BRITAIN’S much-loved Princess revealed the yachting nation’s most closely-guarded secret on her visit to Hampshire in the mid 1980s
Princess Diana visited Cougar Marine’s Hamble boatyard on December 4, 1985, to unveil Crusader – the craft Britain hoped would lead them to glory in the 1987 America’s Cup challenge off Freemantle, Western Australia.
“I name this yacht Crusader. may god bless her and all who sail in her,” said the Princess before naming the contender with a bottle of champagne.
The Princess arrived by helicopter at a church playing field opposite Hamble Church to be met with scores of flag-waving schoolchildren who had been given time off especially for the royal visit.
She was then driven to the Hamble Point boatyard where she took the wraps off the Ian Howlett-designed racing greyhound.
After the naming ceremony the Princess chatted to crew members and then attended a private buffet luncheon to complete her two hour visit to Hamble.
The White Crusader, as it was later renamed, didn’t perform as well as hoped in the America’s Cup, instead Stars and Stripes took the cup.
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