being driven to the hangar in Portsmouth, which is the home of Big Lizzie 

The Queen has arrived in Portsmouth

She was wearing a purple outfit

Wearing a purple outfit, Her Majesty walked into the ship’s hangar where she was shown around the the vessel’s commanding officer Captain Jerry Kyd

The aircraft cost £3.1billion to make and the Queen arrived in Portsmouth on Thursday morning to welcome to ship into the Royal Navy 

The £3billion and 65,000-tone HMS Queen Elizabeth was photographed in Portsmouth on the day of her commissioning ceremony this morning 

The £3billion and 65,000-tone HMS Queen Elizabeth was photographed in Portsmouth on the day of her commissioning ceremony this morning 

The Queen, Princess Anne and First Sea Lord Admiral Sir Philip Jones are expected to join the 3,700-strong guest list on Thursday 

The Queen, Princess Anne and First Sea Lord Admiral Sir Philip Jones are expected to join the 3,700-strong guest list on Thursday 

Her Majesty was wearing a purple outfit and was standing next to Princess Anne and delivered a speech after welcoming Big Lizzie into the Royal Navy

Her Majesty was wearing a purple outfit and was standing next to Princess Anne and delivered a speech after welcoming Big Lizzie into the Royal Navy

The huge aircraft carrier, which weighs a staggering 65,000 tonnes, could be seen in Portsmouth, Hampshire, on Thursday 

The huge aircraft carrier, which weighs a staggering 65,000 tonnes, could be seen in Portsmouth, Hampshire, on Thursday 

The £3.1billion aircraft carrier has become the flagship of the Royal Navy and the Queen praised the Navy personnel

The £3.1billion aircraft carrier has become the flagship of the Royal Navy and the Queen praised the Navy personnel

The Queen's colour flag is paraded

The flag was raised in the ship's hangar

The Queen’s colour flag is paraded in the hangar of HMS Queen Elizabeth during the ship’s commissioning ceremony in Portsmouth

Royal Navy ratings were photographed in the hangar of HMS Queen Elizabeth during the important commissioning ceremony 

Royal Navy ratings were photographed in the hangar of HMS Queen Elizabeth during the important commissioning ceremony 

The ship's company arrived inside Big Lizzie's hangar ahead of the Commissioning Ceremony in Portsmouth

The ship’s company arrived inside Big Lizzie’s hangar ahead of the Commissioning Ceremony in Portsmouth

Welsh singer Katherine Jenkins sang alongside the Royal Marine band on Thursday morning - just minutes before The Queen arrived 

Welsh singer Katherine Jenkins sang alongside the Royal Marine band on Thursday morning – just minutes before The Queen arrived 

Queen Elizabeth was shown around the vessel by Captain Kyd (rear right) as she officially welcomed the UK's largest ever ship into the Royal Navy 

Queen Elizabeth was shown around the vessel by Captain Kyd (rear right) as she officially welcomed the UK’s largest ever ship into the Royal Navy 

The Queen was star next to Princess Anne during the commissioning ceremony on Thursday as she welcomed Big Lizzie into the Navy 

The Queen was star next to Princess Anne during the commissioning ceremony on Thursday as she welcomed Big Lizzie into the Navy 

Ship's company gave three loud cheers for the new ship and Queen Elizabeth II during the commissioning ceremony today

Ship’s company gave three loud cheers for the new ship and Queen Elizabeth II during the commissioning ceremony today

Fleet Commander, Vice Admiral Benjamin John Key, CBE RN signs the Commissioning Order certificate for HMS Queen Elizabeth

Fleet Commander, Vice Admiral Benjamin John Key, CBE RN signs the Commissioning Order certificate for HMS Queen Elizabeth

 

 



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