Princess Anne presents medal to 106 year old at autumn garden party

The Princess Royal hosted a garden party in full autumn weather and made sure she had a hat to match.

Princess Anne had headed to Northern Ireland for an unannounced visit and welcomed hundreds of people to Hillsborough Castle for the special celebration.

While the early summer garden parties hosted by the Royal Family at Buckingham Palace, Holyroodhouse and Hillsborough are must see moments in the calendar, an autumn affair is rarer.

The event was held to thank people for their work in the community and it saw the Princess hand over an important award.

During the Hillsborough party, Princess Anne gave a B.E.M to 106-year-old veteran, Norman Irwin, who was recognised for his community work in his home town of Coleraine.

Mr Irwin, who is the last living founding member of the Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, chatted happily with the Princess Royal as she made the award, watched by his family.

Princess Anne’s arrival in Northern Ireland was delayed after her plane experienced technical difficulties.

The Princess, who has often spoken of how important it is to her that everyone she meets feels valued, sent apologies as the delay impacted her busy time in Northern Ireland.

It meant she had to miss engagements in Holywood, County Down and at the Sense Hub in south Belfast and she expressed her hopes that she’d be able to return to those places imminently.

Princess Anne is keeping up her busy schedule this week. As well as Northern Ireland, she has visited Wales and carried out a day of engagements in Lancashire.