Queen Anne Liverpool: Everything you need to know about naming event - performers, times, road closures

Thousands of people are expected to descend on Pier Head for a massive celebration on Monday (June 3) as Cunard’s new £600 million Queen Anne liner arrives in Liverpool for a naming ceremony.

The free event will be headlined by iconic Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli and hosted by TV presenter Emma Willis and musician husband Matt Willis. The event will also feature a performance by the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and a DJ set from Craig Charles.

The ship arrived in Liverpool around 7.00am, however, the festivities are due to begin at 2.30pm, with the official naming ceremony - when a bottle of Champagne will be smashed against the hull - taking place later in the afternoon. Full timings are listed below.

The huge Queen Anne ship can carry 3,000 guests and is Cunard’s latest liner. Built in Italy, it will arrive on the Mersey soon after sunrise on June 3 as part of a ‘lap of honour’ voyage around the British Isles.

Cunard ships have previously attracted more than a million spectators to the banks of the Mersey. Huge crowds turned out in 1990, and in 2015 for the Three Queens ‘royal rendezvous’ in front of the Cunard Building to celebrate its 175th anniversary. 

The official naming of Queen Anne will take place from 4.00pm and will be signified by the traditional smashing of a bottle of Champagne against the ship. The identity of the Godparent (the person who smashes the bottle) is being kept a secret for now.

A performance from Bocelli will then follow. The operatic superstar said: “To be taking part in such a historic occasion, in a city rich in cultural heritage, truly brings me great joy.”

The celebrations will then continue with additional performances from the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, the Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts, and DJ Lauren Lo Sung. DJ Craig Charles will then perform a funk and soul set until the grand finale, when Queen Anne departs with a backdrop of dazzling fireworks.

Full schedule for Queen Anne naming ceremony

• 7am – Queen Anne arrives in Liverpool with a fire tug escort.
• 2.30pm – Street theatre and choir performances with a musical maritime flavour on the Pier Head
• 4pm – Naming Ceremony commences - the Godparent will smash a bottle of Champaign on the ship’s hull.
• 5pm – Live entertainment (including performance by Andrea Bocelli)
• 8.30pm – Evening celebrations commence (including DJ Craig Charles and the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra)
• 10:15pm – Queen Anne departs accompanied by a 10-15 minute fireworks display form a barge on the river
• 10.30pm – Celebrations end

Attending the Queen Anne celebrations in Liverpool

The event will be free to attend and tickets are not required, however, there will be a dedicated viewing area for guests on board that will not be accessible to the public. Other fans hoping to watch the ceremony are able to do so shoreside.

Road closures for Queen Anne naming ceremony

There are a number of temporary road closures to be aware off around the waterfront.

• Saturday to Monday - Pier Head
• 6.30am to 11pm - Princes Parade and St Nicholas Place (Crowne Plaza)
• 6am to 11pm - Water Street, Brunswick Street, Canada Boulevard and Mann Island.
• 6am to 11pm - Traffic priority system on Georges Dockway

Mersey rail closures and changes

A normal timetable will be in operation throughout Monday 3 June. In order to ensure customers’ safety, James Street station will be closed from 6.30pm. Customers wishing to travel from Liverpool to Wirral after 6.30pm should use Moorfields station instead.

Customers should be aware that escalators to the Wirral platform at Moorfields are not in service. People who require the use of escalators should take a train from Moorfields to Liverpool Central via the Northern line, where they will be able to use the escalator to the Wirral platform.