[5] On 5 January 2022 the frigate passed the 1,000-day milestone of days at sea[6] and in November of that year departed the Persian Gulf to return to the U.K. ahead of her planned decommissioning, expected in spring 2023.

After Summer Leave, the ship headed to Scotland to take part in Exercise Neptune Warrior, and was visited there by Prince Michael of Kent, Honorary Rear Admiral of the Royal Naval Reserve, on 24 September 2007.

[11] Having rejoined the ship on 20 July 2009, the crew conducted post-refits trials until January 2010, and Montrose was formally accepted back into the fleet on 11 February 2010.

[15] In July 2012, the ship acted as the escort vessel for Queen Elizabeth II during her Diamond Jubilee visit to Cowes.

In early 2013, the ship and crew underwent intensive training to return to the front line,[17] and then deployed as part of the COUGAR 13 task group in August 2013.

[18] After the remainder of the COUGAR 13 task group returned to the UK, Montrose remained in the Middle East to act as the UK's frigate in the Persian Gulf under Operation KIPION, and conducted numerous exercises with allied nations, as well as UK-only training events such as the maintenance exercise with RFA Diligence.

[19] In 2014, Montrose was tasked to join Norwegian and Danish warships in Operation RECSYR – the mission to escort the merchant vessels removing the Syrian chemical weapons stockpile for destruction.

[26] Despite the announcement in 2017, Montrose did not accompany Queen Elizabeth on her 2018 deployment; escort duties instead fell to sister HMS Monmouth.

[27] Montrose instead began working up for a major three-year deployment, which would see the ship become the first frigate to be based at the Royal Navy's new support facility in Bahrain, HMS Juffair.

During a meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzō Abe on 10 January 2019, it was announced that HMS Montrose would be deployed to the Pacific region to enforce sanctions against North Korea.

[31] Montrose was joined by HMS Duncan which was ordered to the Persian Gulf on 12 July 2019 in response to threats against British shipping by Iran.

[35][36] On 12 October it was reported that Montrose along with her French counterpart, Jean Bart, were able to capture 170 kilograms (370 lb) of illegal drugs.

[37] On 22 March 2021, it was announced that Montrose as well as sister ship Monmouth would be decommissioned earlier than planned as part of defence's Integrated Review.

[38] As of 2021, Montrose remained deployed east of Suez but was scheduled to return to the UK in 2022 following which she was retired, about 4-5 years earlier than previously planned.

[45] The ship returned to Montrose in July 2014,[46] where they exercised the Freedom of Angus in front of Provost Helen Oswald,[47] and conducted numerous engagements in the local area.