The warship is currently in drydock in Rosyth, Scotland following a propeller shaft misalignment fault and has been there since March after the fault was discovered just before she was due to leave the city to take part in Exercise Steadfast Defender - Nato’s largest operation since The Cold War. A faulty coupling, discovered on the starboard propeller shaft in February, threw a spanner in the works to those plans, stopping her from going to the North Sea and working alongside allied warships and other units, as well as Exercise Joint Warrior. Her sister ship HMS Prince of Wales was instead dispatched in her place.
So while we wait for news of how the repair work is progressing we look back at some of her previous adventures around the globe – and a bit closer to home:
1. HMS Queen Elizabeth
HMS Queen Elizabeth arrives in New York ahead of hosting the Atlantic Future Forum in 2022. Photo: MOD
2. HMS Queen Elizabeth
F-35B Lightning Jets from RAF Marham conduct Carrier Qualification Flights from HMS Queen Elizabeth as part of Operation ACHILLEAN.Photographer: AS1 Natalie Adams Photo: AS1 Natalie Adams RAF
3. HMS Queen Elizabeth
Pictured: Aircraft handlers secure an F35-B to the flight deck. Photo: LPhot Belinda Alker
4. HMS Queen Elizabeth
HMNB PORTSMOUTH HOSTS MARITIME COMBAT POWER VISITPictured: Group photo of the course students on the flight deck of HMS Queen Elizabeth as HMNB Portsmouth hosted the annual Maritime Combat Power Visit in March 2023 this year demonstrating how Navies globally can use the maritime domain in crisis and conflict. The purpose of the day was to show the 300 Defence Academy students (Navy, Army, Air Force and Civil Servants from around the world) and help them understand and analyse the use of maritime capability across the full spectrum of conflict and its practical application at the operational level. Photo: LPhot Belinda Alker