Big Lizzie in the Big Apple: UK's largest EVER warship sails into the blue skies of New York City harbor as part of her tour of the East Coast

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The United Kingdom's largest and most powerful warship, HMS Queen Elizabeth, this morning was greeted by Lady Liberty in New York Harbor, marking the start of a week-long visit. 

The $4billion warship, affectionately nicknamed 'Big Lizzie,' anchored two miles from Manhattan in the Hudson River shortly before noon Friday. The behemoth boat, which has more than 1,000 personnel onboard, will take part in F-35B flight tests.

On the eve of the ship's arrival in New York, Captain Jerry Kyd who is due to hand over command of HMS Queen Elizabeth on Wednesday, addressed the ship’s company for the last time, telling those gathered in the vast hangar to 'enjoy New York'.

Thanking and praising them for their efforts, team work and professionalism during his stint at the helm, he said HMS Queen Elizabeth is 'now the future of the Royal Navy'.

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Welcome to New York! The United Kingdom's largest and most powerful warship, HMS Queen Elizabeth, is pictured arriving in New York City under the gaze of Lady Liberty on Friday on her maiden deployment  

Image of the HMS Queen Elizabeth, seen here coming into New York Harbour with the Statue of Liberty in the foreground

Hundreds of sailors and officers are pictured taking in the views on HMS Queen Victoria's deck in New York Harbor

Personnel on board 'Big Lizzie' waved and took pictures of Manhattan upon their arrival in the Big Apple 

A rainbow is seen over the Hudson River just yards away from HMS Queen Victoria on Friday afternoon

Breathtaking view: The behemoth ship, dubbed 'Big Lizzie,' anchored in New York Harbor under the gaze of the Statue of the Liberty

For now, there are no F-35 jets on Big Lizzie's broad deck, but it will soon change

A Royal Navy helicopter is seen onboard HMS Queen Elizabeth after its arrival in New York Harbor 

Speaking to the Press Association, Captain Kyd revealed that where the aircraft carrier stopped is just yards from where Admiral Lord Nelson also used to anchor his ships.

'We are the biggest carrier to go in there for about 50 years,' he said.

The US Navy's larger nuclear-powered Nimitz Class carriers are not allowed to enter New York Harbor. 

The night before the arrival, excited officers sang along to Frank Sinatra's class 'New York New York.' As HMS Queen Elizabeth began the sail into the city, with the Royal Marines band and a bagpiper playing the ship in, the crew lined the edges of the carrier and walkways, standing to attention in their dress uniforms.  

The arrival of the 70,000-ton warship in the Big Apple comes after two test versions of the multimillion-dollar stealth fighter F-35B Lightning jets landed on the flight deck and took off from the ship's ski-jump ramp for the first time on September 25.

With more than 98 ski-jump take-offs logged since then, the two planes left the carrier on Tuesday for maintenance and will return for more flight trials at the end of the month.

Officially accepted into the Royal Navy fleet in December, the ship left her home of Portsmouth Naval Base in August and sailed across the Atlantic to begin her maiden four-month deployment, dubbed Westlant 18.

Besides the F-35 flight trials, the Royal Navy said the deployment will also test the warship's ability to operate with other nations' ships and aircraft, and a US Navy Osprey helicopter has already landed on deck.

Beginning in 2021, US Marine Corp will also operate their warplanes from HMS Queen Elizabeth. 

Plenty of room: 'Big Lizzie' weighs a whopping 70,000 tons and features a four-acre flight deck 

The massive aircraft carrier on Friday stopped is just yards from where Admiral Lord Nelson also used to anchor his ships

This graphic shows the different sections of the 70,000-ton warship that joined the Royal Navy Fleet in December 2017

Flying machine: This graphic shows the specs of the multimillion-dollar stealth fighter F-35B Lightning II

During his speech to the ship’s company, Captain Kyd revealed that in the 17 months since the ship left Rosyth dockyard she has 'steamed 32,000 miles', and has seen nine different aircraft types on the deck.

UK Defense Secretary Gavin Williamson tweeted on Friday: 'HMS Queen Elizabeth is a symbol of our commitment to our #security and the security of our allies. Her entry into New York harbour demonstrates that our Armed Forces are ready to stand by our #allies @HMSQnlz @RoyalNavy #GlobalBritain #QNLZatseais' 

The US ambassador to the UK Woody Johnson will be visiting the HMS Queen Elizabeth on Friday, followed by a visit from Williamson on Saturday.