Queen visits Navy warship crew

The Queen is meeting the captain and crew of HMS Invincible

The Queen has visited a Royal Navy aircraft carrier to meet its crew.

She was flown by helicopter from Windsor Castle to HMS Invincible, off Portland, Dorset.

After being greeted by Captain Trevor Soar, the Queen toured the vessel, met senior officers and spoke to crew members about life on board.

The ship's First Lieutenant, Stewart Bankier, said it was unusual for the sovereign to visit a war ship at sea and described it as "a morale boost".

After landing on Invincible's flight deck the Queen, dressed in royal purple knee-length dress coat and matching hat, descended by aircraft lift deep into the ship's hangar, which can carry up to eight aircraft, including Sea Harrier FA2 aircraft, RAF Attack Harriers and military helicopters.

She was briefed by Air Squadron Commanders belonging to the 20,000-ton aircraft carrier before meeting members of the ship's company

She is our ultimate boss in the Armed Forces, so when we get the top lady coming to visit us, it just makes it all worthwhile First Lieutenant Stewart Bankier

She then went off for lunch in the Admiral's dining cabin with members of the ship's company, followed by a display of aircraft landing on and taking off from Invincible's decks.

First Lieutenant Bankier, 43, of Faslane, said: "I was delighted to see her. I think it's unusual that she's visiting a war ship at sea and that's a fantastic thing for us to be able to show off a ship out at sea doing its job."

He added: "It's a morale boost. She is our ultimate boss really in the Armed Forces so when we get the top lady coming to visit us, it just makes it all worthwhile."

Captain Soar, who is leaving the ship on Friday after being promoted to Rear Admiral at the Ministry of Defence, said: "I can't recall the last time she's visited a ship at sea.

"I think it will surprise her to see us as a working ship and the best opportunity to do that is at sea. We are running a headquarters afloat really.

"I leave next week so completing this week with the Queen on board is really exciting for me."

Morale boost

The Queen also met more junior men and women serving on Invincible, including Royal Navy Aircraft Engineer Mechanic (AEM) Kristina Rollason, 21, from Warwickshire, who said: "It's quite surreal. We've seen her on the television and we have pictures of her, it's amazing to actually meet her."

And AEM Kevin Hosie, 25, from the Wirral, added: "You could see in her face that she really cares and that she's genuinely interested in what we are doing."

HMS Invincible, the sixth carrier to bear the name, was launched by the Queen in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, in May 1977.

The Portsmouth-based ship was home to Prince Andrew in 1982 when he served on board during the Falklands conflict.

HMS Invincible also served in Bosnia in 1995, and in Iraq in 1998 and 1999.

It is one of three invincible class naval carrier ships.