The Princess Royal has made her first overseas visit since her mother’s death at the beginning of September, on a previously unannounced visit to New York City.
On Monday, 3 October, Princess Anne flew to JFK Airport in New York for a busy trip.
That evening she had a high-profile event, attending the gala for The English-Speaking Union of the United States. The English Speaking Union is “a charity working to give young people the speaking and listening skills and the cross-cultural understanding they need to thrive.”
The event was held at the Cosmopolitan Club, and the Princess gave the night’s keynote address.
The late Queen was the patron of the English-Speaking Union.
On Tuesday, Anne continued to maintain a steady schedule as usual. She travelled on the Staten Island Ferry, with the NYC Department of Transportation sharing photos on social media.
The Princess Royal then visited the National Lighthouse Museum in St. George on Staten Island. The museum was only opened in 2015 and shares the history of lighthouses and their keepers. Fittingly, Anne has been named as an honourary chair for the museum’s fundraising campaign, Illuminating Future Generations, which is raising money for preservation work and expansion.
Although she did not serve, Princess Anne has had a close relationship with the Royal Navy for several years. In 1993, she was made Rear-Admiral; in 2009, she was made Vice-Admiral; and in 2012, she was made an Admiral. Her husband, Sir Timothy Laurence, served in the Royal Navy from 1973 to 2011 and is a Vice-Admiral himself.
While it has long been known that the new King favours a slimmed-down monarchy focusing on him and his elder son’s family, it is expected that The Princess Royal will continue full royal duties for several more years. She has been the busiest working member of the Royal Family for many years.
