VALENCIA, Calif., May 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Cunard’s flagship Queen Mary 2 arrived today in New York carrying the Eternal Flame after a seven-day North Atlantic Crossing. Following the ship’s arrival, a commemorative ceremony was held onboard Queen Mary 2 by the Consulate General of France, La Flamme de la Liberté, and Cunard honoring the WWII Normandy Landings of 1944 and marking the 80th Anniversary of D-Day.
Those in attendance included Mr. Laurent Bili, Ambassador of France to the United States; Mr. Damien Laban, Acting Consul General of France in New York; Mr. Edward Mermelstein, Commissioner for International Affairs, City of New York; Queen Mary 2 Captain Andrew Hall; General Patton’s granddaughter, Helen Ayer-Patton; and WWII veterans from The Greatest Generations Foundation.
The Eternal Flame, which has been burning since November 11, 1923, on the tomb of the Unknown Soldier under the Arc de Triomphe, was collected on May 8. From there, a group of 12 young French ambassadors carried the flame from Paris to Cherbourg where it crossed the English Channel to Portsmouth, a key embarkation port for the Normandy Invasion. Thereafter the flame proceeded the short distance to Southampton where it boarded Queen Mary 2 to cross the Atlantic and arrive in New York. The ambassadors will escort the flame to Arlington Cemetery to lay it down at an official ceremony on May 24, and let it burn until June 6, 2024.
Queen Mary 2 Captain Andrew Hall said: “We are honored that our flagship Queen Mary 2 was part of this historic occasion honoring the men and women who served in D-Day, and the many hundreds of thousands of whom were brought over the Atlantic on Cunard ships. Today will truly be remembered as an important part of Cunard’s long and storied history.”
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ABOUT CUNARD:
Cunard is a luxury British cruise line, renowned for creating unforgettable experiences around the world. Cunard has been a leading operator of passenger ships since 1840, celebrating an incredible 184 years of operation. The Cunard experience is built on fine dining, hand-selected entertainment, and outstanding White Star service. From a partnership with a two-Michelin starred chef, to inspiring guest speakers, to world class theatre productions, every detail has been meticulously crafted to make the experience unforgettable. A pioneer in transatlantic journeys and round world voyages, destinations sailed to also include Europe, the Caribbean, Alaska, the Far East and Australia. There are currently four Cunard ships, Queen Mary 2, Queen Elizabeth, Queen Victoria and new ship, Queen Anne, entered service in May 2024. This investment is part of the company’s ambitious plans for the future of Cunard globally and will be the first time since 1999 that Cunard will have four ships in simultaneous service. Cunard is based at Carnival House in Southampton and has been owned since 1998 by Carnival Corporation & plc. www.cunard.com (NYSE/LSE: CCL; NYSE:CUK).
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Jackie Chase, Cunard, [email protected]
Cindy Adams, MGA Media Group, [email protected]
SOURCE Cunard
