Princess Anne visits Southampton - Recap

Picture gallery

Here's a picture gallery from today's Royal visit and a full report.

Princess Anne opened the maternity hospital in Southampton in 1981.

Here are a few pictures from the special occasion 42 years ago.

A few pictures from Princess Anne's visit to the hospital that bears her name.

Read the report here

Next, Princess Anne will open a Society of St James Care Home at Linden House in Woolston.

She is now being presented with a posy of flowers by Children's Mayor Amaanah Hayat.

Princess Anne being presented with a posy of flowers by Children's Mayor Amaanah Hayat (Image: Newsquest)

Princess Anne has just planted a tree to mark her visit.

Princess Anne planting a tree in East Park (Image: Newsquest)

Live from East Park

Princess Anne is due to plant another tree here.

Next on the itinerary is East Park where the Princess Royal will be chatting to the council’s trees and landscaping teams who coordinated the Green Canopy initiative.

City Champion plaque 

Princess Anne has also unveiled the City Champion plaque – awarded to the council in recognition of its contribution to the Queen’s Green Canopy initiative as part of Queen Elizabeth's Platinum Jubilee. 

This initiative launched in 2021 and was designed to encourage people across the country to 'Plant a Tree for the Jubilee' to mark the milestone.

Over 100 trees were planted in parks and open spaces across the city including Riverside Park, Townhill Green and West Park to create a Green Canopy. 

Forty trees were planted in Townhill Green and a further 70 oaks ‘Quercus Robur ‘Koster’ trees have been planted in Riverside Park. 

Princess Anne unveiling the City Champion plaque (Image: Newsquest)

Only two Lord Mayors have been appointed by Her Majesty the Queen in the 21st Century, and Southampton is the first English city to receive the honour since Exeter in the Queen’s Golden Jubilee year of 2002.

"It's very historical that a mayor of Southampton has become a Lord Mayor," said Nigel Atkinson, Lord Lieutenant of Hampshire.

Princess Anne during her speech on the city's Lord Mayor status (Image: Chris Moorhouse)

Princess Anne's speech

In her short speech acknowledging the city's Lord Mayor status, Princess Anne congratulated the Lord Mayor on the achievement.

She said: "The fact you've been celebrating 800 years mayors, it seems only appropriate that you should have a Lord Mayor and this was a particularly good year in some respects, bad in others because I should have been here in February and I didn't get here, I should have been here in September and I didn't get here so thank you so much for having us to be part of this celebration.

"I think it reflects just how relevant Southampton remains as a city and how important the Mayor has been in that for all of that time and this has a history well worth investigating so I hope this reminds people to look back and see just how successful this was as a city and has maintained this position in that respect."

Princess Anne appears to be in good spirits as she talks to civic chiefs about Southampton's Lord Mayor status.

We are told she is due to say a few words as the Letters Patent are presented. 

Princess Anne at the Civic Centre (Image: Newsquest)

Princess Anne is now speaking with the leader of Southampton City Council, Cllr Satvir Kaur; Chief Executive, Mike Harris; Richard Ivory, Interim Executive Director of Corporate Services; Sheriff of Southampton, Cllr Valerie Laurent; Lord Mayor’s Chaplain, Will Rosie; and Lord Mayor, Cllr Jacqui Rayment, and her husband Marcus.

Princess Anne at the Civic Centre (Image: Newsquest)

Civic Centre

Princess Anne has now arrived at the Civic Centre.

She is being escorted to the Mayors Parlour by the Lord-Lieutenant of Hampshire, Nigel Atkinson Esq.

The Princess Royal will hear about Southampton’s pride in winning Lord Mayor status and what it means for the council and the city.

Royal Standard at the Civic Centre (Image: Newsquest)

The Princess Royal didn't make any speeches in the small garden outside the hospital.

She was presented with a posy from a midwife and a child born at the hospital.

She then planted a Rowan tree and unveiled a plaque in her name.

Plaque

Princess Anne has unveiled a plaque commemorating her visit as patron of the Royal College of Midwives.

Princess Anne's plaque (Image: Newsquest)

More pictures from the visit 

The Princess Royal has been meeting maternity staff at Princess Anne Hospital in Coxford Road. has been organised by the Royal College of Midwives and will mark 42 years since the hospital was first opened @RoyalFamily pic.twitter.com/R0qQ1f9uZZ

— Daily Echo (@dailyecho) February 3, 2023

Princess Anne is now outside the hospital where a crowd of onlookers has gathered to catch a glimpse of the Princess Royal.

She will be planting a Rowan tree in the hospital grounds.

Princess Anne outside Princess Anne Hospital (Image: Newsquest)

Royal visit

Princess Anne is visiting Princess Anne Hospital in Coxford Road today. 

The Princess Royal has been meeting maternity staff in a short tour of the site.

Staff and possibly patients too will then gather outside as she plants a tree to mark her visit. 

The visit has been organised by the Royal College of Midwives and will mark 42 years since the hospital was first opened.