Princess Anne has touched down in Sydney to begin a military-focused tour of Australia, marking her first visit to the country since 2022.
The 75-year-old Princess Royal arrived at Sydney Airport around 7am on Saturday, surrounded by security, to kick off a series of royal engagements across three cities – Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne.
The visit marks the 100th anniversary of the Royal Australian Corps of Signals, of which Princess Anne serves as Colonel-in-Chief. The corps plays a vital role in providing communications support to the Australian Defence Force.
Wasting no time, the Princess inspected troops at Government House shortly after her arrival, where onlookers gathered to catch a glimpse of the royal.
“She’s always a wonderful person to see. She speaks sometimes bluntly and clearly, and I think people appreciate that,” monarchist and legal academic David Flint said.
“She’s the good one,” one royal watcher said.
“She can come and visit any time,” another added.
The morning also included a traditional gun salute, with Mrs Macquarie’s Chair momentarily coming to a standstill as blank rounds were fired across Sydney Harbour.
“I think it’s a pretty good thing. A bit of tradition. Never hurt nobody,” one spectator said.
Saturday marked the first of several military engagements planned for the Princess’s Australian tour, which will continue in the lead-up to Remembrance Day.
“Where there are events like this 100th anniversary, and you want that to be noticed, the best way to do it is with a member of the Royal Family,” royal observers noted.
On Sunday, Princess Anne attended a special service at the Anzac Memorial in Sydney’s Hyde Park.
Inside the memorial hall, she gave a Remembrance reading and laid a wreath before stepping outside to meet veterans and their families.
Many in the crowd wore medals on their blazers as they greeted the Princess, who paused to speak with several of them before departing to warm applause from the public.
Her next stop will be Brisbane, where she is scheduled to visit Gallipoli Barracks as her Australian tour continues.
Image: 7News
