The Duchess of Cornwall has received some very exciting news – she's been named as the godmother of Saga Cruises' brand new cruise ship, Spirit of Discovery. Camilla and Saga Cruises share a common link in that she is patron of charity The Silver Line, which is the cruise line's first national charity partner. The Duchess has been confirmed to attend the naming ceremony in Dover, Kent, on July 5 and is also expected to receive a tour of the ship before the celebrations begin.
Spirit of Discovery will be the first cruise ship to be named in Dover for more than a decade and the first to dock at the port’s Dover Western Docks following a £250 million redevelopment.
The Spirit of Discovery
Saga Group chief executive Lance Batchelor said: "I am delighted that The Duchess of Cornwall has agreed to be godmother of the Spirit of Discovery. The launch of our new ship is a key moment in both the history and future of Saga. Carrying fewer than 1,000 passengers, she is a boutique ship that offers our customers and members the highest standards of accommodation, furnishings, cuisine and entertainment."
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Sophie Andrews, chief executive of The Silver Line, added: "Our team is absolutely delighted to see this coming together of our patron and our charity partner, Saga. The Silver Line helpline receives more than 10,500 calls every week from vulnerable and isolated older people, many of whom have nowhere else to turn which demonstrates the depth of loneliness felt by huge numbers of the UK’s older population." The Silver Line was founded by TV presenter Dame Esther Rantzen after she experienced intense loneliness following the death of her husband.
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It's not the first time Camilla has named a cruise ship. In 2007 she named Cunard's Queen Victoria, although the naming ceremony didn't quite go to plan when the bottle did not break upon hitting the ship.
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