Liverpool is set to welcome back the HMS Prince of Wales, a Royal Navy aircraft carrier, which will receive a civic honour when it arrives on 2 December. This will be the first time in four years that the ship has visited the city. The ship will be docked at the Cruise Liner Terminal on the River Mersey and will offer visitors an insight into the life of its 800-strong crew onboard the Portsmouth-based vessel.
While the ship is in Liverpool, the crew will visit local schools, community projects and civic leaders. It is a great privilege for them to receive the Freedom of the City award, particularly since Liverpool holds special historical links to the Royal Navy. Captain Will Blackett, commanding officer, is thrilled to bring the ship to Liverpool and hopes for a warm reception from the Liverpool community.
Last in Liverpool in March 2020 just before the country locked down due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the ship drew an audience of 20,000 visitors. Captain Blackett and the crew are looking forward to its return. Among the crew members is sub lieutenant Yasemin Dilek, who calls Liverpool home. She believes the ship is a “home away from home”, with reminders of Liverpool on board.
The crew is scheduled to receive Liverpool’s highest civic honour when a freedom parade takes place on 6 December. This will be a first-time event for the sailors, and they are eager to celebrate it. The Beatles’ classic, Penny Lane, will inspire the renaming of a main passageway on the ship. In addition, a street sign donated by the city’s Lord Mayor, councillor Richard Kemp, will commemorate the occasion. Other events scheduled for the week include a ceremonial sunset demonstration with the support of the Corps of Drums of His Majesty’s Royal Marines, and a ticketed event on 7 and 8 December, during which thousands of guests are expected to visit the ship
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
