THIS year's KM Chatham Navy Days is going to be a flag-waving Golden Jubilee spectacular.

In the week that the nation reaffirmed its faith in the monarchy with the Queen Mother's funeral, it was announced that Medway's 2002 spectacular will have a distinctly royal flavour.

Not only is it being held during the Queen's Jubilee weekend, the guest of honour will be the Princess Royal. At this week's launch, organisers said they were confident that Navy Days will be one of the largest and most spectacular celebrations of the Jubilee Bank Holiday outside London.

Bill Fowler, director of KM Chatham Navy Days, said: "This year is going to a flag-waving Jubilee spectacular. We have three days of end-to-end entertainment, which will be a pivotal event for the Queen's Golden Jubilee in Kent and the biggest in the South East."

"It is the combination of an open air Royal tournament with a maritime festival thrown in for good measure."

Navy Days, at the Historic Dockyard, Chatham, is from Sunday to Tuesday, June 2 to 4, and the Princess Royal will visit on the Monday.

Warships from several nations will be among the military and civilian displays. The Royal Navy vessels will be HMS Exeter, HMS Chiddingfold and HMS Inverness. Others will come from the Irish, Belgian, Danish and Polish navies.

Military bands including the Band of Her Majesty's Royal Marines and the Massed Band of the Sea Cadet Corps will be performing a major music programme throughout the weekend.

Tickets for KM Chatham Navy Days are now available from the Central Theatre in Chatham or by contacting the hotline 01634 403868. The line is open Monday to Saturday from 10am to 5pm.