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Princess Anne greeted Canadian veterans and current members of the forces and honored her late mother during separate ceremonies Sunday in Victoria as she concluded a three-day royal visit to British Columbia’s west coast.
The princess, sister of King Charles, laid a wreath during a ceremony at the cenotaph of the British Columbia legislature to commemorate the Battle of the Atlantic, the largest and longest battle of World War II, during which Canada lost 24 warships and more than 4,300 Canadian forces and merchant marines.
Earlier on Sunday at Government House, Princess Anne planted a red-flowered currant bush and unveiled a plaque in honor of her late mother, Queen Elizabeth II.
“We had the pleasure of taking a walk through the gardens with the Princess Royal,” said Patty Grant, president of the Friends of Government House Gardens. “She was lovely. She is very nice and showed interest in each and every volunteer.”
Princess Anne was especially captivated by the wooded nature of the grounds, said Valerie Murray, State House horticulture adviser.
“She was more interested in the forests,” he said. “The beds look fantastic at the moment and we were able to talk about the unique ecosystem of the Garry Oak. She took photographs of the Garry oak forests.”
Murray said the princess was shown a new coronation road developed to honor King Charles, including its design to “make it more accessible to the public and protect the ecosystem”.
Princess Anne’s royal visit began Friday in North Vancouver, where she participated in the commissioning of HMCS Max Bernays, the first Arctic patrol vessel for the Canadian Pacific Fleet.
The Princess, Honorary Commodore-in-Chief of the Pacific Fleet, sailed aboard the Max Bernays to Esquimalt, where she visited God’s Acre Veterans Cemetery and a sustainable food urban farming project.
Vice-Admiral Angus Topshee, commander of the Royal Canadian Navy, said the fact that the princess attended the Battle of the Atlantic ceremony and sailed from North Vancouver to Esquimalt aboard the patrol vessel was an honor for the Canadian Navy. Canada.
“It makes it very special for the sailors of the Canadian Pacific Fleet,” he said. “She is the honorary commodore-in-chief of the Pacific Fleet, and for her to have the opportunity to go out and meet the sailors, sail aboard HMCS Max Bernays and be here to commission Max Bernays is a great moment for us. . “She cares deeply about her royal duties and about the sailors of the Royal Canadian Navy.”
HMCS Max Bernays is the first new ship commissioned on the West Coast for Arctic and offshore patrols based in Victoria, Topshee said.
“It’s a great new capability for Canada and ensures that we can secure our sovereignty in the Arctic,” he said.
About 600 people attended the Battle of the Atlantic ceremony, British Columbia legislature security staff estimated.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 5, 2024.