Princess Anne shares touching moment with Household Cavalry horses ahead of poignant royal duty

Princess Anne shared a special moment with the horses of the Household Division as she carried out an important royal duty at a historic military memorial ceremony in London.

The Princess Royal stopped to inspect the horses and speak with their riders before delivering an address at the rededication of the Guards Memorial on Friday, 16 October.

The Princess, who serves as Senior Colonel of the Household Division, was pictured standing alongside a line of mounted soldiers and their horses, looking up towards the animals as she met members of the ceremonial unit.

Anne, who is known for her longstanding connection with the military, took time to interact with the horses, patting them and exchanging words with their riders before the formal proceedings began.

The engagement formed part of a ceremony marking 100 years since the Guards Memorial was first unveiled in 1926, commemorating members of the Foot Guards who lost their lives during the First World War.

The original memorial was unveiled by the Duke of Connaught before around 15,000 veterans of the conflict. A century later, many elements of that historic occasion were reflected in Friday’s rededication, including a parade, military music and a royal salute.

As Senior Colonel, Anne received the royal salute before addressing those gathered to remember the fallen.

She spoke of the responsibility carried by each generation to preserve the memory of those who sacrificed their lives in the service of their country.

“As we gather here a century later, our foremost purpose remains to remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice,” she said.

“We honour the officers, warrant officers, non-commissioned officers and men of the Guards division who lay down their lives in the service of King and country.”

The Princess added that the memorial remained a lasting expression of gratitude, with its significance undiminished by the passage of time.

She continued: “Its significance has not diminished with the passage of time, rather each generation has a responsibility to understand the sacrifice it commemorates to ensure that it is never forgotten.”

Following her address, Anne laid a wreath alongside representatives of the five Foot Guards regiments.

The Guards Memorial features five life-size bronze figures representing the Grenadier, Coldstream, Scots, Irish and Welsh Guards. Sculpted by Gilbert Ledward, the figures were cast using bronze from German guns captured during the First World War.

The memorial was subsequently updated to include the names of those who died during the Second World War, ensuring that the monument commemorates successive generations of soldiers.

The Foot Guards continue to combine their ceremonial responsibilities with military duties, including operational deployments and training exercises around the world.

Friday’s ceremony brought together serving personnel, veterans, cadets and Chelsea Pensioners. Among those attending was John Barber, a 100-year-old former Irish Guards serviceman who served between 1944 and 1948.

Anne met Mr Barber during the commemorations and thanked him for attending the occasion.

The centenary rededication served as a reminder of the enduring connection between the armed forces, the Royal Family and the generations of servicemen and women whose sacrifices are commemorated at the memorial.