Queen Elizabeth's New Centerpiece

Last week, Cunard unveiled the new centerpiece for the Grand Lobby of Queen Elizabeth, which debuts in autumn. The artwork was specially commissioned for the cruise liner, to David Linley, son of the late Princess Margaret and the internationally famous photographer Lord Snowdon – and Her Majesty The Queen's only nephew – whose company specialises in the design and creation of fine furniture and marquetry. Work is currently underway, and the completed 18 and a half foot panel will be shipped to the Fincantieri shipyard in Italy, where it will be installed over four-days, before she enters service in October.

Linley’s work shows the port bow of the original Queen Elizabeth seen from sea level, and is carefully made using marquetry inlay with nine individual panels made of various types of wood veneers jointed to lightweight board. Featured woods are Madrona, Indian ebony, American walnut, grey ripple sycamore, burr ash, bird’s eye maple, satin walnut, ash, burr walnut and Macassar ebony.

“We needed to fill that space with a decorative screen which would not just be dramatic – a ‘wow’ factor in an area already full of ‘wow’ – but which would also reflect our emphasis on traditional and sumptuous materials,” said Peter Shanks, president of Cunard Line. “After much thought and exploratory work, it was decided to commission a marquetry panel depicting the original Queen Elizabeth, an Art Deco icon, using a variety of natural woods from around the world. Once we had decided on the theme and the medium, it didn’t take us long to conclude that no one was better qualified for this detailed but monumental work than the company of the exceptional craftsman David Linley, whose creative ability and mastery of wood is renowned.”

“Though we have made fittings for luxury yachts in the past,” said Linley, who founded his company in 1985, “this is the first sea-going work we have done on this scale – it is certainly the largest screen we have ever made – but it was a commission I was delighted to accept. I recall my father saying the interior design on Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth 2 made one proud to be British, so I am hoping our achievement on the new Queen Elizabeth will make him – and others – equally proud.”

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