Cunard has announced that its newest ship, Queen Anne, will have the City of Liverpool as its godparent in recognition of the long-lasting bond that exists between the company and its spiritual home. Liverpool was the birthplace of Cunard, and it had its first transatlantic crossing from there in July 1840. Additionally, the city served as the company’s headquarters for 128 years. Today, the people of Liverpool still have a great affection for all things Cunard, as evidenced by the impressive crowds that gather whenever a Cunard ship arrives on the Mersey. In July 2015, more than a million people turned out to see ‘The Three Queens’ event, and in 1990, a record-breaking one million spectators gathered to mark the QE2 anniversary. In the same year of 2015, Cunard was honoured with The Freedom of the City.
Cunard has selected five distinguished Liverpool icons to represent the city and officially name Queen Anne, on behalf of the City of Liverpool. These five women, chosen for their significant contributions to culture at a local, national or international level, are Spice Girl and author Melanie C, broadcaster and community leader Ngunan Adamu, local restaurant entrepreneur Natalie Haywood, Liverpool music and cultural legend Jayne Casey, and British Olympian heptathlon athlete Katarina Johnson-Thomson. Tens of thousands of people are anticipated to gather along the Liverpool waterfront to view the time-honoured naming ceremony, a tradition believed to bequeath good fortune upon the new vessel.
The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra will begin the event with a performance before the hosts, Matt and Emma Willis, take to the stage to oversee the proceedings. The five Liverpool icons will join Cunard President, Katie McAlister, and Captain Inger Klein Thorhauge for a special naming ceremony, where they will officially introduce the ship to her spiritual home amid age-old maritime traditions, including smashing a bottle of champagne against the 249th ship to bear the Cunard name. The formal part of the ceremony will conclude with a breath-taking performance by the operatic superstar Andrea Bocelli, and his iconic song ‘Time to Say Goodbye’.
Katie McAlister, President of Cunard, said, “Liverpool is the spiritual home of Cunard, and we are therefore delighted and feel it very fitting that the city is the godparent to Queen Anne … We are equally delighted to have our five chosen Liverpool icons represent the city in the ceremony. All remarkable in their own right, they have inspired generations and collectively capture the essence of the city that has shaped global culture.” Andrew Lewis, Chief Executive of Liverpool City Council, said, “This city shares a treasured bond with Cunard dating back to 1839 when we were the original home of the world-famous line … We will always cherish our long-standing relationship with Cunard.”
Read the full article on Liverpool Express here: Read More