The Duke came to say a last goodbye to the QE2

The Duke came to say a last goodbye to the QE2

14 April 2021

A MERCHANT seaman from Crossgar – who once hosted the late Duke of Edinburgh on the QE2 – spoke of how “everybody loved” the former Naval officer.

Now retired as a Chief Engineer with the Cunard line, John Hanvey had the honour of meeting Prince Philip in Southampton in 2008 on the day before the great ocean liner was ‘retired’ and sold and developed as a floating hotel in Dubai.

Mr Hanvey said how the Duke was universally revered by the ship’s multi-national crew, which sometimes boasted more than 30 nationalities on board, and who all delighted in meeting him.

Joined by his wife Wendy and daughters Jocelyn and Gemma on board for his last day on the liner which had become his second home, Mr Hanvey, a former student at Downpatrick Technical School, said that the emotional event was even more heightened as it was on Remembrance Day.

“I was Chief Engineer on the QE2 and it was the last day she was in Southampton before sailing out to her new home,” said Mr Hanvey. “It was quite a windy day and we were delayed getting into Southampton before making the final voyage.

“The Duke of Edinburgh was interested in seeing the ship one last time. He was there to say his last goodbye to the ship, that was his whole objective. He came down to see the ship and stayed for lunch. I met him in the working alley of the ship as he was escorted around the ship by an ex captain.

“He was visiting various departments and when he came to the Technical Department, we had our crew and officers lined up. He spoke to a few of them as he made his way around the engine room.

“At 11am, we observed a minute’s silence for Remembrance Day in the control room of the engine room. All the while he was asking questions of everyone he was introduced to. He wanted to know everything.

“After the silence, I introduced to the Officer of The Watch and then I took him to the ships two machinery spaces. I was only meant to take him into one of them but I asked him if he wanted to see the second one and of course he did.”

He said Prince Philip, who fought in the World War Two, was very interested in all the machinery and asked technical questions about speed and function.

“It was only a very short time but it was lovely to meet him,” said Mr Hanvey. “Everybody loved him.

“We left the machine rooms and went back to the control room where he was picked up by his escort. He obviously knew a lot about ships and he also knew a lot about the QE2 as he had been on it several times.

“He was one of two Royals that I met while working on the QE2 on and off for about 25 years. The other was the Duke of Gloucester but he was the only one of that station that I got speaking to.”

Mr Hanvey said that added to sharing the special day with his family, two special events to mark Remembrance Day added to the poignancy.

“A Lancaster bomber came over and ped poppies on the ship and once the ceremony was over a Harrier jump jet hovered along the side of the side facing inwards and did a bow to say goodbye. It was magnificent. All the passengers managed to see that and it was a great way to leave,” he said.

Mr Hanvey, who attended St Joseph’s Primary School in Crossgar, left the village at the age of 17 to join the Merchant Navy, working for both P&O and Cunard over his career.

He met his nurse wife as they were both working on a cruise ship in the Caribbean and are now proud grandparents of a grandson.

Having worked for over 40 years, Mr Hanvey retired in December, 2014 and now lives with his family in Gloucestershire.