SOUTHAMPTON is gearing up for a right royal occasion when the Queen names Cunard's French-built Queen Mary 2 superliner next year.

Buckingham Palace has confirmed Her Majesty will take part in the historic ceremony on Thursday, January 8, but the £550m ship will arrive in the port several days earlier.

Cunard bosses insisted they did know when the 150,000-ton QM2 would berth in the city and said it would be over the Christmas period.

The Daily Echo understands the liner will arrive in the city on Boxing Day and preparations will get under way in the coming days to give it a warm welcome.

Councillor Peter Wakeford, Cabinet member for leisure and tourism, said: "I am delighted she is coming here and once we get confirmation of the liner's arrival we will be working alongside Cunard and Associated British Ports, to see what we can do to ensure as many people as possible can enjoy the occasion."

Previous Cunard liners, including Queen Elizabeth 2 and Queen Mary, were built on the River Clyde in Scotland and launched by queens. It had been feared the Queen would not attend January's ceremony because the liner had been built abroad.

Tens of thousands of people are expected to turn out for the naming event for the superliner, built in St Nazaire.

The ship will be the longest, most expensive and widest passenger ship in the world.

A spokesman for Cunard said: "All we can say is at the moment that it will be arriving in Southampton around Christmas. It may well turn out to be on Boxing Day."

Pamela Conover, president of Cunard Line, said: "This will be a historic occasion in the true sense of the word."

Take a look at our unique archive of QM2 stories and features charting the conception and building at www.thisisshipping.co.uk