Cunard's newest vessel - MS Queen Anne, is set to be christened at its historic birthplace, the Mersey waterfront in Liverpool, on Monday, June 3. This significant event will mark the culmination of a celebratory "lap of honor" voyage around the British Isles.
Renowned British pop culture figures, musician Matt Willis of Busted and TV presenter Emma Willis, will serve as hosts for the memorable occasion. In a recorded message, they provide insight into what guests can anticipate from the event.
The anticipation builds as Queen Anne is expected to grace the Mersey shortly after sunrise, marking a highly anticipated port of call during the exclusive 14-night "The British Isles Festival Voyage".
Plans are underway for a special salute upon her arrival, paying homage to the city where Cunard's pioneering Transatlantic service and passenger shipping were inaugurated in 1840. The iconic Cunard Building, part of the famed Three Graces, serves as a fitting centerpiece for the occasion.
The 14-night British Isles Festival Voyage commences from Southampton on May 24, featuring maiden calls to Edinburgh (South Queensferry), Invergordon, Greenock, Belfast, and Liverpool. Guests on this voyage will enjoy an exclusive opportunity to partake in the Naming celebrations before Queen Anne embarks on a spectacular late evening departure bound for Cobh, followed by her return to Southampton.
The formal Naming Ceremony will be the focal point of a day filled with festivities for Queen Anne, currently undergoing final touches at Fincantieri's shipyard in Marghera, Italy.
Liverpool is bracing for the influx of spectators, with tens of thousands expected to line the river at Pier Head, between New Brighton and Seacombe on Wirral, and on beaches at Formby and Crosby in Sefton. A live global broadcast will ensure worldwide attention once again converges on a Cunard event in Liverpool.
Cunard ships have historically drawn immense crowds to the Mersey's banks, notably for the maiden call of the renowned QE2 in July 1990 and the Three Queens 'royal rendezvous' in 2015, commemorating the 175th anniversary of the illustrious shipping company.