Princess Anne represents King Charles at major event

Princess Anne, the Princess Royal, represented his brother King Charles at a major event amid her role as Admiral in the Royal Navy.

The palace released photos of Anne on its social media handles, and said, “The Princess Royal represented His Majesty and welcomed newly qualified officers to the Royal Navy at Dartmouth’s Passing Out Parade.”

It said, “The ceremony marked the commissioning of 155 junior officers after their 29 weeks of training.”

Princess Anne has held the rank of Admiral in the Royal Navy since 2012 and is the patron of several naval charities including The Naval Children’s Charity and The Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity.

Anne, and senior officers took the salute during the first passing-out parade of 2026 – and the most important date in the calendar of Britannia Royal Naval College: Lord High Admiral’s Divisions.

Princess Anne represented the King – the nation’s Lord High Admiral who, traditionally, has welcomed newly-qualified officers into the Senior Service, as guest of honour at the historic Dartmouth establishment.

She was joined by Admiral Sir Keith Blount who joined the Senior Service in 1984 and rose to become the second most senior officer in NATO, standing down just a few weeks ago as Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe.

Admiral Sir Keith Blount described the graduation as a “momentous occasion”.

He continued: “It represents the triumph of endeavour and personal ambition, and it inspires confidence by showcasing the future of the Royal Navy.”