A beaming Duchess of Cambridge made her last solo public appearance before the birth of her first child next month today at the naming ceremony of Princess Cruises' 1,082ft ship, Royal Princess.
Sporting a £169 dalmatian print coat from high street retailer, Hobbs, over a pretty, white knee-length dress, classic black court shoes and a neat black fascinator, the Duchess walked up the royal blue carpet to a rousing musical welcome courtesy of the Band of Her Majesty’s Royal Marines Portsmouth and The Pipe Band of 1st Battalion Irish Guards.
Smiling broadly, the eight-months pregnant Duchess shook hands with officials and representatives from the cruise line watched by guests and a celebrity contingent that included veteran TV presenter, Sir Bruce Forsyth.
After a performance from pop singer, Natasha Bedingfield, the Right Rev Tim Dakin, Bishop of Winchester, blessed the ship and delivered a prayer. before the Duchess smashed a £1,250 Nebuchadnezzar of Moet et Chandon champagne against the hull of the Royal Princess to officially name the ship.
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Thrilled: The Duchess looked happy and glowing as she arrived for her last solo engagement before the birth of her first child next month
Near miss: The Duchess of Cambridge blinks as the Nebuchadnezzar smashes against the ship's hull just metres from her face
Daring: The Duchess picked a bolder than usual outfit, choosing a £169 monochrome mac from high street retailer, Hobbs
Maybe you should save it for next month! The Duchess watches as the £1,250 Nebuchadnezzar of champagne (right) crashes into the Royal Princess' hull
Ready...steady... The Duchess of Cambridge prepares to christen the Royal Princess with a £1,250 Nebuchednezzar of Moet & Chandon champagne
Solo: The Duchess walks towards the platform from which she christened the ship (left) and stands for the National Anthem (right)
She took her place on a stage in blustery conditions that threatened rain and seated opposite in a large grandstand were guests associated with charities that have the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge or Prince Harry as their patrons.
Spectators were from East Anglia's Children's Hospice, Kate's charity, SkillForce which has William as its figurehead, and Harry's organisation WellChild.
Captain Tony Draper invited the Duchess up to perform the naming ceremony on a nearby platform. Two youngsters, Isobel Rowbotham, 14, and her eight-year-old brother Charles, handed the Duchess a pair of scissors to cut a length of rope to launch the bottle into the hull.
The youngsters' brother died from a brain tumour while a toddler but they were supported by Kate's charity East Anglia's Children's Hospice.
Before cutting the rope, Duchess chatted to the pair, then carried out the ceremony, telling the guests: 'I name this ship Royal Princess, may God bless her and all who sail in her.'
The bottle was released and flew into the hull, smashing to a large cheer.
She then looked on as the Band of Her Majesty’s Royal Marines Portsmouth and The Pipe Band of 1st Battalion Irish Guards staged a colourful parade to round off the christening ceremony.
Despite the ship's regal name, the vessel was not named after the Duchess of Cambridge. Instead, the name was taken from the original Royal Princess ship which launched in 1984 and is no longer in service.
Two royals: The Duchess of Cambridge beams next to the new ship as Captain Tony Draper hands her the scissors with which to cut the rope securing the champagne
Happy: The Duchess enjoyed a parade courtesy of the Band of Her Majesty’s Royal Marines Portsmouth and The Pipe Band of 1st Battalion Irish Guards
Glamorous: The Duchess was stunning in a fabulous dalmatian print coat by high street retailer, Hobbs, as she walked through a throng of wellwishers
People's duchess: The Duchess of Cambridge chatted happily with Isobel Rowbotham, 14, and brother Charles ahead of the ceremony
Princess Cruises has a history of illustrious godmothers for past ships including Diana, Princess of Wales, who named the first Princess Royal in 1984, actress Audrey Hepburn, Sophia Loren, and Baroness Thatcher.
'Appointing a godmother to name a new ship is one of maritime’s oldest traditions,' said Paul Ludlow, UK Director of Princess Cruises.
'Historically their role is to be entrusted with the safe guidance of a vessel and its passengers. We are thrilled to welcome HRH Duchess of Cambridge, godmother to Royal Princess, to Southampton and look forward to celebrating this historic occasion.'
