The Princess Royal has become the first patron of a charity that aims to find and restore long-abandoned military graves, having been dubbed the "best royal" for the job by its founder.
Princess Anne, who holds the honorary military ranks of Admiral, General and Air Chief Marshal across the Royal Navy, the British Army and the Royal Air Force, supports a number of organisations and charities.
She has now taken on the role of patron of The Remembrance Trust, which seeks to find and, where possible, restore monuments and graves of military personnel worldwide that date back to before 1914.
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Algy Cluff, the charity's founder and chairman, told The Telegraph he was "delighted" that Anne had agreed to be their figurehead.
He added: "If you're killed from 1914 onwards your grave is kept immaculately by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, which is funded by the Commonwealth governments. Whereas if you were killed before 1914 you are no one's responsibility at all.
"No one's looking after these graves, which is really a bit of a scandal, actually."
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Princess Anne spent the weekend onboard HMS Albion
Mr Cluff wrote to the Princess after she supported the Remembrance Trust at an event in June, when she unveiled a memorial at St Saviour's Church in Jersey that honours 75 veterans of the Napoleonic Wars.
Over the weekend, Anne spent the weekend onboard HMS Albion in her role as sponsor of the ship, and to support the Royal Navy sailors and Royal Marines, who are currently taking part in Exercise Joint Warrior, off the Scottish coast.
Photos shared by the royal family's Twitter account also show the royal dressed in the same Naval jumpsuit as the crew. It added: "While onboard, The Princess visited the ship's company across the vessel, from the galley to the engine room, and even took a spin in one of the ship’s landing craft."
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