Queen officially names new Britannia liner using West Sussex wine

The Queen officially named the new cruise liner Britannia today (Tuesday March 10) by smashing a bottle of sparkling wine from a Sussex Winery against the £473m ship.

By The Newsroom

Published 10th Mar 2015, 14:17 BST

The ceremony took place today (Tuesday March 10) in Southampton with a Nebuchadnezzar of wine from Wiston Estate Winery, between Horsham and Worthing, being used.

After the naming ceremony, the Queen and Prince Philip went on a tour of the 1,082ft (330m) long ship which can carry 3,647 passengers and 1,350 crew over 18 decks.

The Queen met some of the celebrity chefs, including James Martin and Marco Pierre White, who will prepare meals on Britannia as well as sail on the vessel and host the Britannia’s cookery classes.

A message on the Winery’s website says: “We are thrilled that it will be Her Majesty the Queen who will be breaking a Nebuchadnezzar of Wiston on the bow of Britannia on Tuesday 10th March at Southampton.”

The Wiston Estate has been owned and managed by the Goring family since 1743. Its 6,000 acres straddle the chalky slopes of the South Downs and the flat clay soils of the weald.