Princess Anne has paid her respects to Northern Ireland’s Second World War dead during her 65th official visit to the province.
The Princess Royal travelled to County Fermanagh on Thursday for a series of engagements, including commemorations marking the 85th anniversary of the Air Training Corps.
As President of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Anne visited St Tighernach’s Church of Ireland and Sacred Heart Church in Irvinestown, where 86 airmen who died during the Second World War are buried. She observed moments of reflection at the Commonwealth war graves and met serving Royal Air Force personnel, RAF Air Cadets and local community representatives.
The visit also included a stop at the Castle Archdale Museum, the former Royal Air Force flying boat station on Lower Lough Erne. There, the Princess met relatives of former Women’s Auxiliary Air Force personnel who served at the base, viewed exhibits highlighting the RAF’s modern capabilities and watched a flypast by a Royal Air Force Poseidon aircraft from No. 201 Squadron.
To mark the occasion, Princess Anne planted an Irish yew tree within the museum grounds.
Earlier in the day, the Princess Royal visited Brooke House Health and Wellbeing Centre near Fivemiletown, where she spent more than an hour meeting staff, volunteers and veterans supported by the charity.
The centre provides physical and mental health support for serving and retired members of the Armed Forces, police, prison and emergency services, along with their families and carers.
During a tour of the grounds, Anne visited the centre’s therapeutic walled garden, where flowers and vegetables are grown as part of wellbeing programmes.
Head gardener Dougal Dorman said the Princess appeared “genuinely interested” during the visit, adding: “I got the sense she was genuinely interested – I think she’s a gardener.”
Chief Executive Joan Clements described the royal visit as “a wonderful honour”.
“We are proud to describe Brooke House as an oasis of peace and our sanctuary for healing,” she said. “We want veterans to know there is this professional organisation waiting to deliver a whole host of confidential services to help them overcome their challenges, aid recovery and develop resilience.”
Wing Commander Chris Hodges, Officer Commanding the RAF Cadets in Northern Ireland, said it had been “a great privilege” to welcome the Princess Royal as the organisation celebrated its milestone anniversary.
Thursday’s visit was Princess Anne’s third to Northern Ireland this year. Her first official visit came in 1961, when she was just 10 years old accompanying the late Queen Elizabeth II.
