MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Princess Anne to meet British ’82 veterans during Falklands visit

Princess Anne and her husband during her last trip at Stanley. Picture: J Courtney/PN

THE Princess Royal will take the opportunity to meet Falklands War veterans when she visits the islands this month. She will, however, begin her visit to the Falklands and South Georgia with the unveiling of a plaque to open the extension to the Royal Falkland Islands Police Station.

Princess Anne, who is ninth in line to the throne, will be visiting the Falklands from Monday March 23 to April 2, 2009 at the invitation of the South Georgia Heritage Trust (SGHT). HRH is patron of the SGHT.

She will be accompanied by her husband, Vice Admiral Timothy Laurence.

Falkland Islands children will have the opportunity to chat to the Princess during her visit to Stanley schools. She will also call into the Fire Station and the Power Station and view ‘Liberty Lodge’ the house built to accommodate visiting British Falklands War veterans. At the Lodge she will meet Falklands’ war veterans, members of the South Atlantic Medal Association ’82, local residents, medical staff and sponsors.

The Princess will attend a briefing by the Falkland Islands Defence Force and lay a wreath at the Atlantic Conveyor Memorial during a visit to the Cape Pembroke Lighthouse.

She will also have Dinner at Malvina House Hotel with members of the Legislative Assembly and their spouses and visit the historic settlement of Port Louis on East Falklands. Port Louis was established by Louis de Bougainville in 1764 as the first French settlement on the islands.

On March 25th the Princess Royal will travel to Grytviken, South Georgia, on MV Pharos, departing from Mare Harbour the Naval Port near the British Forces Station at Mount Pleasant.

In Grytviken she will officially open the new Hydroelectricity Station and Carr Maritime Gallery.

She last visited the Falkland Islands and South Georgia in January 2007.

By Lisa Johnson – SeAledPR – Stanley