Floating hotel Queen Elizabeth 2 to...

Historic ship named after UK King’s mother holds a place in the heart of UAE’s British expat community

The Queen Elizabeth 2 Hotel will be broadcasting live coverage of the coronation ceremony of King Charles III and Queen Camilla, scheduled to take place on Saturday 6 May 2023.

Large screens in the ship’s grand ballroom and other dining venues will allow guests to watch the historic event as it unfolds on the ship that previously sailed the world for decades after its inauguration by the late Queen Elizabeth II in 1969. It was relaunched as a hotel in Dubai in 2018.

"We're thrilled to be able to offer our guests the chance to watch this historic moment live," said Ferghal Purcell, general manager. "We believe that this will be a once-in-a-lifetime event, and we wanted to create a special atmosphere for our guests to enjoy it in."

Guests will have a range of dining options to choose from during the coronation event. The Queens Room, which is one of the ship's most iconic spaces, will serve a British-themed buffet. The Queens Grill will serve a distinctive three-course lunch based on British favourites. The Golden Lion, technically the oldest pub in Dubai, will offer classic pub dishes – think fish and chips, bangers and mash, and shepherd's pie.

“Our latest research shows the draw of Britain’s history and heritage in driving inbound tourism and our royal legacy and pomp and pageantry are proven tourism draws,” said VisitBritain’s interim deputy director, Carol Maddison. "We are delighted to be supporting the Queen Elizabeth 2 royal event. As the world turns its attention to the historic coronation, we’ve got a fantastic opportunity to highlight Great Britain’s outstanding heritage."

Early booking is recommended as availability is expected to be limited.

For more information, visit www.qe2.com/en/coronation