It’s being reported that while the Queen Victoria was making a port stop in Buenos Aires, Argentina the Cunard ship was threatened for flying the traditional red ensign flag.
The red ensign flag other wise known as the “Red Duster” has been flown on British ships for a long time and has always been flown on non-military ships since 1674. Before that the flag was used for the Royal Navy and is still a well-known flag today.
[quote_box_left]Statement from Cunard Line:Â “As requested by the port authorities whilst Queen Victoria was in Argentinian waters the Cunard flag was flown, in this instance, rather than the Red Ensign”[/quote_box_left]
According the Channel 4 news a passenger sailing on the Queen Victoria earlier in the month had the chance to have dinner with the captain of the ship who then told him that the ship was threatened by Argentine authorities. Apparently they were threatened with a $10,000 fine and that there would be “trouble” is the red ensign flag wasn’t taken down while the ship was in Buenos Aires.
Buenos Aires has actually passed a law banning any ship flying the flag but this only applies of the ship sailed through the Falklands which the Queen Victoria didn’t. But this is deeper than you think due to the history of the UK and Argentina over the Falkland Islands especially the most recent events. The President of Argentina has even been asking British Prime Minister David Cameron to give back the islands which Argentina thinks is rightfully theirs.
The politics are for another day and another non cruise site! Cruise hive has reached out to Cunard Line for a statement and will post it here once we get a response. Also Cunard Lines parent company Carnival is working with the British Foreign Office to raise the situation with Argentina.
