What are Bristol's links with UK's biggest warship?

Bristol's links with the Royal Navy's largest aircraft carrier have been celebrated ahead of a major deployment to Japan.

HMS Prince of Wales is due to set sail in the coming weeks, with the ship not due back in Portsmouth until the end of the year.

Ahead of her departure, more than 1,000 people were welcomed onboard for an open day in Portsmouth that included crew, their families and dignitaries from both Bristol and Liverpool, the maritime cities who are officially affiliated with the ship.

Captain Will Blackett said: "The various connections we have with this city [Bristol] make this entire community feeling more real and tangible."

The relationship between HMS Prince of Wales and Bristol was reaffirmed in 2023 at a ceremony in City Hall where the ship was granted the freedom of the city.

Various features on board the vessel have been designed to represent Bristol's expertise in engineering, manufacturing and creativity so the city can be showcased as the ship travels around the globe.

There is also a Bristol Suite for visiting dignitaries such as heads of state and politicians which contains images including Clifton Suspension Bridge, Concorde and Wallace and Gromit.

Also on board, some of the corridors have been named after Bristol streets including Wine Street, Corn Street, Brunel Way and Christmas Steps.

The street names hang on the walls adorned with the coat of arms and accompanying Bristol postcodes.

The local connections with the ship meant the crew extended an invitation from Capt Will Blackett to BBC Radio Bristol presenter Joe Sims.

He was invited to meet crew members and dignitaries and was given a guided tour of the ship.

The tour included access to the bridge from where officers of the watch look out over the flight deck and see around 20 miles (32km) out to sea.

The BBC also spoke to Lt Polly Cleaver, who is from Bristol and currently serving on board HMS Prince of Wales.

She said of the 1,600 crew, she is yet to meet anyone else from the city but she is sure there will be another Bristolian aboard.

She said she lives in the BS3 postcode and it is "so cool" to see parts of the ship named after the city's streets.

HMS Prince of Wales will set sail for Japan before the end of April on an eight-month deployment to East Asia.

Cpt Blackett said: "If the plan goes right we're going to get all the way to Japan and back, but really our job is just to be on standby for the UK at five days' notice to do anything."

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