According to information published by the Royal Navy on June 2, 2021, HMS Queen Elizabeth and her Carrier Strike Group met up with allies in an exercise that saw 19 ships and more than 5,000 personnel come together. Ships and units from 11 countries joined up off the coast of Portugal for phase one of Exercise Steadfast Defender.
 |
| Italian Horizon-class destroyer Andrea Doria (Picture source: Commander UK Carrier Strike Group) |
