• QE2 reopened in 2018 as a floating hotel at Port Rashid. All photos: Antonie Robertson / The National
    QE2 reopened in 2018 as a floating hotel at Port Rashid. All photos: Antonie Robertson / The National
  • A theatre where live entertainment is held on Dubai’s only floating hotel, the Queen Elizabeth 2, which is being taken over by French hospitality group Accor.
    A theatre where live entertainment is held on Dubai’s only floating hotel, the Queen Elizabeth 2, which is being taken over by French hospitality group Accor.
  • The interior of the ship, which is permanently docked at Dubai's Mina Rashid port, has been completely preserved.
    The interior of the ship, which is permanently docked at Dubai's Mina Rashid port, has been completely preserved.
  • The midships lobby area in the restored QE2.
    The midships lobby area in the restored QE2.
  • The old Golden Lion pub.
    The old Golden Lion pub.
  • The casino is filled with slot machines - now purely decorative.
    The casino is filled with slot machines - now purely decorative.
  • A games arcade cluttered with old machines remains.
    A games arcade cluttered with old machines remains.
  • The QE2's stairs have been restored.
    The QE2's stairs have been restored.
  • The hotel has 447 hotel rooms and nine food and beverage outlets.
    The hotel has 447 hotel rooms and nine food and beverage outlets.
  • Inside a deluxe room on the QE2 hotel.
    Inside a deluxe room on the QE2 hotel.
  • Inside the renovated Yacht Club restaurant on the QE2.
    Inside the renovated Yacht Club restaurant on the QE2.
  • The corridors are all soft carpet and 1970s kitsch.
    The corridors are all soft carpet and 1970s kitsch.
  • The ocean liner is named after the late Queen Elizabeth II.
    The ocean liner is named after the late Queen Elizabeth II.
  • The midships lobby area in the restored QE2.
    The midships lobby area in the restored QE2.

Platinum jubilee: Dubai's 'QE2' to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II's reign


Patrick Ryan
  • English
  • Arabic

A host of events are being prepared to celebrate the platinum jubilee of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II on board the Dubai-based ship that shares her name.

Gala dinners, variety shows, pub quizzes, afternoon tea and tours of the Queen Elizabeth 2 will pay tribute to the queen for being on the throne for 70 years.

Staycation deals are also available for those who want to spend the night aboard the former luxury liner that was transformed into a museum and hotel at Port Rashid in 2018.

The celebrations are scheduled to take place on Friday and Saturday, June 3 and 4, to coincide with events happening in the UK.

“It’s an opportunity for people here to celebrate the incredible achievement of the queen in reigning for 70 years,” said Robert Duce, chief executive of Outside the Box, which is running the celebrations.

“Regardless of your politics, you have to say this is an incredible feat. Her reign goes all the way back to the likes of [Dwight] Eisenhower and [Winston] Churchill, prime ministers and presidents have come and gone in that time but she remains constant.

“It’s something that British people can be very proud of and it’s only right we celebrate it.”

Queen Elizabeth II at the launch of the 'QE2' in 1967. Hulton-Deutsch Collection / Corbis via Getty Images
Queen Elizabeth II at the launch of the 'QE2' in 1967. Hulton-Deutsch Collection / Corbis via Getty Images

The QE2 is a vessel that some call the greatest ship the world has ever seen. It was built in the famed shipyards of John Brown in Clydebank, Scotland, and launched in 1967 by the queen. Her maiden voyage took place in 1969.

It would go on to become the Cunard Line’s flagship for more than 30 years and was succeeded by the Queen Mary 2 in 2004.

When the QE2 was purchased by Dubai World in 1997, it had completed more than 800 Atlantic crossings and had carried 2.5 million passengers. French hospitality company Accor is now taking over the running of the QE2, with plans to increase the number of rooms from 224 to 447.

Mr Duce said he expected more than 1,000 people to attend the gala dinners over the course of the weekend.

Entertainment will be provided by the Royal Marines Corps of Drums, a piper and a military band flown over from the UK for the weekend. Tickets for the dinner are Dh595 a person.

A variety performance is also scheduled to take place on both nights, while jugglers, a Shirley Bassey tribute act and a local ballet school will also be performing.

Prices for the variety performance range between Dh125 and Dh175.

Afternoon tea, that most British of traditions, will also be available onboard throughout the week.

The ship's Golden Lion pub will also be hosting many events, including a pub quiz on Wednesday, June 1. Although it opened on the QE2 only in 1994 in what had been the old theatre bar, Mr Duce claimed it could be considered one of the emirate's oldest bars.

“There’s going to be a minimum spend of Dh96 per person at the quiz in The Golden Lion,” said Mr Duce.

“That is because the queen is 96 years old, so we thought it was quite appropriate.”

