Satellite imagery captured the British aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales passing through Egypt’s Suez Canal as it led a naval strike group on a mission to the western Pacific Ocean.
The British High Commission in Singapore also announced that the United Kingdom carrier strike group, led by the Prince of Wales, is scheduled to make a port call in the South China Sea country next month to mark 60 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
Newsweek has contacted the Chinese Defense Ministry for comment by email.
Why It Matters
The Prince of Wales has been conducting Operation Highmast—an eight-month mission set to take it to Singapore, Australia, Japan and India—since departing from its home port in southern England on April 22, forming a naval task group with several NATO naval vessels.
BEN STANSALL/AFP via Getty Images
The aircraft carrier’s deployment comes as the United States—a major ally of the U.K.—and China—which has the world’s largest navy by hull count—jostle for naval dominance in the western Pacific Ocean, where both countries have recently deployed their aircraft carriers.
What To Know
Open-source intelligence researcher @MT_Anderson wrote on X, formerly Twitter, that a group of nine warships appeared to be transiting the Suez Canal southward on Saturday, sailing from the Mediterranean Sea toward the Red Sea, as shown in a satellite image.
Based on its silhouette, the researcher identified one of the warships as the Prince of Wales, positioned as the second ship in the single-line formation. Prior to their transit in the Suez Canal, the aircraft carrier and its escorting warships made a stopover at Greece’s Souda Bay.
🚨update🚨
🇬🇧UK Carrier Strike Group 2025🇬🇧
After closer examination of the SB transit, I see the 7x warships (order of N to S)Nunez Mendez | Maud | Ville de Quebec | Roald Amundsen | Richmond | Prince of Wales | Dauntless
To my surprise there are 2x additional warships in the… https://t.co/iXLHN2WGFJ pic.twitter.com/aTmH1ygXZs
— MT Anderson (@MT_Anderson) May 25, 2025
The presence of the Prince of Wales near the Red Sea comes after the U.S. aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman left the region. The American warship had been engaged in conflict with Yemen’s Houthis until both sides reached a ceasefire agreement earlier this month.
Meanwhile, @MT_Anderson said two American destroyers were likely part of the formation. According to the specialist outlet The Maritime Executive, their presence would make it difficult for the Houthis to target non-U.S. ships within the U.K. carrier strike group.
Regarding the Prince of Wales‘ planned visit to Singapore, the British High Commission told Newsweek that it was unable to share much information at the moment. It remains unclear exactly when the British carrier strike group will arrive in the Southeast Asian country.
What People Are Saying
The Royal Navy said in a statement issued on April 29: “The 2025 mission, known as Operation Highmast and commanded by Commodore James Blackmore and his staff from aboard HMS Prince of Wales, occurs with a changed world order and even more volatile geo-political situation.”
U.K. Defense Secretary John Healey said in a statement issued on April 22: “As one of only a few nations capable of leading a deployment of this scale, the Royal Navy is once again demonstrating that U.K. defense is strong, modern, and ready to meet the threats of today and tomorrow.”
What Happens Next
It remains to be seen whether the Prince of Wales will operate in or near contested areas in the western Pacific Ocean—the South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait—during its mission.