The 20th anniversary of the raising of King Henry VIII's flagship the Mary Rose is being marked by a weekend of events.

On 11 October 1982 the ship was raised from the sea bed off the coast of Portsmouth, where it had lain since 1545.

An estimated worldwide television audience of 60m people watched the event.

The Mary Rose sank during the Battle of Spithead against the French while Henry VIII looked on from Southsea Castle.

The project recently received a �4.1m grant

On Friday 500 people who have worked on the conservation project are being reunited at the Mary Rose Museum in Portsmouth to celebrate the anniversary.

Dr Margaret Rule - who was archaeological director of the project at the time of the raising - will also be opening a new display at the museum.

The Prince of Wales was one of more than 200 divers who helped to excavate the hull of the Mary Rose.

'Anxious moments'

The Prince said: "It seems amazing that 20 years has passed since that memorable grey October morning in 1982 when the Mary Rose finally saw daylight after so long under the sea.

"But she very nearly didn't see daylight that day and I remember experiencing some decidedly anxious moments when the lifting cradle nearly parted company with the floating crane.

"I know first-hand of the courage shown by the dive team working in difficult conditions to say the least - and often against the odds."

The conservation project for the Mary Rose this July received a �4.1m grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund to help preserve the wreck.