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The Prince of Wales and his wife Camilla today attended an official commissioning ceremony to formally welcome his namesake £3.1billion aircraft carrier into the Royal Navy today, as a cheeky cake marked the occasion.
A figurine of Prince Charles was placed on top of a cake at Her Majesty’s Naval Base Portsmouth today, next to one of a sailor with a placard saying ‘This time it’s HMS…’ and another of Camilla saying ‘him’, pointing to Charles.
The joke followed the Queen being shown cheeky cake characters of her and a sailor holding up ‘HMS’ and ‘Me’ signs when she officially welcomed HMS Prince of Wales’s sister ship HMS Queen Elizabeth in December 2017.
HMS Prince of Wales is a 919ft (280m) carrier – one of two in the new Queen Elizabeth class of ships – and can be put into action for work such as high-intensity war fighting or providing humanitarian aid and disaster relief.
To celebrate the day, Charles, 71 – who joked with his former shipmates from HMS Bronington, a minesweeper he commanded in the 1970s – has also been given a new title by the Navy of Commodore-in-Chief, Aircraft Carriers.
The Duchess of Cornwall, 72, who is the ship’s sponsor, told around 3,000 people at the ceremony – including former SAS serviceman Bear Grylls – that it is ‘the beginning of an exciting new era in our long naval history’.
Figurines of Camilla and Charles on a cake during the commissioning ceremony of HMS Prince of Wales in Portsmouth today
Prince Charles and Camilla along with Captain Darren Houston at the official commissioning ceremony in Portsmouth today
Camilla looks elegant in a duck egg coat as she meets with sailors at the HMS Prince of Wales in Portsmouth today
Guests and members of the ship’s company gather in the hangar during the commissioning ceremony in Portsmouth today
Figurines 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 today (pictured left, Camilla’s figurine, and, right, Prince Charles)
The joke followed one in December 2017 (pictured) of the Queen being shown cheeky cake characters of her and a sailor holding up ‘HMS’ and ‘Me’ signs after she officially welcomed HMS Prince of Wales’s sister ship HMS Queen Elizabeth
Camilla meets Bear Grylls as she attends the official commissioning ceremony of HMS Prince of Wales in Portsmouth today
The Navy’s new Queen Elizabeth class carrier HMS Prince of Wales is pictured as it arrives in Portsmouth last Wednesday
A graphic shows how the Queen Elizabeth class of carriers – which includes two vessels; the HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales – can produce 500 tonnes of fresh water from sea water daily
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.
CLICK ON THE PICTURE TO EXPAND. The Queen Elizabeth class features HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales
The HMS Prince of Wales has more than 28,000 rashers of bacon on board the aircraft carrier, as well as 12,000 tins of beans
An impressive cake bearing figurines of the royal couple had been made ahead of the ceremony in Portsmouth today
The Prince of Wales laughs with his former shipmates from HMS Bronington, a minesweeper he commanded in the 1970s, as Danny Mitchell (centre) suggests the former ship’s doctor Kevin Ryan (right) checks the prince’s prostate in Portsmouth today
Charles and Camilla appear to enjoy attending the commissioning ceremony of the Royal Navy aircraft carrier today
Prince Charles talks today with Richard Osborne, 95, who survived the sinking of HMS Prince of Wales, on this day in 1941
Members of the ship’s company focused at the commissioning ceremony for the vessel in Portsmouth today
The Duchess of Cornwall beams as she speaks with members of the ship’s company at the ceremony in Portsmouth today
The royal looked relaxed while taking in the rows of members of the ship’s company ahead of the commissioning ceremony
Camilla appears charmed by the ship’s company and is seen chatting to various members during the ceremony today
The royal’s pale blue outfit stands out amongst the dark colours of the Navy uniforms at the aircraft hanger today
Prince Charles attends the official commissioning ceremony of HMS Prince of Wales today in Portsmouth
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 commanding Officer’s wife Mrs Liesl Houston and the youngest member of the ships company Chef Seth Day, 17, cut the cake during the commissioning ceremony of the Royal Navy aircraft carrier, HMS Prince of Wales, in Portsmouth today
Prince Charles and Camilla, along with Captain Darren Houston, attend the official commissioning ceremony today
Prince Charles talks to a member of the Sea Scouts as he leaves following the official commissioning ceremony today
The Duchess is lady sponsor of the vessel, and is akin to a ‘godmother’ for the ship, according to a Royal Navy spokesman
Members of the ship’s company march on to form up during the commissioning ceremony of HMS Prince of Wales today
The Prince of Wales salutes the White Ensign today while the Duchess of Cornwall watches on at the ceremony
The royals watch on during the official commissioning ceremony, which saw the ship welcomed into the Navy’s fleet
Prince Charles and Camilla both meet with Navy officials and the ship’s company while attending the ceremony today
HMS Prince of Wales (right) has been sitting alongside HMS Queen Elizabeth (left) at their home port of HMNB Portsmouth
The royals appear in high spirits as they watched the official ceremony welcoming the HMS Prince of Wales into the fleet
‘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.’
