Princess Anne’s Engagements in West Sussex Include Volunteer Recognition and Factory Tour

Princess Anne conducted a series of engagements in West Sussex, which included interactions with coastguard volunteers and a tour of the Rolls-Royce manufacturing facility. On Thursday morning, Princess Anne arrived at the National Coastwatch Initiative (NCI) station in Shoreham, where she presented long service awards to three volunteers. Later that afternoon, having departed the coastal area amidst rain, the princess proceeded to Goodwood. There, she toured the Rolls-Royce factory as part of its 120th anniversary celebrations. Her final engagement of the day took place at Amberley Museum, situated in the South Downs, where she received a handmade walking stick crafted by a museum artisan. Isabel Mary, accompanied by her two-year-old son Henry, endured the weather conditions to greet the princess upon her arrival at Shoreham. “We live in a lovely place and it’s great that Princess Anne has been able to come down,” she stated, adding, “Henry is a particular fan of the NCI volunteers and it’s great that they’ve been recognised.” George Grundy, an NCI volunteer since 2011, was among those who met the princess. Mr. Grundy commented, “I really enjoyed it, she’s a very hard working royal.” Subsequently, the princess visited the Rolls-Royce factory in Goodwood, located near Chichester, prior to traveling by helicopter to Amberley Museum, which is situated near Arundel. Peter Trinder, a volunteer at the museum since 2003, expressed to BBC Radio Sussex that “It was an absolute delight [to meet Princess Anne]. She’s the greatest asset we’ve got.” He further added, “I spoke with her about volunteering here and pointed out the tunnel which appeared in the James Bond film A View To a Kill.” Following this, the princess officially inaugurated the newly restored bagging shed and loading bay, a late-19th Century structure that previously served as the operational core of the active Amberley chalk pit and limeworks. For updates, follow BBC Sussex on Facebook, X, and Instagram. Story ideas can be submitted to southeasttoday@bbc.co.uk or via WhatsApp at 08081 002250. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content of external websites. Information regarding our external linking policy is available.