Queen Elizabeth's family cruise

Jul 25, 2006, 14:19 GMT

Britain's Queen Elizabeth II gathered family and friends on her luxury boat yesterday (24.07.06), as part of her week-long cruise around Scotland.

Husband Prince Phillip, Prince Edward's wife Sophie and her granddaughters Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie were among VIP guests, on board the luxurious Hebridean Princess.

The queen's two-year-old granddaughter Lady Louise Wessex - daughter of Sophie and Edward - seemed especially thrilled to join the fun day, as she smiled with excitement, while clutching a cuddly toy.

An onlooker was quoted in Britain's Daily Mail newspaper as saying: 'She was really excited and kept throwing her head back to look at the boat.'

The queen's spectacular ship, a converted car ferry, docked at Port Ellen in the early hours of yesterday morning.

Despite a heavy downpour, the monarch - accompanied by daughter Princess Anne and other guests - set off to visit the Bruichladdich whisky distillery, which is renowned for its single malt.

Most of the royal guests left the gathering shortly before lunchtime, and the goodbyes turned into an emotional display for the queen.

As the children left the port they started waving handkerchiefs from their car windows.

The queen waved back energetically and was promptly passed a white handkerchief of her own.

An onlooker said: 'All the kids had handkerchiefs fluttering from the windows and the queen was excitedly waving back.

'It looked as if she demanded a hanky of her own which she then waved quite furiously for three or four minutes. She looked like she was really enjoying herself, and she does like spending time with the children.'

This is the monarch's first cruise in a decade and the Hebridean Princess was especially chartered for her 80th birthday at a cost of £125,000.

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