The Princess Royal has donned khakis for a visit to British troops in Estonia. Anne spent a day with soldiers currently deployed with NATO as part of a visit to the Baltic State.
The visit to Tapa Military Base was part of a packed day in Estonia for Anne. The princess carried out a string of engagements there on May 30th culminating with her trip to see the Army in action.
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Anne’s time at the Tapa base was to visit soldiers from the King’s Royal Hussars who are based there. She is their Colonel-in-Chief. The princess was given an overview of the NATO operation deployed in Estonia, the Enhanced Forward Presence (eFP), which involves the 3rd (United Kingdom) Division, known as the British Army’s high readiness Reaction Force. She also met military from other countries including France. She was given a tour of the camp while there.
Princess Anne’s visit to Estonia has begun with a meeting with the country’s president, Kersti Kaljulaid, at Kadriorg Palace in Tallinn. The women discussed security as well as the UK’s involvement in international missions in Estonia. The princess also held an investiture during her time in the country at the British Ambassador’s residence.
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But the focus of her visit was military. As well as meeting the troops of today, she remembered those who have gone before. During her time in Tallinn she laid wreaths at the Estonian War Memorial and the Commonwealth War Graves at the Defence Forces Cemetery of Tallinn. Anne’s other engagement this week also honoured the Army. On May 29th, the princess attended the Kiwi Monument Centenary and Gurkha Signal Squadron Reformation Parade at Picton Barracks in Salisbury in her role as Colonel-in-Chief of the Royal Corps of Signals.
The visit to Estonia brings to an end a month that’s been lighter on engagements for Anne than we’re used to. During May, the Princess Royal carried out 36 engagements bringing her total for 2019 to 196. In 2018, she was the busiest member of the House of Windsor, taking on a total of 518 engagements across the year.