John F. Kennedy’s daughter Caroline Kennedy will be among the guests at a black tie gala dinner to launch a project to build Titanic II, a replica of the ill-fated ship.
The American president’s sister Jean Kennedy Smith and New York mayor Michael Bloomberg are also on the guest list for the event to mark mining magnate Clive Palmer’s ambitious project.
Palmer has said the blueprints for the new ship will be unveiled at the gala dinner being held in New York in December, where guests will be served an identical menu to that offered to Titanic passengers.
Titanic II will offer holiday cruises following the original route from Southampton to New York, making its maiden voyage in 2016, and the nine-deck, 840-room vessel will be built on the same specifications as its predecessor.
Clive Palmer said he had commissioned state-owned Chinese company CSC Jinling Shipyard to construct Titanic II.
The only changes to the original would be below the water line, including welding and not riveting, a bulbous bow for greater fuel efficiency, diesel generation and enlarged rudder and bow thrusters for increased manoeuvrability.