THE British Pathe footage can be seen today, on YouTube: Princess Elizabeth, in October 1947, addressing a crowd of 30,000 shipyard workers, visitors and dignitaries at the Clydebank yard of John Brown’s.
With her husband-to-be, Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten at her side, the Princess was launching the Caronia, the latest addition to the Cunard White Star fleet.
The Princess spoke of the heavy sufferings endured during the war and the present difficulties facing the country. “A most important contribution to maintaining both the standard of living at home and our place among the nations is being made,” she added, “by the men and women who have built the Caronia, and by those who will sail her upon the high seas.”
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Herald DiaryThe Caronia is pictured here in August 1948, with work proceeding apace on her funnel. She made her maiden voyage to New York on January 4, 1949. She had
the affectionate nickname of the “Green goddess”.
“Being the first ship ever purpose-built for the dual rôle of transatlantic crossings, but more especially for cruising as an all first-class ship, Caronia quickly became the post-war jewel of the British Merchant Navy,” says the website www.caronia2.info.
“She had an illustrious and mostly profitable career with Cunard, spanning nearly 20 years. With her fabulous art-deco interiors and high crew-to-passenger ratio, the Caronia very soon began to establish a highly enviable reputation as probably the most luxurious ocean liner afloat at that time. Reports in all the leading periodicals pointed toward a ship that had set new standards. If cruising in style was your desire and you could afford it, there was
no other choice.”
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