HMS Iron Duke spent several days tracking down the vessel, which appeared to be heading for Europe or West Africa, after receiving a tip-off from the US authorities.

At dawn on Saturday the warship’s Lynx helicopter was scrambled, with the 26-year-old Prince on board to assist with surveillance. The 50-foot boat was ordered to stop by the Lynx helicopter. US Coast Guard officials on the British frigate boarded the vessel and found 45 bales of cocaine weighing a total of 1,980lb (900kg). The five-strong crew was detained and the cocaine is now on board the Iron Duke.

Its showtime! Prince William was aboard the Lynx helicopter (pictured) which initially forced the speedboat to stop.

Prince William provided surveillance alongside the pilot, flight observer, two Royal Marine snipers and a US Coast Guard airborne controller.

Commander Mark Newland, the ship’s captain, praised the Prince’s maturity and experience during the operation. “My remit is absolutely clear from my senior officers. I am to expose Sub-Lieutenant Wales to every aspect of front line operations in a Royal Navy warship.

“The fact that this unfolded over a period of days means that it had very discreet phases to the operation. I was, at each phase, able to introduce him to and expose him to the way we do our business, from the planning all the way through to getting the sea boats and the 45 bales of cocaine on board HMS Iron Duke on Saturday evening.

“This is a young man who has three, four years of professional military experience behind him.< He is someone who contributes at every level. He is a very professional military officer, and very astute. He acts as I would expect a young officer of his experience and maturity to act in this type of operation.

“He’s a trained surveillance officer, he’s a professional military officer. He understands the context within which we are operating, and so he augmented my team.”

The raid took place hundreds of miles north-east of Barbados in a location which suggested the boat was heading for Europe or West Africa. Prince William is on a two-month secondment to the Navy preparing him for his future role as head of the Armed Forces.

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