Prince Philip to visit America's Cup spectacular in Portsmouth

Prince Philip will go to the team’s Camber Dock centre on Friday, the second day of the event in the city.

He will meet the design and engineering team that built the boat that will race for the America’s Cup in Bermuda 2017.

The Duke will then head out on the water to watch the high-speed racing action and meet Sir Ben Ainslie and his team as they battle to bring the cup home.

Chief executive officer of Land Rover BAR Martin Whitmarsh said: ‘We’re delighted to have Prince Philip visiting and watching the racing in Portsmouth next week.

‘It has given the whole team a huge boost ahead of the event.’

The news of the royal visit comes just a week ahead of the four-day spectacle launching.

All eyes will be on Olympic legend Sir Ben and his team, as they seek to put on a top performance.

The home side is looking to sail through the cup qualifier and stake their place in the finals of the America’s Cup in Bermuda next year.

Sir Ben and international competitors will soar through the Solent at speeds of up to 40mph.

Spectators can watch the action for free from the Common, or from the ticketed Race Village arena near Southsea Castle.

Practice races will be held on Friday, then on Saturday, the competition gets under way. The spectacle finishes on Sunday when double points are up for grabs.

Sir Keith Mills, World Series chairman, said: ‘I have been involved in many sporting events, from the London Olympics in 2012 to the Invictus Games in 2015 and 2016, and I never fail to be amazed by the pride and passion that sporting events can deliver.

‘We saw nearly 250,000 people be a part of this event in 2015 and the response was overwhelming; both to us as event organisers, but also to Sir Ben and Land Rover BAR.

‘For this 2016 event, we have listened to our fans and evolved the content to match the demand.’

Aerial displays from the Red Arrows, Red Bull Matadors and The Blades aerobatic team will also be in store.

Tickets start from £25 for adults with under-16s half price and under-5s free.

For tickets, visit lvacwsportsmouth.com/tickets