The Princess Royal carried out a poignant in-person engagement with links to her late father, the Duke of Edinburgh on Wednesday. Princess Anne, 70, who was dressed in a navy jacket and black trousers, visited the Royal Yacht Squadron on the Isle of Wight, to view youth training, before travelling to the Royal Victoria Yacht Club by boat to watch more programmes. Anne spoke fondly of her "links" and "early memories of sailing" at the west Cowes-based club, and took time to speak to senior members and a group of aspiring young sailors.
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Asked by Royal Yacht Squadron commodore Jamie Sheldon if she had ever sailed on a Flying Fifteen – a sailboat designed by Uffa Fox – Anne said: "I was considered a bit too young and a bit of a nuisance. "I started really with Bloodhound (a yacht). I regressed to dinghy sailing for a bit, but then got a slightly bigger boat.” She added: "Early memories, this was, days-out were great fun. Events here and events in Cowes. All of that. I can understand why he [Prince Philip] was here regularly. "Of course the RYA (Royal Yachting Association) used to have its meetings, summer meetings, used to be on Britannia during Cowes Week, all of that."
© Photo: PAPrincess Anne carried out her first in-person engagement since her father's passing
The Duke of Edinburgh, who served in the Royal Navy during World War II, maintained a close association with the Armed Forces throughout his whole life. He conducted his final royal solo engagement with the Royal Marines in August 2017. Philip, who died aged 99 on Friday, was Admiral of the Royal Yacht Squadron, patron of a number of clubs and president of the Royal Yachting Association. Following her father's passing, Anne shared a touching tribute to Prince Philip alongside a photo of them at the London 2012 Olympics on Sunday.
She wrote: "You know it's going to happen but you are never really ready. My father has been my teacher, my supporter and my critic, but mostly it is his example of a life well lived and service freely given that I most wanted to emulate."
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© Photo: Getty ImagesThe Duke, pictured in Cowes in 2015, was Admiral of the Royal Yacht Squadron
She contined: "His ability to treat every person as an individual in their own right with their own skills comes through all the organisations with which he was involved. "I regard it as an honour and a privilege to have been asked to follow in his footsteps and it has been a pleasure to have kept him in touch with their activities. "I know how much he meant to them, in the UK, across the Commonwealth and in the wider world."
© Photo: PAAnne travelled to the Royal Victoria Yacht Club by boat
Anne signed off her message by thanking the public for their condolences, saying: "I would like to emphasise how much the family appreciate the messages and memories of so many people whose lives he also touched. We will miss him but he leaves a legacy which can inspire us all." It was announced at the weekend the monarchy and their households would observe two weeks of royal mourning, with members of the royal family "continuing to undertake engagements appropriate to the circumstances," a royal official said.
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