Princess Anne is set to travel for a rare joint trip with lesser-seen member of the British Royal Family.
On Wednesday, June 24, GB News reported that the Princess Royal is gearing up to embark on a high-profile trip to France with The Duke of Gloucester, marking a rare joint overseas appearance.
During their upcoming trip, scheduled for July 1, 2026, the Royal duo will commemorate the 110th anniversary of the Battle of the Somme.
The Battle of Somme
The Battle of Somme, which took place between July 1 and November 18, 1916, was a battle of the First World War fought by the armies of the British Empire and the French Republic against the German Empire.
Princess Anne and the Duke of Gloucester engagements in France
At the Thiepval Memorial, Princess Anne and Prince Richard, The Duke of Gloucester, will unveil UNESCO plaques as part of the anniversary events.
The Thiepval Memorial is the largest Commonwealth war memorial in the world that serves as a poignant tribute to 72,337 British and South African servicemen who died in the Battles of Somme between 1915 and 1918 and have no known grave.
The 75-year-old Princess will attend the milestone occasion in her role as President of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
Notably, the upcoming visit will mark a decade since King Charles attended the Somme centenary events in France back in 2016, when he was the Prince of Wales.
As part of their trip, Anne and the Duke of Gloucester will participate in a ceremony at Ulster Tower, which honours the soldiers of the 36th (Ulster) Division as well as other Ulstermen who served and lost their lives during the Battle of the Somme.
Following their joint appearances for the emotional commemorations, Princess Anne and the Duke of Gloucester will continue the trip with separate engagements.
As part of her itinerary, King Charles III’s sister will mark her attendance at the Beaumont-Hamel Newfoundland Memorial, situated at the site where the Newfoundland Regiment went into battle on July 1, 2916.
The memorial pays tribute to 821 Newfoundland troops from the First World War whose final resting places remain unknown.
Meanwhile, the Duke of Gloucester will take part in remembrance ceremonies at Guillemont Road Cemetery.
Located in northern France, the Guillemont Road Cemetery is a significant World War I burial ground that serves as the resting place for soldiers killed during the fierce fighting on the Western Front during the 1916 Battle of the Somme.
Who is Princess Anne?
Born on August 15, 1950, Princess Anne is a member of the British Royal Family as the second child and only daughter of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip.
Holding the title of Princess Royal since 1987, she is the sister of King Charles III and is currently 18th in the line of succession to the British throne.
Who is Prince Richard, the Duke of Gloucester?
Prince Richard, born on August 26, 1944, is a member of the British Royal Family as Prince Henry and Princess Alice’s son and the youngest grandchild of King George V.
He has held the title of The Duke of Gloucester since 1974 and is currently 32nd in the succession line.
