Ted Lasso star Hannah Waddingham paid tribute to her 107-year-old Royal Navy hero grandad as she christened a cruise ship in Barcelona.
Harry Waddingham survived the sinking of two ships during World War II – in 1940 HMS Wakeful was struck by a German torpedo as it was picking up soldiers from Dunkirk and a year later HMS Juno was bombed by five Italian aircraft.
At the naming ceremony of new Princess Cruises ship Sun Princess on Tuesday, Hannah told guests: ‘As much as theatre ripples through my bloodstream, I have the strongest maritime tradition in my family.
‘We still have my grandfather who’s 107 and he was in the North Atlantic convoys, scraping ice off the bows of the ship, so it is in my blood and in my bones. It is a great privilege and I’m completely thrilled.’
Hannah, 49, said she was proud to join the ranks of other ship ‘godmothers’, who have featured royalty such as Queen Elizabeth II, Princess Diana and Kate Middleton and celebrities including Helen Mirren, Judi Dench and Shirley Bassey.
Her first reaction at being invited was: ‘I thought it was a joke. I thought someone had made a ridiculous mistake because I’ve seen over the years the magnificent godmothers that have been asked to associate with the ships and I couldn’t believe it.’
Asked to perform the christening in the ship’s theatre, Hannah said: ‘Oh my gosh, yes, it would be my absolute great pleasure. I name this ship Sun Princess. May God bless her and all who sail in her.’
As TV screens showed a Nebuchadnezzar bottle of Veuve Clicquot champagne smashing against the hull of the 4,300-passenger ship, glitter fell from the ceiling and Hannah took a moment away from other dignitaries to clasp her hands and look upwards, savouring the moment.
Later, Princess Cruises president John Padgett said he chose the star for the role because “she’s one of the most friendly people in entertainment, she loves live performances and her father and grandfather served with the Royal Navy”.
Sun Princess is the first in the Sphere class, named after the nine-deck glass bubble in the middle of the ship.
There’s also a dome on top at the front and top, which hosts acrobatic and circus shows, and a three-level Horizons main dining room at the stern.
Another new feature is the Spellbound magic show, where guests are led through a nondescript black door and entertained by card tricks and illusions over themed cocktails.
Key entertainment venue is the Arena, a theatre in the round, which stages four main productions.
Among the 30 dining and bar venues are an Irish pub, O’Malley’s, a new boutique restaurant overlooking the wake called Love By Britto and meat-lovers’ delight The Butcher’s Block, as well as the line’s first teppanyaki restaurant.
The ship was delayed entering service for 20 days in February because of over-runs at the Fincantieri yard in Monfalcone, Italy, which also put back stage shows and the introduction of the new glider ride, Sea Breeze.
Sun Princess is sailing a series of Mediterranean voyages before heading to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, in October for the ship’s first Caribbean season.
Last week Princess announced that sister ship Star Princess will debut two months late, in September next year. Nine inaugural sailings have been cancelled.
The new inaugural sailings will sail round-trip from Barcelona ahead of a 14-day transatlantic crossing to Fort Lauderdale on October 22, 2025. The ship will then sail an Alaska season in 2026, it was announced yesterday.