King Charles Becomes First Reigning Monarch in Nearly 40 Years to Board U.K. Royal Navy Warship at Sea

King Charles boarded the Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales in the English Channel ahead of its mission to Japan, marking the first time in nearly 40 years that a reigning monarch has joined a Royal Navy warship at sea.

The Portsmouth-based carrier will soon lead a Carrier Strike Group on an eight-month deployment to the Indo-Pacific region.

In his role as Honorary Commodore-in-Chief Aircraft Carriers, King Charles met Royal Navy and Royal Air Force personnel, delivering remarks in the ship’s hangar.

"As you prepare to set sail as the flagship of the U.K. Carrier Strike Group, 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," the King told the crew.

During the visit, King Charles toured the 65,000-tonne warship, observing operations on the flight deck where F-35B Lightning jets, helicopters, and drones will operate during the upcoming deployment.

The King arrived via a Royal Navy Merlin helicopter from Sandringham, accompanied by the First Sea Lord, Admiral Sir Ben Key, and Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Knighton.

His visit follows a similar engagement by Queen Elizabeth II, who visited HMS Queen Elizabeth before its deployment to the Indo-Pacific in 2021. The last reigning monarch to board a Royal Navy warship at sea was Queen Elizabeth II in 1988.

HMS Prince of Wales will operate alongside 617 Squadron "Dambusters" and the newly recommissioned 809 Naval Air Squadron, which flies F-35B stealth jets. The mission is part of the U.K.'s broader effort to project naval power and strengthen alliances in the Indo-Pacific.