Emily Ford
BBC South

And now they get to head home!

That's all from our coverage of the HMS Prince of Wales.

We've left the crews and their loved ones to it, as they now hopefully travel home to start their long-awaited Christmas celebrations.

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Isabella Holliday
Portsmouth

Vice Adm Stephen Moorhouse, CBE, said he was "hugely, hugely proud" of all that the crews had achieved on deployment.

He said: "You only have to look at the smiles on the faces of those men and women and their families, to understand personally and professionally what it means to them."

Vice Adm Moorhouse has been part of the carrier project for up to 12 years and said it had "evolved massively" from previous deployments.

"We'll continue to test and develop the capabilities, but this deployment was really important," he continued.

"It's the largest number of F35s on that deck. Norwegians sailing with us for that full deployment, so the international partners and no covid, so a lot more engagement with regional partners around the world.

"It's a huge milestone and something we should be really proud of."

Isabella Holliday
Portsmouth

We spoke to Vicky Mackinnon earlier ahead of her two sons Callum and Alex getting back.

Well, she's finally got her boys in her arms after eight months of waiting - and she can't stop saying it's "just amazing" to see them.

Alex told us it felt "very emotional" to be back and seeing everyone.

"Coming off and seeing my family is amazing. I didn’t realise there would be that many people - there’s thousands.”

Isabella Holliday
Portsmouth

As we reported earlier, Andrew "Bouncy" Ball's three children and partner have been waiting eagerly for him to get off the carrier.

We can confirm he has now disembarked and has been reunited with his family.

How does he feel?

"Pretty epic. It’s been a long year, a long trip, but it’s great."

Allen Sinclair
BBC South Today

Will Pestell's parents, grandparents and girlfriend are waiting at the Round Tower to welcome home the AS1 engineer, who hails from Colchester.

"We couldn’t be more proud," says his dad. "We feel like we’ve travelled and lived every moment with him."

After wrapping things up in Australia - following exercises in Greece and Crete - the carrier strike group had headed north to Japan for joint exercises with Japanese and US forces.

It spent a few weeks there, flying F-35s and working alongside Japan’s own carrier.

The strike group then cruised over to South Korea for more drills and port visits before swinging down through Southeast Asia, stopping in places like Singapore and Malaysia for security exercises.

There followed training with the Indian navy before the group began the long trip back home through the Indian Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea.

Isabella Holliday
Portsmouth

"That’s him, I’m sure that’s him!" I hear. "Can you see her?"

The excitement is only building as reunions near.

Those on board wave and search for familiar faces in the crowds and some have been phoning their relatives from the crew deck.

It’s a grand ship - and that’s no surprise given its £3bn price tag.

Isabella Holliday
Portsmouth

We’re all waiting in anticipation of the big moment.

It might be taking a while for everyone to get organised and disembark but the stillness is giving people the chance to spot those lined up on board.

Eight months ago, crowds gathered to wave HMS Prince of Wales off as it set sail from Portsmouth on 22 April at the start of the deployment.

After first stopping in Crete and Greece for exercises, it made its way to Darwin in Australia for a historic visit, being the first time a British aircraft carrier had docked down under since 1997.

While there, the carrier took part in Talisman Sabre, a major drill alongside forces from the US and other partners.

Isabella Holliday
Portsmouth

If your surname is Ball, of course you'll get called "Bouncy", right?

Andrew Ball has his whole family waiting eagerly to greet him off the ship.

His three children, Mabel, Evie and George, all from Gosport, have a sign ready as they stand with his partner Sammy Wardley at the naval base.

Mabel, six, said she's missed her dad "very much" and is excited for him to be home for Christmas.

Ms Wardley said she had met him in Japan in August but the children haven't seen their dad since he left on the carrier from Portsmouth in April.

“The first half was long and it really dragged," she says.

“When I got back from Japan, it flew by.”

Joanne Chambers is in Portsmouth to meet her son Timmy Furphy as he returns from his first deployment on board HMS Prince of Wales as an F35 engineer.

Waiting with Gavin Stapleton, Joanne said: "We couldn't be more proud of him.

"We've been following it on the website which tracks the ship. We've obviously missed him but been able to keep in touch."

Isabella Holliday
Portsmouth

Allen Sinclair
BBC South Today

Crowds have been gathering in Portsmouth all morning in the lead up to the arrival of the Royal Navy's flagship.

Loved ones lined the walls in hopes of catching a glimpse of the warship ahead of it entering the naval base.

Image source, YUICHI YAMAZAKI/AFP via Getty Images

HMS Prince of Wales is one of the UK’s largest and most advanced warships and is essentially a floating airbase and command centre.

It weighs a massive 65,000 tonnes and has a flight deck big enough for three football pitches, which is plenty of room for up to 24 F-35B stealth jets, plus helicopters and drones.

Since April, it's been home to 1,600 military personnel.

Isabella Holliday
Portsmouth

As the ship came in, whistles and cheers grew louder.

A child shouted "Daddy" and others waved their flags in hopes of spotting their loved ones among the thousands of crew on board.

It’s certainly a heartwarming moment, knowing the crowds around me are about to be reunited with their very closest friends and family members after months apart.

Isabella Holliday
Portsmouth

It’s an emotional day for mum and dad Vicky and Alan Mackinnon, who are waiting for their sons Callum, 24, and Alex, 19, to come home for Christmas.

They’ve travelled from Orkney to be here today.

Vicky says: "I’m so excited to see them and just to give them a hug. I’m just so proud of what they’ve done. I feel like my chest is going to burst."

The proud parents are here with friends and family and are all visibly emotional for the big homecoming.

They tell me they are particularly excited to have all three of their sons home for Christmas, as their eldest is also coming back from university.

Image source, PA Media

Operation Highmast was the UK showing it can run a full carrier strike group anywhere in the world.

HMS Prince of Wales led the group, teaming up with allies like Japan, Australia and India for big exercises.

It wasn’t just about flexing military muscle but also proving the UK’s global reach, strengthening friendships and making sure everyone can work together if things get tense in the Indo-Pacific.

It's also intended to send a clear message that the UK is still a major player on the world stage.

HMS Prince of Wales is the second warship to return home from the major deployment today.

The Royal Navy's Type 45 destroyer HMS Dauntless was welcomed back to Portsmouth naval base at 08:15 GMT.

Dauntless has provided air support as part of the Carrier Strike Group's core defensive ring of steel.

The arrivals will bring to an end the 2025 mission, codenamed Operation Highmast.