Welcome Home, Queen Lizzie! HMS Queen Elizabeth Docks in Portsmouth
Portsmouth went buzzing on Wednesday, August 16, 2017, as the Royal Navy’s crown jewel, the £3 billion HMS Queen Elizabeth, finally docked at her home port. Crowds gathered from the crack of dawn to catch a first glimpse of Britain’s largest ever warship cruising majestically into Portsmouth Harbour.
Historic Arrival Steals the Show
Throngs of onlookers lined the waterfront, eager to witness history in the making. The giant 65,000-tonne aircraft carrier slipped into harbour just after 7:10am, beating expectations by a day after weather delays. This colossal vessel, set to dominate the seas for the next 50 years, was greeted with an epic flypast featuring Fleet Air Arm Merlin and Wildcat helicopters alongside Hawk jets from 736 NAS based at Culdrose.
Six Tugs Guide the Mighty Giant
To ensure a safe docking, six powerful tugboats escorted the ship, carefully manoeuvring the sea giant onto her berth at the naval base. Once HMS Queen Elizabeth passed Outer Spit Buoy, there was no turning back—she was committed to entering harbour and claiming her place as the Navy’s flagship.
This arrival marks a proud moment for Portsmouth and the UK’s naval might, with the HMS Queen Elizabeth standing tall as a symbol of British maritime dominance.
