History made as HMS Prince of Wales arrives in Portsmouth

According to Aircraft Carrier Alliance, the arrival marked an 'important and proud milestone' for everyone who has worked on the Queen Elizabeth Class programme across the UK.

A spokesperson added: "Hundreds of people, including industry employees, Royal Navy personnel and their families, gathered along the Portsmouth shoreline to welcome the ship to her new home, following the successful completion of her first stage sea trials nearly two weeks ahead of schedule.

"The ship’s arrival into Portsmouth represents the culmination of 16 years of work by the ACA – a unique alliancing relationship between BAE Systems, Babcock, Thales, and the UK Ministry of Defence.

"More than 10,000 people across the UK have been involved in the programme to deliver the Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers, with six British shipbuilding yards across the country playing a vital role in the ships’ design and construction."Sir Simon Lister, managing director at Aircraft Carrier Alliance, said: “Today is an important day for our employees and the Royal Navy.

"Delivering next generation naval capability of this complexity is not only a proud moment for our employees but also showcases the industrial capability within the UK.

"This programme has brought together the best of British imagination, ingenuity and invention and I am extremely proud of our teams who have shown relentless drive, energy and a continued focus on ensuring we deliver the very best for the Royal Navy.”Charles Woodburn, Chief Executive, BAE Systems, said: “I’m incredibly proud of the role that BAE Systems has played in this national endeavour.

"The arrival of HMS Prince of Wales into Portsmouth is an important moment for everyone at BAE Systems, our industrial partners and the thousands of people in the supply chain across the country who have worked so hard to deliver the two Queen Elizabeth Class carriers which will protect our national interests for decades to come.”