The QE2 arrives in Dubai from the UK on November 26, 2008. Randi Sokoloff / The National)
The QE2 arrives in Dubai from the UK on November 26, 2008. Randi Sokoloff / The National)

Another event taking place onboard the ship will be the Big Jubilee Family Lunch, Mr Duce said.

“All over the UK, people are being encouraged to have street parties on June 5 to mark the occasion,” he said.

“We decided to do the same in the UAE for all the family and there will be children’s entertainment, too.

“The main difference is we won’t be able to put huge amounts of food in the middle of each table because of Covid-19 restrictions.”

Profile

Company: Justmop.com

Date started: December 2015

Founders: Kerem Kuyucu and Cagatay Ozcan

Sector: Technology and home services

Based: Jumeirah Lake Towers, Dubai

Size: 55 employees and 100,000 cleaning requests a month

Funding:  The company’s investors include Collective Spark, Faith Capital Holding, Oak Capital, VentureFriends, and 500 Startups. 

Bugatti Chiron Super Sport - the specs:

Engine: 8.0-litre quad-turbo W16 

Transmission: 7-speed DSG auto 

Power: 1,600hp

Torque: 1,600Nm

0-100kph in 2.4seconds

0-200kph in 5.8 seconds

0-300kph in 12.1 seconds

Top speed: 440kph

Price: Dh13,200,000

Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport - the specs:

Engine: 8.0-litre quad-turbo W16 

Transmission: 7-speed DSG auto 

Power: 1,500hp

Torque: 1,600Nm

0-100kph in 2.3 seconds

0-200kph in 5.5 seconds

0-300kph in 11.8 seconds

Top speed: 350kph

Price: Dh13,600,000

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Director: Laxman Utekar

Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna

Rating: 1/5

Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026

1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years

If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.

2. E-invoicing in the UAE

Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption. 

3. More tax audits

Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks. 

4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime

Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.

5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit

There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.

6. Further transfer pricing enforcement

Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes. 

7. Limited time periods for audits

Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion. 

8. Pillar 2 implementation 

Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.

9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services

Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations. 

10. Substance and CbC reporting focus

Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity. 

Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer

The UAE squad for the Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games

The jiu-jitsu men’s team: Faisal Al Ketbi, Zayed Al Kaabi, Yahia Al Hammadi, Taleb Al Kirbi, Obaid Al Nuaimi, Omar Al Fadhli, Zayed Al Mansoori, Saeed Al Mazroui, Ibrahim Al Hosani, Mohammed Al Qubaisi, Salem Al Suwaidi, Khalfan Belhol, Saood Al Hammadi.

Women’s team: Mouza Al Shamsi, Wadeema Al Yafei, Reem Al Hashmi, Mahra Al Hanaei, Bashayer Al Matrooshi, Hessa Thani, Salwa Al Ali.

German intelligence warnings
  • 2002: "Hezbollah supporters feared becoming a target of security services because of the effects of [9/11] ... discussions on Hezbollah policy moved from mosques into smaller circles in private homes." Supporters in Germany: 800
  • 2013: "Financial and logistical support from Germany for Hezbollah in Lebanon supports the armed struggle against Israel ... Hezbollah supporters in Germany hold back from actions that would gain publicity." Supporters in Germany: 950
  • 2023: "It must be reckoned with that Hezbollah will continue to plan terrorist actions outside the Middle East against Israel or Israeli interests." Supporters in Germany: 1,250 

Source: Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution

Syria squad

Goalkeepers: Ibrahim Alma, Mahmoud Al Youssef, Ahmad Madania.
Defenders: Ahmad Al Salih, Moayad Ajan, Jehad Al Baour, Omar Midani, Amro Jenyat, Hussein Jwayed, Nadim Sabagh, Abdul Malek Anezan.
Midfielders: Mahmoud Al Mawas, Mohammed Osman, Osama Omari, Tamer Haj Mohamad, Ahmad Ashkar, Youssef Kalfa, Zaher Midani, Khaled Al Mobayed, Fahd Youssef.
Forwards: Omar Khribin, Omar Al Somah, Mardik Mardikian.

Racecard

6pm: Mina Hamriya – Handicap (TB) $75,000 (Dirt) 1,400m

6.35pm: Al Wasl Stakes – Conditions (TB) $60,000 (Turf) 1,200m

7.10pm: UAE Oaks – Group 3 (TB) $150,000 (D) 1,900m

7.45pm: Blue Point Sprint – Group 2 (TB) $180,000 (T) 1,000m

8.20pm: Nad Al Sheba Trophy – Group 3 (TB) $200,000 (T) 2,810m

8.55pm: Mina Rashid – Handicap (TB) $80,000 (T) 1,600m

Updated: May 23, 2022, 3:12 PM