How this is the seventh Royal Navy vessel called HMS Prince of Wales
Winston Churchill on board a former HMS Prince of Wales en route to Newfoundland in 1941
The state-of-the-art aircraft carrier is the seventh Royal Navy vessel to carry the name HMS Prince of Wales.
The first ship to carry the name was a captured French privateer from the 17th century. Then, the second Prince of Wales was a 1750s armed merchantman .
Eventually, the Royal Navy commissioned a 74-gun battleship which fought the French in the 1770s.
Several of the remaining vessels to carry the name were of poor quality, or obsolete by the time they entered service. One was converted into a cadet training vessel.
Even the most famous Prince of Wales suffered big issues from the moment it was designed in the 1930s.
The King George V battleship was the second of the type to enter service – however, it was designed to adhere to strict arms limitation treaties of the time – which were designed to stop a naval arms race.
In May 1941, when still being tested, and despite having problems with her 14-inch guns, she was sent off to hunt the Bismark. The Bismark blasted HMS Hood out of the water, although Prince of Wales managed to hit the German battleship causing it some damage.
Later Prince of Wales took Winston Churchill to Newfoundland to meet US President Franklin D. Roosevelt and later served in the Mediterranean.
However, her final mission was as part of Force Z in the Far East. She was sent to Singapore alongside the battle-cruiser Repulse, when they were attacked by Japanese bombers in December 1941.
Prince of Wales and Repulse became the first capital ships to have been sunk solely by air bombardment – which changed the face of naval warfare. Some 800 men were lost on both vessels.
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.’
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.
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.
Camilla uses an umbrella to shelter from the rain as she leaves following the official commissioning ceremony today
Prince Charles appears in high spirits as he makes his way into the Portsmouth Naval Base alongside his wife Camilla today
Camilla clutches her umbrella tightly as she makes her way into the commissioning ceremony of the aircraft carrier today
The Duchess of Cornwall wears a stunning duck egg coat which she paired with a matching hat and a matching umbrella
Charles and Camilla brave the blustery weather and rain as they arrive for the official commissioning ceremony today
Members of the ship’s company raised the White Ensign on the stern of the Royal Navy aircraft carrier today
Leading Seaman Damien Bye, who helped raise the White Ensign on the stern of the Royal Navy aircraft carrier
The seamen brave the drizzly weather to raise the White Ensign on the stern of the Royal Navy aircraft carrier today
Full speech by Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall at the commissioning ceremony for HMS Prince of Wales in Portsmouth
Camilla makes a speech during the commissioning ceremony of HMS Prince of Wales at Portsmouth Naval Base today
‘Ladies and Gentlemen, it is a huge pleasure for my husband and I to be back with you all again. We are here to celebrate the entry of the sixth HMS Prince of Wales into the Fleet.
‘And on this very special occasion, we should perhaps pause for a moment to reflect on the events of the past. 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.
