Princess Anne apologises after cancelling engagements

The Princess Royal has apologised after being forced to cancel two engagements.

She had been due to visit Holywood and south Belfast in Northern Ireland, but the aircraft she was supposed to travel with had technical problems.

A spokesperson for the Princess said she apologised “to any who were disappointed or inconvenienced as a result of the technical issues.”

Reportedly, some of those whom she was supposed to meet were invited to the garden party held at Hillsborough Castle later in the day when alternative travel arrangements were made.

At the garden party, Princess Anne presented Norman Irwin, a 106-year-old war veteran from Coleraine, with a British Empire Medal. He was awarded the medal in the King’s Birthday Honours for his volunteer work.