FEARS have been raised that the Queen will not be present at the launch of Southampton's new superliner the Queen Mary 2.

Buckingham Palace has still not confirmed if the Queen will be coming to the glittering ceremony to launch the £540m vessel on January 10 next year.

The vessel's owners Cunard were told they could expect a decision from the Queen no less than six months before the launch. There is speculation that the Palace has been angered by Cunard's decision to build the luxury vessel in France.

A spokesman for Cunard said they had not yet approached anyone else for the launch.

A spokesman for Buckingham Palace said: "We will not be making an announcement on the Queen's winter programme until the latter part of the year."