‘Seventy-eight years on, we now proudly stand before her successor. She and her sister HMS Queen Elizabeth are the largest and most advanced Ships ever to fly the White Ensign.
‘So on this momentous day, a new chapter opens in a Ship’s history which stretches back to 1765. She joins a Navy which has protected this nation’s shores, and its interests across the globe, for over five centuries.
‘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.
‘Now I believe it is to the credit of the Aircraft Carrier Alliance, and the thousands of civilians and Service personnel, that this incredible feat of British engineering is now ready to enter the Fleet.
‘The sheer scale and size of HMS Prince of Wales is simply breath-taking: just to give you a comparison, Clarence House would fit nearly 25 times onto the flight deck.
‘However, even a ship of this size, impressive though she is, only becomes a Warship with a Ship’s Company. The men and women of HMS Prince of Wales breathe life into her; without them, she is just a steel hull. They represent the very best of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and the wider Commonwealth.
‘Now I know that all of you will face long periods of separation from those you hold dear, but I feel sure that the support of your families will strengthen and comfort you in the challenges you will face on the high seas.
‘As your proud Lady Sponsor, please remember that you will also be in my thoughts and prayers. You will serve your country in an extraordinary Ship, at the beginning of an exciting new era in our long naval history.
‘Wherever in the world HMS Prince of Wales is sent, may she acquit herself with honour, and return safely home. I wish you all fair winds and following seas.’
Prince of Wales’ strike force: Lightning II F-35 fighter jets with speed of 1,200 mph and a killer punch
The HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Queen Elizabeth both have capacity for 36 of the new F35-B Lightning II fighter jets. Here are some facts and figures about the fighter jets which are based at RAF Marham in Norfolk:
– The jet measures 51.2ft (15.6m) in overall length, has a wingspan of 35ft (10.7m) and a height of 14.3ft (4.36m).
– It has a top speed of 1.6 Mach or 1,200 mph, a Max G rating of 7G, and a combat radius of 518 miles (833km).
– Lockheed Martin, the American company building the jet, describes its stealth capabilities as ‘unprecedented’. Its airframe design, advanced materials and other features make it ‘virtually undetectable to enemy radar’.
– Britain has committed to a £9.1 billion programme to buy 48 of the jets by 2025 – with a pledge to purchase 138 – they will be jointly operated by Royal Air Force and Royal Navy pilots.
– The F-35B jets are built from more than 300,000 individual parts.
– The UK’s supersonic aircraft have been based in the US since their manufacture.
– There are six distributed aperture system sensors around the jet – two underneath, two on top of the aircraft and one either side of the nose. These infrared cameras feed real-time information and images into the pilot’s helmet, allowing them to see through the airframe.
– All variants of the jets are mainly constructed on Lockheed Martin’s mile-long production line in Fort Worth, Texas.
– It takes 58,000 man hours to build each F-35B.
– The F-35 can launch from land, and will take off from HMS Queen Elizabeth via the skip jump ramp, which has been designed to optimise the launch.
– Maximum thrust tops 40,000lb and the jet has a range of 900 nautical miles.
– The jet is capable of two types of ship landing – vertically on to the deck, and also through the shipborne rolling vertical landing, which using forward air speed, allows the aircraft to bring back several thousand pounds of extra weight to the ship.
– The warplanes will carry out missions from the two Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers – HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales.
– Lockheed Martin said across the 3,000 jets being built, 15% of each one is comprised of parts from British companies.
– Some of the UK companies with contracts to produce parts of jets includes Rolls-Royce, BAE Systems, Ultra Electronics, Selex, Cobham and GE Aviation.
– Lockheed Martin UK chief executive Peter Ruddock said that, to date, the F-35 programme has generated 13.5 billion dollars in contracts for British suppliers.
– HMS Queen Elizabeth weighs 65,000 tonnes and has a top speed of 25 knots, its flight deck is 919ft (280m) long and 230ft (70m) wide – enough space for three football pitches.
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