Today marks the departure of Carrier Strike Group 2025 from Portsmouth and Plymouth as it begins Operation High Mast—one of the Royal Navy’s most significant deployments in recent years. Among those vessels sailing are HMS Prince of Wales, HMS Dauntless, HMS Richmond, RFA Tidespring, and an Astute Class Submarine.
For many, this will be the longest time spent away from home, and for the families waving them off, it is a moment filled with both immense pride and quiet heartache.
As crowds gathered at the dockside earlier today to say goodbye, Royal Navy & Royal Marines Charity was there—offering a steady presence, a kind word, and the reassurance that no one faces this journey alone. That support will continue long after the last ship slips its lines.
Throughout the coming months, the charity will be there for both those at sea and those waiting at home. In recent weeks, RNRMC has funded a range of projects designed to lift spirits, build resilience, and bring comfort and connection to those deployed. Each initiative plays a role in maintaining wellbeing and morale during long periods at sea. Welfare packs, mess deck improvements and even crested chef jackets have all been made possible through grants designed to improve daily life and foster a sense of pride.
At home, RNRMC has supported pre-deployment days, family activities and partnerships with organisations like Aggie Weston’s, all to ensure those staying behind feel prepared, supported, and part of the wider naval family. Every gesture, no matter how small, is rooted in the charity’s belief that serving personnel and their loved ones deserve to feel cared for—wherever they are in the world.
Operation High Mast will span oceans and time zones, but it is also a journey that touches thousands of lives. It is a shared experience of duty, distance, and devotion. And as ever, RNRMC will be there—standing beside the people at the heart of the Naval Service, from the first farewell to the moment they return home.
More information about the support available throughout the deployment can be found at
www.rnrmc.org.uk/appeal/operation-high-mast
