It was a sombre event when the Princess Royal paid tribute to those that gave their lives defending freedom hundreds of miles from residence.
Below gray skies, Anne joined British and Singaporean veterans in a minute’s silence on the Kranji Warfare Cemetery in Singapore.
She then took a poppy wreath in her palms and laid it on the memorial earlier than taking two steps again.
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Princess Anne lays a wreath throughout Service of Remembrance on the Kranji Warfare Cemetery in Singapore. Pic: PA
Almost 4,500 Commonwealth casualties of the Second World Warfare, who died defending Singapore and Malaya from Japan, are laid to relaxation within the cemetery.
Amongst them is Midshipman James Bremridge, a relative of Anne’s husband Sir Timothy Laurence.
Mr Bremridge, who died aged 18, served aboard HMS Repulse, which was sunk by Japanese plane within the South China Sea in December 1941.
Sir Timothy laid a wreath on his grave.
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Sir Timothy Laurence, husband of Princess Anne, lays a wreath on the grave of a relative at Kranji Warfare Cemetery in Singapore. Pic: PA
Throughout the go to, Anne met workers from the Commonwealth Warfare Graves Fee, which she heads, and was greeted by its vice chair Peter Hudson.
Commander Tim Curnock of the British Royal Navy learn an extract from For the Fallen, earlier than the assembled veterans mentioned “we will remember them” in unison.
Together with the princess, the presidents of the Singapore Armed Veterans’ League and veterans’ charity Sandbag had been additionally invited to put wreaths on the memorial.
The piper, who performed to mark the event, stood on the high of the cemetery overlooking the rows of headstones and saluted after Anne spoke to him.
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Princess Anne visits Kranji Warfare Cemetery in Singapore. Pic: PA
The 2-day go to to Singapore marks 60 years of diplomatic relations with the UK.
The Princess Royal additionally visited the Nationwide Orchid Backyard, the place a flower was named after her in a brief ceremony.
The purple bloom, now referred to as Dendrobium Anne, was “very special” she mentioned.
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The Princess Royal with the ‘Dendrobium Anne’ orchid throughout a go to to the Nationwide Orchid Backyard in Singapore. Pic: PA
The princess was additionally proven across the VIP backyard, the place orchid hybrids named after varied heads of state are stored.
She paused to admire one referred to as Dendrobium Elizabeth after her late mom.
Six members of the royal household have had orchids named after them within the backyard, together with the Prince and Princess of Wales in 2012.
Anne additionally visited HMS Spey, which has been deployed to the Indo-Pacific area since 2021.
