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At 70,327 tons and 963 feet (294m) long, with a top speed of 32.5 knots, she is one of the largest and fastest passenger vessels afloat. She is larger than the RMS Titanic, but smaller than her predecessor, RMS Queen Elizabeth and her successor, RMS Queen Mary 2.
The "2" in the name distinguishes her from the first ship of the name, the RMS Queen Elizabeth, which was named for Queen Elizabeth, the wife of King George VI of the United Kingdom, who was Queen Consort when that ship was built. The QE2 was allegedly named to honor Queen Elizabeth II, who launched her in 1969. In fact, HM the Queen specifically spoke the liner's name as "Queen Elizabeth Two" when she christened the ship at her launching, rather than as "Queen Elizabeth the Second," which the use of Roman numerals would have implied. The ship's name was formerly written Queen Elizabeth II and this incorrect spelling is sometimes seen. Cunard correctly uses the Arabic numeral to distinguish the ship from the monarch and from her predecessor.
She was built on the River Clyde in Scotland and launched on 20th September 1967. Her maiden voyage, from Southampton to New York, was on 2nd May 1969.
In 1972, the QE2 was the subject of a bomb threat.
In 1982, she took part in the Falklands War, carrying 3000 troops to the south Atlantic.
In 1986, her steam turbines were replaced by diesel engines.
In August 1992 her hull was considerably damaged when she ran aground off Cape Cod, on a day trip from New York to Martha's Vineyard.
The QE2 was removed from transatlantic service in 2004 when QM2 became operational, but continues in service as a cruise ship homeported at Southampton.
