The Duke of Edinburgh has compared the fire which gutted the Cutty Sark to the blaze which wrecked Windsor Castle in 1992 causing £37 million worth of damage. He was deeply shocked at the charred remains of the clipper ship, but relieved to hear that most of her antiquities and much of her planking had already been removed.

He showed particular concerns about the rivets and joints holding the iron frames together and how damage to them will affect plans to electrolise the ship. A forensic examination has proved inconclusive and police are now examining other CCTV footage in and around Greenwich.

The immediate task facing the Cutty Sark Trust is to make the ship safe before a full survey can be made of the remains. Cutty Sark’s insurers have already agreed to release £1 million and have announced they will honour the full claim.

But the ship’s restoration will now take much longer and therefore the Cutty Sark Trust are ‘desperately’ seeking funds. Yachting Monthly has teamed up with the trust as a media partner to help raise the money required. If you can help please go to here