Queen and Philip Name Their Jubilee Barge ‘Gloriana’

by Tom Sykes Apr 25, 2012 10:30 AM EDT

Philip advises wife to take shelter from the elements as they name Jubilee barge.

It’s certainly shaping up to be a hell of a day for the royals. First thing this morning The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh saw, for the first time, the lavish £1m barge, Gloriana, that will convey them down the River Thames during the Jubilee pageant on 3 June.

It was a wet and windy morning, and at one point Prince Philip, who was without a hat, was heard advising his wife to shelter form the inclement weather.

69479487 — Jamie Wiseman/WPA Pool/Getty Images

The royal couple travelled to the East London dock where Gloriana is currently moored, and boarded the boat for a look around after the official naming ceremony was concluded.
Gloriana.

The 94-foot vessel, decorated with gold leaf and ornately carved, harks back 200 years to the days when Kings and Queens travelled by water in opulent style. It will be the star attraction in this summer’s Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant—a 1,000-strong flotilla of boats with the Queen and the Duke at its heart.

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Tom Sykes is a writer and journalist, and he edits The Royalist blog for the Daily Beast. Tom has worked for many publications, including a stint as a nightlife reporter and gossip columnist for the New York Post. He has written several books, most recently helping John Taylor of Duran Duran write and edit his autobiography, published by Dutton. Tom lives in London and Ireland.

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About the Author

Tom Sykes

THE ROYALIST, updated several times daily, reports on all aspects of the British Royal Family. With breaking news and the latest gossip, great pictures and informed commentary, the Royalist is essential eyeballing for fans of the world’s most famous family.