A speech delivered by The King during a visit to HMS Prince of Wales whilst at sea

Captain, Officers and Ship’s Company of HMS Prince of Wales, Ladies and Gentlemen, as Honorary Commodore-in-Chief Aircraft Carriers, I need hardly say that it gives me the greatest possible pleasure to return to H.M.S. Prince of Wales today, just over five years since The Queen, your Lady Sponsor, and I attended her commissioning in 2019. 

As you prepare to set sail as the Flagship of the U.K. Carrier Strike Group, building on the success of H.M.S. Queen Elizabeth’s inaugural deployment in 2021, I just wanted to express, on behalf of the nation, my heartfelt gratitude for the extraordinarily valuable contributions and personal sacrifices that you and your families continue to make in the name of duty. I can sense the anticipation and excitement amongst many of you today for what lies ahead over the next eight months and all I can say is I will be watching your progress with great interest. 

This Ship represents a powerful emblem of the skill, ingenuity and strength of the Royal Navy, and of the United Kingdom’s enduring dedication to promoting and protecting peace and stability across the world. I can only say that I take immense pride in you - the men and women who bring this vessel to life with such indomitable spirit - for your vital service on behalf of us all. 

I will forever hold an enduring respect for the professionalism, skill and fellowship that bind a Ship’s Company together. My own time at sea, from a Caribbean tour with 845 Naval Air Squadron in the old Commando Carrier, H.M.S. Hermes, to taking command of the last wooden-walled mine-hunter in the Royal Navy (now you can see how old I am!) H.M.S. Bronington, she was, remains one of the most formative, and fondest, experiences of my life. Flying as a young naval aviator, I still vividly recall my first deck landings on HERMES; moments that left an indelible impression on me - as did the discovery that the Royal Marines Commandos who all queued up to get into the back of my Wessex V helo, only did so because they were convinced my helo was better maintained than any of the others! All I can say is that I came to appreciate not only the immense complexity of operating on, and in, an aircraft carrier, but also the determination and teamwork required to ensure every element of the Ship was bound together. 

Meeting many of you today, or at least some of you, I have the utmost confidence that the same sense of duty, resilience and shared purpose that I witnessed all those years ago is as alive as ever it was. 

Your deployment in the next month comes amidst new challenges in a ever-changing and more unpredictable world; it will undoubtedly demand tenacity and determination, both at sea and for those you leave behind at home. Whether protecting vital shipping lanes, fostering partnerships with our allies, or indeed remaining alert and at readiness for eventualities that we hope may never come to pass, your work helps to ensure the safety and prosperity of the United Kingdom, our allies and our partners.

This deployment marks the culmination of a great deal of training and preparation, for which you should all be proud. Cherish the next few months as you put into practice that which you have learnt and the skills you have honed over all these weeks of enormous effort. May fair winds and following seas accompany you all. 

And by the way, I wanted to congratulate the Guard of Honour for the incredibly smart performance they gave when I arrived, considering they were all volunteers with many more important things to do, so Well Done. 

And maybe with the permission of the Captain and the First Sea Lord I can “Splice the Mainbrace” somepoint in the time when it might come in handy. Thank you