Princess Anne and Sir Tim Laurence visit troops in Estonia involved in NATO exercises

The Princess Royal and her husband, Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence, visited The King’s Royal Hussars at TAPA Military Base in Estonia.

The King’s Royal Hussars (KRH) is a Royal Armoured Corps regiment of the British Army to which the Princess has been Colonel-in-Chief since they formed in 1992. The regiment is part of Operation CABRIT, the codename for the UK’s deployment and its contribution to NATO’s enhanced Forward Presence.

Upon her visit, she and the Vice Admiral were greeted by His Majesty’s Ambassador to the Republic of Estonia, Mr Ross Allen. They also attended a dinner hosted by the country’s president, Mr Alar Karis. The president posted on social media that Estonia has a longstanding friendship with the UK as well as excellent cooperation. He also thanked the nation for its contribution to bolstering NATO’s posture in the region.

During the base tour, the Princess was briefed on the operation and shown the equipment used in Arctic Warfare. This was also an opportunity to meet soldiers in a multinational battlegroup. The group included Troops from Denmark, France, and the Scots Guards.

Less than a month into the new year, the visit to Estonia marked Anne’s third trip abroad since 1 January. Earlier in the month, she flew to Cyprus in her role as Colonel-in-Chief of the Royal Logistic Corps. She also represented the British Royal Family alongside her husband at the funeral of the former King of Greece, Constantine II, in Athens.

The visit also marks the second official visit to Estonia by a member of the British Royal Family following the death of Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. The Earl and Countess of Wessex met with British Army personnel in the country a few weeks after her death.

The Princess Royal last visited Estonia in May 2019 when she met with then-president Kersti Kaljulaid and visited Kadriorg Palace. The palace was built in 1725 for Peter The Great, a Russian monarch who ruled from 1682 to 1721.