The Royal Navy has unveiled plans for a spectacular programme of events to commemorate the Battle of Trafalgar, but then admitted a substantial amount of sponsorship money would be needed to help fund it.

On the day the First Sea Lord, Admiral Sir Alan West, admitted the Navy faced hard choices over cost-cutting, details were announced of its proposals to mark the 200th anniversary of Lord Nelson's historic victory over the French.

The centrepiece of the celebrations will be a fleet review at Spithead, on the Solent, on June 28 next year, followed by a four-day International Festival of the Sea at Portsmouth Naval Base.

The Royal Navy also revealed plans for more celebratory events in autumn next year to remember Nelson, including a dinner on HMS Victory, a service at St Paul's Cathedral and an event in Trafalgar Square.

But speaking at the launch of Trafalgar 200 at the Ministry of Defence in London yesterday, Admiral West admitted that the scale and scope of the celebrations would depend on the amount of sponsorship raised.

"We do intend to have sponsorship - the scale and scope (of what we do) to an extent will depend on that aspect," he said.

"Clearly the more money we get, the more things that we can plan. I am excited about the fact that across Britain people will get involved in this."

Armed Forces Minister Adam Ingram said: "There is nothing unusual about trying to engage industry, the wider community in such a major national event."

He said: "This is a complex process. That is why we have to plan according to the size of the budget - no different from anything else we do. This is why we are kicking off this process to define what it is we are trying to achieve, and the scale and scope of what we can do will obviously then depend upon the resources which are available. That is why we are asking for support."

Asked whether, in light of his comments about cost-cutting, the Royal Navy would have any ships to send to the review, Admiral West said: "We have got the best and second most powerful navy in the world and there will be a considerable number of very impressive ships at the fleet review."