'It is a great honour for Princess Cruises that Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge has accepted our invitation to become the Godmother to Royal Princess,' added Princess Cruises CEO Alan Buckelew.
'We are delighted that the Duchess will launch our new ship and can think of no better way to celebrate our company’s British heritage and our commitment to the country.'
The spectacular vessel arrived in Southampton after a lengthy journey from the Monfalcone shipyard where she was built, and was met with a rousing welcome from the Southampton University Brass Band.
Along with a a fully-equipped games room, casino and a spa, the vast cruise ship has a has a 28ft glass-bottomed viewing gallery, 10 different restaurants including one that specialises in steak and lobster, and 1,780 luxury staterooms.
Royal Princess is now the largest in Princess Cruises' 16-strong fleet, although it will be joined by a similarly sized sister ship, Regal Princess, next year.
The newly christened Royal Princess will now depart on her maiden voyage, which will take her round the coastline of Spain to Barcelona, via Vigo, Lisbon, Gibraltar and Malaga.
From Barcelona, the ship will embark on a 12-day voyage around the Mediterranean before a longer 30-day cruise that will take it across the Atlantic to the sunny Florida city of Fort Lauderdale.
It will then depart on a five-day Caribbean cruise that takes in Princess Cays in the Bahamas, the pretty island of St Maarten, the British Virgin Islands and St. Thomas before returning to the American port.
Nice to see you... Sir Bruce Forsyth looks on as he sits with guests including Atomic Kitten singer Liz McLarnon and singer Lemar Obika
Celebrity guests: Sir Bruce Forsyth was among those who turned out to see the Duchess of Cambridge christen the ship with a Nebuchadnezzar of champagne (right)
Test run: Crew members from the Royal Princess held a test run before readying the traditional nebuchadnezzar of champagne for the ship's christening ceremony
Fit for a princess: The Royal Princess steams towards Southampton ahead of today's christening ceremony which will be overseen by the Duchess of Cambridge
THE BIRTH OF A CRUISING TITAN: INSIDE THE ROYAL PRINCESS
3,600: Number of passengers the ship can accommodate at any given time
1,082: The ship's length in feet
141,000: The gross tonnage of the Royal Princess
Five: The number of stops the ship will make on her maiden voyage. These include Barcelona, Gibraltar, Malaga, Lisbon and Vigo
10: The number of restaurants on board
One: The number of casinos on the Royal Princess
Two: The number of royal princesses at the naming ceremony. One is the ship itself, the other is the Duchess of Cambridge.
1,780: The number of staterooms on the Royal Princess
30: The number of days the leisurely voyage to Fort Lauderdale will take
Four: The number of Caribbean islands the Royal Princess will visit. They include the Bahamas, the Virgin Islands and St. Maarten.
1,082: The ship's length in feet
141,000: The gross tonnage of the Royal Princess
Five: The number of stops the ship will make on her maiden voyage. These include Barcelona, Gibraltar, Malaga, Lisbon and Vigo
10: The number of restaurants on board
One: The number of casinos on the Royal Princess
Two: The number of royal princesses at the naming ceremony. One is the ship itself, the other is the Duchess of Cambridge.
1,780: The number of staterooms on the Royal Princess
30: The number of days the leisurely voyage to Fort Lauderdale will take
Four: The number of Caribbean islands the Royal Princess will visit. They include the Bahamas, the Virgin Islands and St. Maarten.
Spectacular: The piazza is crammed with high end boutiques, while the staircase leading to the upper decks looks like something a Bond villain would own
Luxurious: Each suite comes complete with 100 per cent Egyptian cotton bed linen, a 37" flat screen television and a deluxe en suite bathroom
Panorama: The stunning Sea View bar offers commanding views of the surrounding ocean as well as a fully stocked bar staffed by expert mixologists
Maiden voyage: The Royal Princess' inaugural trip will take it to Barcelona, via Gibraltar and Malaga. After that, it heads across the Atlantic to Fort Lauderdale (above)
Glamorous: The Crown Grill & Wheelhouse Bar is the perfect spot for a relaxing sundowner after a long day browsing the shops in the spectacular atrium (right)
Luxury: Along with a casino, a spa and a gym, the Royal Princess also has its own fine art gallery for guests to enjoy
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