HMS Queen Elizabeth anchors in New York as Liz Truss says she wants to strengthen UK-US bond

The Royal Navy’s flagship HMS Queen Elizabeth has arrived in New York for its deployment to the United States to host an Anglo-American military conference.

The ship dropped anchor within sight of the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbour yesterday.

It set sail for the US from Portsmouth on 7 September in place of its sister ship HMS Prince of Wales, which broke down off the Isle of Wight days before the trip.

The 65,000-tonne warship will be the floating venue for the Atlantic Future Forum, a defence conference focusing on Anglo-American military, political and strategic relations.

The arrival in New York came hours after Prime Minister Liz Truss spoke about her intentions to make the UK’s “special” relationship with the US “even more special” in the next few years.

In an interview on CNN’s State Of The Union programme, Ms Truss was asked about concerns in US President Joe Biden’s administration she does not share the same belief in the special relationship as some of her predecessors.

“I do think our relationship is special and it’s increasingly important at a time when we’re facing threats from Russia, increased assertiveness from China,” Ms Truss said.

“I’m determined that we make the special relationship even more special over the coming years.”

HMS Queen Elizabeth was welcomed into New York by the UK’s Ambassador to the US, Dame Karen Pierce.

Dame Karen said: “HMS Queen Elizabeth is not only the United Kingdom’s flagship, but is a fantastic demonstration of the soft power and the close working relationship between the United Kingdom and the United States, as well as the transatlantic relationship.

“It’s an enormous honour to sail into New York on her.

“We share an endeavour in remaining the United States’ closest ally and I am very proud of what the ship has achieved for Britain in her deployment to the Indo-Pacific last year.”

Captain Ian Feasey, HMS Queen Elizabeth’s commanding officer, said: “It is an amazing privilege to bring HMS Queen Elizabeth back to New York and to be formally welcomed to the United States by His Majesty’s Ambassador.

“We are very much looking forward to hosting the fifth Atlantic Future Forum and welcoming onboard senior leaders that embody our deep and special relationship with the United States.”

HMS Queen Elizabeth was joined in New York by her frigate escort, HMS Richmond, which sailed up the Hudson River for a berth on Manhattan Island.