QE2 on 40th anniversary cruise around Britain

0 Comments | AFP, September, 2007

LONDON (AFP) — The Queen Elizabeth 2 set off on a special eight-day cruise around Britain's coastline on Sunday marking the world-famous luxury ocean liner's 40th anniversary.

The QE2 sailed out of its home port of Southampton, southern England, on a cruise that will see her welcomed Thursday on the River Clyde in western Scotland -- 40 years to the day since Queen Elizabeth II launched the transatlantic giant.

Royalty, presidents and prime ministers have all travelled on the luxury 70,000-tonne liner since then.

The ship was to dock at Newcastle, South Queensferry near Edinburgh, Greenock on the Clyde near Glasgow, Liverpool and then back at Southampton.

One hundred workers who helped build the liner at the John Brown shipyard on the Clyde will...