The British ocean liners RMS Queen Mary (launched 1934, maiden voyage 1936) and RMS Queen Elizabeth (launched 1938, maiden voyage 1940) were the largest and most powerful steamships ever built. These ships, with their massive steam turbine engines, dominated transatlantic passenger travel for decades, symbolizing the golden age of ocean travel. They were also used as troopships during World War II.

The Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth are icons of a bygone era, a time when travel was an event in itself. These ships have been the subject of countless poems, novels, and memoirs, representing the glamour and romance of the Atlantic crossing. Their stories, of luxury and war, have inspired poets and writers to reflect on class, history, and the human experience.