Flag Officers | The Mary Rose
Flag Officers

Supporting us with your contribution

The Mary Rose Trust Flag Officer Club is the means by which we formally recognise the contributions of major donors.

Why become a major donor?

The Mary Rose Trust is the custodian of an iconic and historical Tudor collection. In our role as custodians of human history, it is our job to care for and conserve the Mary Rose, her crew and their belongings, ensuring we do everything we can to pass on the collection to future generations, in the best condition possible. 

We also inspire current and future generations through educational programmes, contemporary interpretation of the collection, and engage our local community in order to improve the well-being, culture and economy of Portsmouth and its residents.

The scale at which we are able to achieve in these charitable objectives depends hugely on the Trust’s financial sustainability. The ship is an extremely demanding asset to look after and, whilst we will continue to explore new technologies to reduce energy use and cost of environmental controls, its conservation will continue to be a challenge.

We need to generate income necessary to fund this conservation whilst at the same time investing in the Museum’s visitor experience, from which, in turn, we generate income from visitor admissions, catering, retail and other activities.

Becoming a Flag Officer of the Mary Rose Trust

The Mary Rose Trust Flag Officer Club is the means by which we formally recognise the contributions of major donors. It is represented by four ranks - reflecting the Flag Officer structure of the Royal Navy - with these determined by the level of contributions to which the donor commits over a period of years.

All rankings entitles the holder and up to three guests to visit the Museum at any time and on any number of occasions - subject to prior appointment, based on two week’s notice - to enjoy a private tour, including the Reserve Collection, hosted either by the CEO, the Deputy CEO or the Head of Collections or Research. The exclusive Flag Officers’ Wardroom offers a range of complimentary refreshments and a space in which the party may relax between embarking upon other visits within Portsmouth Historic Dockyard.

Free entry for Flag Officers and their guests also applies to the other major attractions and Museums comprising Portsmouth Historic Dockyard. These include HMS Victory, Admiral Nelson’s flagship; HMS Warrior, the world’s first iron-hulled, armoured battleship; the National Museum of the Royal Navy – and, coming soon, the new Royal Marines Museum - all located within the pleasing Georgian surroundings of Portsmouth Historic Dockyard. Additionally, on the Gosport side of Portsmouth Dockyard, and accessible via the complimentary waterbus service, Flag Officers can also gain entry to The Royal Navy Submarine Museum, located at Haslar, and Explosion Museum of Naval Firepower, which showcases the history of naval ordnance over the centuries at Priddy’s Hard.

Recognising the generosity of Flag Officers

The Mary Rose Trust recognises the generosity of Flag Officers by:

  • Inscribing the Flag Officer’s name in a prominent position within the Museum.
  • Commissioning a gold-embroidered cummerbund or sash - according to preference - denoting the rank held together with the crest of the Mary Rose.
  • Keeping members in touch by sending annual reports and other regular updates.
  • Acknowledging support in Mary Rose publications.

The honorary title applies for the lifetime of the holder - subject to upgrades resulting from additional donations - while certain privileges are then accorded to each specific rank, specified on the following pages.

Commodore
Minimum gift of £10,000

Commodores will be entitled to:

  • All events at which the President of the Mary Rose Trust (currently HRH Former Prince of Wales) will be in attendance.
  • Other periodic social events
  • Lectures by well-known historians and other expert speakers (held periodically).
  • Previews of new exhibitions and other important Museum initiatives.
Rear Admiral
Minimum gift of £25,000

Rear Admirals will be entitled to:

  • All events at which the President of the Mary Rose Trust (currently HRH Former Prince of Wales) will be in attendance.
  • Other periodic social events
  • Lectures by well-known historians and other expert speakers (held periodically).
  • Previews of new exhibitions and other important Museum initiatives.
  • A personal briefing with the CEO (on request).
  • A miniature replica of a Mary Rose sword.
Vice Admiral
Minimum gift of £50,000

Vice Admirals will be entitled to:

  • All events at which the President of the Mary Rose Trust (currently HRH Former Prince of Wales) will be in attendance.
  • Other periodic social events
  • Lectures by well-known historians and other expert speakers (held periodically).
  • Previews of new exhibitions and other important Museum initiatives.
  • A personal briefing with the CEO and any other MRT Board Members (on request).
  • A full-sized replica of a Mary Rose sword.
Admiral
Minimum gift of £100,000

Admirals will be entitled to:

  • All events at which the President of the Mary Rose Trust (currently HRH Former Prince of Wales) will be in attendance.
  • Other periodic social events
  • Lectures by well-known historians and other expert speakers (held periodically).
  • Previews of new exhibitions and other important Museum initiatives.
  • A personal briefing with the CEO and any other MRT Board Members (on request).
  • A full-sized replica of a Mary Rose sword.
  • A high-quality wooden model of the Mary Rose or a fined crafted scale model of a culverin in a glazed presentation case
  • The recognition of their gift in perpetuity
Further information

Registered address
Mary Rose Trust
1/10 College Road,
H M Naval Base,
Portsmouth,
Hampshire
PO3 1LX