QE2 Dubai : A Special Relationship and a Royal visit (March 2024)

[Rob Lightbody]

Created in the period of time ahead of HRH The Princess Royal's visit last week, a fantastic and detailed new display has been created on board QE2, in the former Photoshop, in recognition of the relationship between the UK Special Forces and the QE2.

It was officially opened by the Princess Royal on the 1st of March 2024, who is the Royal Patron of the Special Boat Services Association and is already proving a hit with interested guests.

The exhibition isn't fully open to the public yet, and a full items have to be completed, but it really looks fantastic and I'm sure the Princess thought so too.

Well done to the QE2 Dubai team (and their silent helpers....) for pulling all this together, it brings the QE2 alive once more.

[Rod]

Using my pic without permission again!


Moderator note - Rod is being funny here due to the fact he appears in one of the pics, he's not claiming copyright infringement !!

[Rob Lightbody]

QE2 Dubai have personally sent us some addition photos of HRH The Princess Royal's visit to QE2 last week.

They have said the following

Following on from a Special Forces Club Dinner in October 2022, I was been working on preserving the story of the 1972 Bomb threat to the QE2 and the role the Special Forces, specifically the Special Boat Service, Special Air Service and the Royal Army Ordinance Corp played in investigating the threat. This involved the SF Team travelling some 1,000 miles from Britain, locating the ship, parachuting into the ocean and coming onboard to search the ship, for the potential bombs.

Fortunately, this turned out to be a hoax, with the source of the hoax, eventually being captured and serving 20 years for threats to the QE2 & Pan American Airlines.

We were honoured to have HRH Princess Anne onboard on the 01st of March 2024, where we used the opportunity to ask her to officially open the display aptly named,

A “Special Relationship”, which she was delighted to do so. We have been blown away by the response to our new Historical & Heritage touchpoint, with all of those who have visited the display, hugely impressed by the quality of the content and the manner in which we have preserved this incredible & unique story.

Once again, Michael was a great, truly great support in sourcing and preserving  and “loaning’ his original newspaper cuttings from the time, and we are eternally grateful for this.

Attached below is a link to a selection of photos which I hope you and your Members will enjoy reading & viewing.

[Rob Lightbody]

Photos attached.

[Rod]

My God, she is lovely all the time, but when her face lights up....WOW !!! just WOW !!!

[Andy Holloway]

My God, she is lovely all the time, but when her face lights up....WOW !!! just WOW !!!

Of course HRH' s other 'link/association' with QE2 comes through her being Master of Trinity House and The Former Deputy Master being Captain Ian McNaught CVO MNM.

[Joann Scott]

Hi Rob

Nice to see the Royals can see that it is great PR to  keep the QE2 in the loop to see she is well taken care of. Having HRH Princess to view her was wonderful. Having the history that QE2 was christen by  HRH Queen Elisabeth. Thank you again for keeping our Forum up to date. Also nice to see pictures taken now to see how QE2 is doing!!