Princess Anne makes major announcement ahead of family celebration

Princess Anne will soon be heading abroad as it was confirmed that the Princess Royal will be undertaking a trip to South Africa.

The royal will be undertaking her first foreign visit of the year from 21 to 22 January. During her trip, Anne will unveil a new memorial to commemorate more than 1,700 predominantly Black South Africans who died in World War I between 3 and 14 August 1914 and who have no known gravesite. The memorial has been named the Cape Town Labour Corps Memorial.

Anne, 74, will be unveiling the memorial in her capacity President of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, a role she inherited from the late Queen's cousin, the Duke of Kent, upon his retirement in 2023.

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During her time in South Africa, Anne will also carry out several engagements across Cape Town. The royal is expected to visit the South African Riding for the Disabled Association, the Desmond and Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation, the Royal Cape Yacht Club, the South African Astronomical Observatory and a Thuthuzela Care Centre.

Her final engagement will be a reception at the British High Commissioner's residence in Cape Town.

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Anne previously visited South Africa in 2012 as part of the late Queen's Diamond Jubilee celebrations. During her visit, Anne spoke and walked with South African showjumper, Enos Mafokate, who was previously blocked from meeting the royal in 1982.

Enos was competing in a showjumping event in London when he attempted to speak to the royal, however, her bodyguard intervened and pushed him away. Despite this, Anne promised to meet him again.

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Anne's big announcement came just a day before her granddaughter, Mia Tindall, marks her 11th birthday. Mia is the eldest child of Zara and Mike Tindall.

Former rugby star Mike, 46, previously told HELLO! of his daughters: "Both Mia and Lena go to Minchinhampton rugby club on a Sunday and they are only nine and four so we've got to give them a bit of time before the pressure comes on but they love all sports and they play rugby as well."

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Mia was born at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital in 2014, with her sister Lena arriving at Stroud Maternity Hospital four years later.

Meanwhile, Mike announced Lucas' birth on his podcast, revealing that his son had been born at the family's home on Princess Anne's Gatcombe Park estate in February 2021.