The Royal Navy's second new aircraft carrier has been formally named in a special ceremony at its home in Rosyth Dockyard.

Thousands of locals who have worked on HMS Prince of Wales, and their families, were attendance today as Prince Charles and his wife gave their royal seal of approval to the nation's newest warship.

The UK’s First Sea Lord and chief of naval staff, Admiral Sir Philip Jones, called Rosyth "the cradle of modern British sea power" as he thanked the men and women who have worked hard to make the Royal Navy’s carrier-led renaissance a reality.

In a speech to the crowds he said: “The naming of HMS Queen Elizabeth was a strategic awakening for the United Kingdom.

“The moment when we proved to the world, and to ourselves, that we still have what it takes to be a great maritime industrial nation.

“Today, we return to Rosyth, to the cradle of modern British sea power, to dedicate HMS Prince of Wales.

"The most advanced vessel of its kind."

The £3bn vessel follows its sister ship, HMS Queen Elizabeth, in a new generation of Royal Navy aircraft carriers, and is due to commence sea trials in 2019.

Regiments from across the armed forces welcomed Prince Charles and Camilla to the ceremony.

Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon also attended the event.

Work on HMS Prince of Wales was halted as Camilla, Duchess of Rothesay, followed the thousand-year tradition of triggering a bottle of 10 year old whisky from the Laphroaig distillery in the Isle of Islay, smashing it against the ship’s hull.

After a short speech Camilla declared: “I name this ship Prince of Wales. May God bless her and all who sail in her.”

The Ministry of Defence have said that only three countries in the world are building aircraft carriers of this kind and building two on our shores is a sign of real commitment to the UK's security and our international responsibilities.

Two aircraft carriers will also mean that one will always be available for operations at all times, with the ability to deploy aircraft across the world.

Joseph Dudley, a Pipefitter, from Oakley, has been working on the aircraft carriers for the last three years with Babcock. He told the Press: "There's immense amount of pride on getting this far and I'm looking forward to continuing to work on the ship.

"I think it has been an absolute wonderful project to have running here especially through these difficult financial times in the last five or six years.

"This project has been keeping people's food on plates at home and there's an immense amount of pride in myself knowing I have been a part of this."

Sir Simon Lister, Aircraft Alliance Managing Director added that HMS Prince of Wales demonstrated the best of UK engineering with Rosyth playing a major part in providing the skilled men and women needed for the project.

Admiral Sir Philip Jones added: "We are honoured by the presence of Their Royal Highnesses the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall; of course, as we are in Scotland, more appropriately the Duke and Duchess of Rothesay.

“We are also joined by representatives from across government, the armed forces, together with veterans and some of our vital international partners.

“This ceremony, and all that it represents, demonstrates the United Kingdom’s determination to see through our strategic intent and to fulfil the promise of our maritime renaissance.

“For though she is the second of her class, HMS Prince of Wales has a strategic significance all of her own.

“If building one carrier is a statement of national ambition; then building two is an unmistakable sign of commitment, to our own defence and that of our allies.”