Design of the Royal Barge for the Jubilee Pageant 2012

The design for the barge that will carry the Queen for the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant has been announced. The pageant, for which the Little Ship Club at Bell Wharf Lane will have ringside seats, will mark the Queen's 60 years on the throne in June 2012.

The Royal Barge design takes an existing vessel, The Spirit of Chartwell (operated by the Magna Carta Steamship Company) which currently operates as a cruising vessel on the tidal Thames.

The cruiser was chosen for a number of reasons including size, comfort, safety and manoeuvrability. Consultation on the suitability of the vessel took place with a wide number of organisations including the Port of London Authority.

The design team of Joseph Bennett and Rachel de Thame will dress the barge with the colours red, gold and purple to denote royalty. The floral arrangements will reference the Commonwealth, the Coronation and The Queen's Gold State Coach.

Designer Joseph Bennett, noted for his work on films Charlotte Gray and Jude has worked with photographers such as Steven Klein and Mario Testino and the late fashion designer Alexander McQueen. Rachel de Thame is a horticulturalist and garden designer and has been a member of the Gardener's World presenting team since 1999.

A number of vessels with royal connections will play prominent roles in the Pageant, including the tender of HMS Britannia – known as Britannia’s Royal Barge - which was traditionally used to transport passengers to and from the Royal Yacht. The tender will play her original role, carrying The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh to The Royal Barge, along with two motorboat escorts. There will also be a new rowed barge specially commissioned for the Pageant by Lord Sterling of Plaistow. This vessel, the Royal Rowbarge as she is to be known, is currently under construction. She will take her place at the head of the first section of the flotilla, carrying several major civic dignitaries, and will have the honour of leading the Pageant down the river.

The Pageant has been oversubscribed by three vessels to every one place available. There are 1,000 places for vessels in the flotilla and applications to join closed on 31 October. Successful applicants will be notified by 31 December as to whether they have a place, those that are not successful will be offered guest tickets to a special event in a prime position on the day of the pageant, details of which are to be made public next year.

Little Ship Club members will want to reserve their seats outside the Club!

For more information on the Pageant, visit the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant website.