By
Rebecca Gibson |
A rare facsimile of the Magna Carta, one of the most important documents in English history, will be displayed onboard Cunard’s Queen Mary 2 and Queen Victoria this summer.
First issued as a charter by King John of England in June 1215, the Magna Carta contained a series of written promises between the king and his subjects that he would govern England and deal with its people according to the customs of feudal law. It was developed to stop King John abusing his power and causing suffering to the people of England.
On loan from Salisbury Cathedral in the UK, the facsimile is one of the four original 1215 documents in existence. The document will be displayed in Queen Mary 2’s Grand Lobby from 10 May to 11 September 2015, before it is transferred to Queen Victoria from 26-28 May as part of the ship’s Liverpool Salute sailing from 22-28 May. On 25 May, all three Queens will sail together into the Liverpool, the spiritual home of Cunard, for the first time.
Robert Key, chairman of the Salisbury Cathedral 2015 Magna Carta 800th Anniversary Board, and a member of the National Magna Carta 800th Committee will escort the copy of Salisbury’s Magna Carta during onboard Queen Mary 2 from 10-17 May and 4-11 September 2015. He will also join Queen Victoria’s 22-28 May voyage.
“I, and Salisbury Cathedral, are delighted to be working with Cunard as we celebrate the Magna Carta’s 800th anniversary by loaning a very rare facsimile of the document,” said Key. “The impact of the Magna Carta was not only felt onshore, but in these lectures we have a golden opportunity to explain and explore those fundamental freedoms that give Cunard ships the right to sail the seven seas – rights that we won 800 years ago and for which people the world over are still prepared to fight and to die.”
Key will hold two talks per voyage to outline the legacy of the Magna Carta. He will also discuss how Cunard ship Queen Elizabeth played a role in transporting the Lincoln Magna Carta from the US city of New York to the UK in January 1946 after the end of World War II.
“It is an honour to welcome the Magna Carta, such a significant piece of world history, to both our flagship liner, Queen Mary 2, and Queen Victoria during our 175th anniversary year,” said Richard Meadows, president of Cunard North America. “Hosting someone such as Robert Key, and providing our guests a glimpse into the enduring impact of this historical document on our world today, truly exemplifies what Cunard’s Insights enrichment programme is all about.”