President Sarkozy honours Dame Ellen MacArthur at the Old Royal Naval College
April Hollier
28 March 2008
Nicolas Sarkozy, the French President, accompanied by Madame Carla Sarkozy, visited the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich yesterday afternoon in order to present Dame Ellen MacArthur with the Légion d’Honneur in recognition of her sailing achievements.
The party travelled to Greenwich from Savoy Pier in central London by Thames Clipper Aurora and, on arrival, were met by the Chairman and Chief Executive of the Greenwich Foundation, Mr Francis Plowden and Mr Duncan Wilson OBE, the Mayor of Greenwich, Cllr Sajid Jawaid, and Leader of Greenwich Council, Cllr Chris Roberts.
The President met Dame Ellen MacAthur on Grand Square, where her boat, the BT Extreme 40 was displayed.
The party entered the Painted Hall where, in a short ceremony, the President presented Dame Ellen with the Légion d’Honneur stating “I am especially happy to meet you in this mythical place of Greenwich, landmark of time and space for all who sail the oceans, and to present you with the highest French distinction”.
President Sarkozy had personally chosen to include a visit to the Old Royal Naval College as part of his state visit and it was particularly apt that this ceremony took place at the Old Royal Naval College which is where both Sir Francis Chichester and Sir Francis Drake received their Knighthoods, Sir Francis Chichester from The Queen in 1967 and Sir Francis Drake from Queen Elizabeth I in 1581. 
Notes to Editors
• Dame Ellen MacArthur was presented with the insignia of the Chevalier of the Légion d’Honneur.
• The Painted Hall: One of the finest banqueting rooms in Europe, the famous painted ceilings and walls of the Painted Hall took artist Sir James Thornhill nineteen years to complete. It is estimated that between 30,000 and 90,000 mourners queued to pay their respects in January 1806, when the body of Nelson lay in state in the Hall after his death 200 years ago at the Battle of Trafalgar.
• Greenwich Foundation: The Greenwich Foundation is a registered charity established to look after, and interpret, the buildings and their grounds for the benefit of the nation. Discover Greenwich is a major redevelopment project which will see the existing Pepys Visitor Centre transformed into an engaging interpretation and education centre for the Old Royal Naval College and the wider Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site. Work will begin autumn 2008 and is set to be completed winter 2009.
www.oldroyalnavalcollege.org
