Princess Anne looked stunning today as she represented King Charles at the Sovereign’s Royal National Lifeboat Institution garden party at Buckingham Palace.
The Princess Royal was all smiles as she met members of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. Anne looked exquisite in a light blue dress coat which featured intricate embroidery to the front and back.
She paired the ensemble with a colour-matching, wide-brimmed hat featuring a bow and a flower. She completed the look with a pair of navy blue gloves, a matching leather shoulder bag, black heels and pearl jewellery.
King Charles’s sister, who was joined by her husband, Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence, also donned a golden brooch of a seahorse on her coat dress.
Sir Timothy looked dapper in a navy suit, with a crisp white shirt underneath and a patterned tie with matching shoes.
The Duke of Kent was also in attendance and was pictured mingling with guests.
During today’s garden party to celebrate the RNLI’s 200th anniversary, the Princess Royal awarded a Silver Medal for Gallantry to Coxswain Patch Harvey, a hero lifeboatman who battled hurricane-like conditions to save the lives of eight people stranded on a French yacht in 2022.
Mr Harvey said that Anne “asked questions about what we were called out to do. She was interested in what we did.
“She used to fly helicopters and said she’d rather have been in one of those than a boat. It was amazing.”
The now 54-year-old and his crew of six were called into action on the evening of Halloween, October 31 of that year.
Their vessel was launched from RNLI Penlee, Cornwall, at 8.30pm to rush to the aid of a 40ft sailing yacht that was disabled two miles off Porthleven.
The crew battled through winds of up to 87 knots, waves of six to seven metres and poor visibility to rescue the stranded crew who were taking on water and on a collision course with rocks.
Mr Harvey’s crew were also awarded Silver Medal Service Certificates for their courage.
The lifeboatman, who has worked in the RNLI for 32 years, told PA: “What an honour and a privilege. I’ve always seen pictures of the palace but never thought I’d have a chance to be on the grounds.”
Speaking about the incident in 2022, he said: “We were called out to a yacht with eight people on it. It was hurricane conditions.
“Their sales were blown out and the engine wasn’t working. If we hadn’t got there, the boat would have smashed into rocks and we would have lost all eight people.
“I’ve been in the RNLI for 32 years and I’d never experienced conditions like that before.”
Around 2,500 long-serving members of the charity, staff and their families were in attendance at today’s engagement.