HELEN MIRREN - MIRREN TO LAUNCH CRUISE SHIP

MIRREN TO LAUNCH CRUISE SHIP

DAME HELEN MIRREN is set to name and launch her first ship - a duty almost exclusively performed by British royalty. The actress - who won an Academy Award for her portrayal of British monarch the Queen in the 2006 film of the same name - has been deemed sufficiently regal to conduct the 16 April (08) inauguration of new cruise ship Ventura. She says, "It is the first time I have ever named a ship, let alone one of the size of Ventura." Nigel Esdale, managing director of P+O Cruises, the company which operates the ship, says, "Dame Helen Mirren embodies glamour, vitality and Britishness, which are all values that will be a feature of Ventura. We are delighted that Dame Helen is to be associated with her."