Royal Navy flagship HMS Queen Elizabeth has arrived in New York for her deployment to the United States to host an Anglo-American military conference.
The ship dropped anchor in sight of the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor yesterday.
She sailed for the United States from Portsmouth on 7 September in place of her sister ship HMS Prince of Wales, which broke off the Isle of Wight days before the trip.
The 65,000-ton warship will be the floating headquarters of the Atlantic Future Forum, a defense conference focused on Anglo-American military, political and strategic relations.
The arrival in New York came just hours after Prime Minister Liz Truss spoke of her intentions to make the UK’s “special” relationship with the US “even more special” in the coming years.
In an interview with CNN’s State Of The Union program, Ms. Truss was asked about concerns in the administration of US President Joe Biden who does not share the same belief in the special relationship as some of his predecessors.
“I think our relationship is special and it is increasingly important at a time when we are facing threats from Russia, increased assertiveness from China,” Ms. Truss said.
“I am determined to make the special relationship even more special in the coming years.”
HMS Queen Elizabeth was welcomed in New York by the UK Ambassador to the United States, Dame Karen Pierce.
Dame Karen said: “HMS Queen Elizabeth is not only the flagship of the UK, but it is a fantastic demonstration of the soft power and close working relationship between the UK and the US, as well as the transatlantic relationship.
“It is a huge honor to sail in New York on her.
“We share the effort to remain the United States’ closest ally and I am very proud of what the ship achieved for Britain in its Indo-Pacific deployment last year.”
Captain Ian Feasey, commander of HMS Queen Elizabeth, said: “It is an extraordinary privilege to bring HMS Queen Elizabeth back to New York and to be formally welcomed to the United States by Her Majesty’s Ambassador.
“We look forward to hosting the fifth Atlantic Future Forum and welcoming senior leaders on board who embody our deep and special relationship with the United States.”
HMS Queen Elizabeth was joined in New York by her escort frigate, HMS Richmond, which sailed up the Hudson River to dock on Manhattan Island.
