Cunard Line christened its newest vessel, the GBP 470 million Queen Anne, at a ceremony in Liverpool on Monday, June 3. This marked the second major maritime event for the city in the past decade, though on a smaller scale than the 2015 Three Queens gathering.
The 7 am arrival of Queen Anne up the River Mersey drew crowds that steadily grew throughout the day. Festivities culminated in a 4:00 p.m. christening ceremony featuring renowned tenor Andrea Bocelli, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, and performances from the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts.
Matt Willis and Emma Willis co-hosted the on-stage proceedings, which also included five prominent Liverpool figures: former Spice Girl Melanie C, broadcaster Ngunan Adamu, restaurateur Natalie Haywood, musician Jayne Casey, and Olympic athlete Katarina Johnson-Thompson.
The ceremony acknowledged Liverpool's historical significance to Cunard, having served as the birthplace of the company's first transatlantic crossing in 1840 and its headquarters for over a century. Though Southampton now acts as Cunard's home port, the Liverpool bond remains strong, with the city officially named Queen Anne's Godmother.
A traditional champagne christening blessed the vessel, followed by a fireworks display as the Queen Anne departed Merseyside shortly after 10 pm.