The luxury ship, converted into a floating hotel in Dubai, was inaugurated by the Queen in 1967
There was a somber mood in the lobby of the QE2 cruise ship on Friday when several people came with flowers to pay their respects to Queen Elizabeth II. The British Embassy in Abu Dhabi announced on its Instagram page that the general public will be able to express condolences on QE2 from 10 am to 6 pm, and advised people to expect queues.
“She really was the queen of our hearts,” said Gary James, who has lived in the UAE for more than three decades. “She was a big part of our lives, and it felt right to come here and pay tribute to her.” Gary arrived with his wife Amanda to lay flowers at the bust of the queen. “What I liked most about the queen was her etiquette,” Amanda said. “She was a very reserved and reserved person. No big display of emotion.” The longest-reigning monarch in the world, Queen Elizabeth II, died on Thursday at the age of 96. Senior members of the royal family gathered at her Scottish estate in Balmoral after concerns were raised about her health earlier in the day.
Inundated with calls since the news broke, QE2 management moved the bust from the ship's first-class waiting room, dubbed the Queen's Room, to the lobby so people could pay their respects.
QE2 was inaugurated and pressed to the heart by Queen Elizabeth II. In 1967, the Queen christened the ship with her name in front of thousands of people who lined the streets, wanting to know the name of the new vessel. “I call this ship the Queen Elizabeth II. May God bless her and everyone who swims on her,” she announced.
“To be on board this magnificent ship after learning of Her Majesty's passing is so profound,” Charlotte said. “We will celebrate her long and wonderful life.” A resident of Abu Dhabi came to Dubai to spend a few days in QE2.
Designed as one of the fastest transatlantic vessels, the QE2 was known for its style and luxury. Having hosted the Queen several times, the liner arrived in Dubai in November 2008 to be converted into a floating luxury hotel in the port of Mina Rashid.
British tourists Corinne Hughes and Beverly Rogers arrived in Dubai on Wednesday for a short vacation. “We came when we had a queen as a monarch, and we're going back to the king,” Beverly said. The duo arrived at the QE2 lobby to lay flowers. “This is very unexpected and we will all miss her very much.”
Over the seven decades of her reign, the Queen has witnessed some of the most significant changes in modern history, including the last days of the British Empire and internal scandals.
Australian Julie Bonollo accompanied her British friend Karen Brannelli to lay flowers at the bust of the Queen in QE2. “My mother was a royalist, so I grew up with a huge love for the queen,” Karen said. “I will miss her presence and the fact that she was just herself. She was an amazing woman, kind, caring and with a great sense of humor.”
“She was our queen too,” Julie said. “Also, I think it's really the end of an era, so I felt it was appropriate to come here and pay my respects. She was part of history. I very much doubt that there will be another leader like her. In good times and bad, she was the glue that held Britain together.”
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