Editing Queen Elizabeth 2 (section)

==== Final voyage ====
On her final arrival into Southampton, ''QE2'' (on 11 November 2008, with 1,700 passengers and 1,000 crew on board) ran [[aground]] in the [[Solent]] near the [[Southampton Water]] entrance at 5.26&nbsp;am, on a triangular sandbank roughly equidistant between the mouth of Southampton Water and [[East Cowes]] named [[Bramble Bank]]. [[BBC]] reported "[[Cunard Line|Cunard]] has confirmed it touched the bottom at the Brambles Turn [[sandbank]] (sandback) near [[Calshot]], [[Southampton Water]], with three tugs attached to her [[stern]] (0530 [[GMT]]). A fourth tug secured a line to the ship's [[Bow (ship)|bow]]."<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://ukpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5howpLVxZV1XpwNbNPrkW5WU90P4w|title=ukpress.google.com, ''QE2'' runs aground on final tour}}{{Dead link|date=October 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Solent Coastguard stated: "Five tugs were sent out to assist her getting off the sandbank, and she was pulled off just before 6.10&nbsp;am. She had been refloated and was under way under her own power and heading back to her berth in Southampton. She had only partially gone aground, and the tugs pulled her off."<ref>[http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article5128451.ece timesonline.co.uk, QE2 runs aground on farewell call to Southampton]{{dead link|date=September 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} </ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://ukpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5g_Lc8wcuxJVmvIJGYE1uoC31HkfA|title=ukpress.google.com, QE2 runs aground}}{{Dead link|date=October 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

Once safely back at her berth, preparations continued for her farewell celebrations. These were led by [[Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh]] who toured the ship at great length. He visited areas of interest including the Engine Control Room. He also met with current and former crew members.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/heritage/deheritageqe2/3838884.QE2_sails_away_on_tide_of_emotion/ |title=QE2 sails away on tide of emotion|date=11 November 2008 |url-status=live|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120630172918/http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/heritage/deheritageqe2/3838884.QE2_sails_away_on_tide_of_emotion/|newspaper=Southern Daily Echo |archive-date=30 June 2012 }}</ref> During this time, divers were sent down to inspect the hull for any possible damage caused by the vessel's earlier mishap&nbsp;– none was found.
[[File:Qe2-fireworks-soton.jpg|thumb|Southampton, 11 November 2008]]

''Queen Elizabeth 2'' left [[Southampton Docks]] for the final time at 1915 [[GMT]] on 11 November 2008, to begin her farewell voyage by the name of "''QE2''{{'}}s Final Voyage".<ref name="journey_book">{{Cite book |author=Chris Frame & Rachelle Cross |title=''QE2: A Photographic Journey'' |isbn=978-0-7524-4803-9 |publisher=[[The History Press]] |url=http://www.qe2book.com |year=2008 |access-date=19 June 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170821153720/http://qe2book.com/ |archive-date=21 August 2017 |url-status=dead }}</ref> After purchasing her for US$100&nbsp;million her ownership passed to [[Nakheel Properties]], a company of [[Dubai World]], on 26 November.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.thenational.ae/business/travel-and-tourism/palm-jumeirah-confirmed-as-qe2-s-final-stop-1.229382 |title=Palm Jumeirah confirmed as QE2's final stop |publisher=The National |date=27 July 2008 |access-date=30 January 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/hampshire/7720966.stm |title=news.bbc.co.uk, QE2 liner runs aground near port |work=[[BBC News]] |date=11 November 2008 |access-date=14 July 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.teletext.co.uk/news/national/067853e1cb55ab9596cae00e0e2625ec/QE2+runs+aground+on+last+tour.aspx |title=teletext.co.uk, ''QE2'' runs aground on last tour |publisher=Teletext.co.uk |access-date=14 July 2010 }}{{dead link|date=April 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> The decommissioning of the ship was particularly poignant for ''Queen Elizabeth 2''{{'}}s only permanent resident, [[Beatrice Muller]], aged 89, who lived on board in retirement for nine years, at a cost of some £3,500 (~€4,300, ~$5,400) per month.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/hampshire/7719605.stm |title=news.bbc.co.uk/, The woman who lives on ''Queen Elizabeth 2'' |work=[[BBC News]] |date=11 November 2008 |access-date=14 July 2010}}</ref>

At the time of her retirement, ''QE2'' had sailed 5.8 million nautical miles, carried close to 3 million passengers and completed 806 transatlantic crossings, plus 26 world cruises.<ref>{{cite web|author=GARY BEMBRIDGE |url=http://allaboutcunard.blogspot.com/2007/07/qe2-final-voyage-sold-in-half-hour.html |title=All About Cunard Blog |publisher=Allaboutcunard.blogspot.com |date=1 July 2007 |access-date=14 July 2010}}</ref>