The Princess Royal was accompanied by the Duke of Gloucester in France this afternoon, as they marked 110 years since the Battle of the Somme.
They first arrived at Thiepval Memorial, located in the north east of France, which stands as the largest site maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission in terms of those remembered there, with more than 72,000 names inscribed.
The Battle of the Somme, a blood-soaked conflict lasting a little over four months, saw an estimated 1.3 million lives lost, while British forces advanced just six miles.
The first day, July 1, 1916, remains the deadliest in British Army history, with 19,240 killed – roughly 60 per cent of British soldiers involved on the day losing their lives.
The Princess Royal attended this afternoon in her capacity as president of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
Anne was pictured laying a wreath during the service at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s Thiepval Memorial, commemorating British and South African soldiers who died.
The princess was captured standing next to Prefet Rollon Mouchel-Blaisot and Prince Richard, with Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence also joining the trio in the tributes.
King Charles III’s sister then addressed the audience, saying: “It is an honour to be here today, on this ground that has come to symbolise both the tragedy of war, and the enduring importance of remembrance.”
The Princess Royal was accompanied by the Duke of Gloucester in France this afternoon
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PA
Anne was pictured laying a wreath alongside Prince Richard during the service
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PA
The Princess Royal even proceeded to complete parts of her speech in perfect French.
The royals additionally participated in a ceremony at Ulster Tower, Northern Ireland’s National War Memorial in Thiepval, commemorating Irishmen of the 36th (Ulster) Division who were killed in the battle.
Anne also laid a wreath and was later accompanied by the British ambassador to France, Sir Thomas Drew.
King Charles III’s sister then addressed the audience, saying: ‘It is an honour to be here today’
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PA
The royals additionally participated in a ceremony at Ulster Tower, Northern Ireland’s National War Memorial
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PA
She then made her way to the Beaumont-Hamel Newfoundland Memorial, erected on the very ground where the Newfoundland Regiment fought on July 1, 1916.
The site commemorates 821 Newfoundland servicemen from the Great War whose graves were never identified.
Anne is colonel-in-chief of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment.
Meanwhile, the Duke of Gloucester took part in ceremonies at Guillemont Road Cemetery.
Military units established this burial ground in early September 1916 following the Battle of Guillemont, itself part of the broader Somme campaign.
After the 1918 Armistice, the cemetery expanded significantly when thousands of fallen soldiers were reburied there.