Monday 11 October 2010

Queen names the new Queen

The Queen named the new Queen Elizabeth in Southampton this afternoon and BBC Radio Solent covered the event - very well, it has to be said. After Cunard president Peter Shanks made a speech, the Rt Rev Michael Scott-Joynt, Bishop of Winchester did a small blessing then The Queen named the ship - the bottle smashed and the ship's siren was sounded.
The ship sails on her maiden voyage tomorrow, full of lucky people, and I am planning to be at Cowes or East Cowes to see her go past, so I hope the weather is as gloriously sunny as it's been today especially as the light will be going by the time she gets to the Solent.

One sad thing about today's events, with the naming of a new Cunard ship called Queen Elizabeth, is the sudden realisation that the old QE2 is now well and truly consigned to history and will never return.