"Our initial assessment has shown that the coupling that joins the final two sections of the shaft has failed," Moorhouse added. Deployment Scuttled HMS Prince of Wales is currently absent from her role as NATO flagship, while the trip to the United States was scuttled. HMS Queen Elizabeth was sent in instead – and she had arrived in New York City last week in advance of the Atlantic Future Forum, a defense conference aimed at strengthening UK and U.S. military ties. "The full extent of the repairs will be known once the ship has entered dry dock," the Royal Navy announced via a statement. "We are committed to getting HMS Prince of Wales back on operations, protecting the nation and our allies, as soon as possible." This was just the latest trouble for the Royal Navy's carrier. In 2020, the HMS Prince of Wales suffered an engine room flood following a fire system malfunction, which by coincidence had also delayed a planned Atlantic crossing.