Over the past century there have been a handful of ships that stand out as especially innovative, brilliant and important. If they were paintings, they’d be in the Rijks Museum. If they were animals, Texans would have their heads on a wall. These are the Shakespeare ships. The Mona Lisas and the Mercedes 300 SL – Gull Wing………..these are Mozart ships.
And sitting at the very top of the list is of course The Queen Elizabeth 2. People in cream turtleneck jumpers and blue blazers festooned with shiny gold buttons and wearing sensible shoes speak in reverential whispers about how the engines were cast with metal from a hundred Rolls Royces and how its sleek design was way ahead of her time. They talk of tea and scones in the Queens Room and dancing the tango before dining on Peacock and chips, many are so overcome with emotion; they have to go to the toilet.
