ABSTRACT
Introduction The year 2012 marked the Diamond Jubilee of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Among the various events organised was a grand pageant on the river Thames; despite the rain, the royal family, the participants and the crowds ranged along the banks of the river enjoyed the sights, colours, sounds and motions of the event. To these would need to be added the sense of touch and smell which no doubt the direct participants experienced. The splendid work of craftsmanship encapsulated in the royal barge, the Gloriana, was at the heart of the show. It was this spectacle which inspired this study of the Grand Harbour of Malta (or Porto Generale ) 2 as a space which was used by the Hospitallers for similar events.
