The Princess Royal commemorates the 110th anniversary of the Gallipoli campaign

Day One

On Day One of her visit, The Princess Royal attended a commemorative service at the Çanakkale Martyrs' Memorial. During the service, she delivered an address and laid flowers at the memorial to mark the 110th anniversary of the Gallipoli Campaign.

Her Royal Highness then proceeded to a service at the Morto Bay French National Cemetery. At the French Commemoration, Her Royal Highness laid a wreath at the Lantern Tower Memorial and placed flowers on the graves of the French soldiers who lost their lives during the campaign.

As President of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC), Her Royal Highness visited the grave of Lieutenant Colonel Charles Doughty-Wylie, who was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross. 

As Lieutenant Colonel Doughty-Wylie was in the Royal Welch Fusiliers, His Majesty The King, as Colonel-in-Chief of The Royal Welsh, also provided a wreath card which was laid at the grave.

At a memorial service at the Cape Helles Memorial for the United Kingdom, Commonwealth and Irish, Her Royal Highness delivered a message on behalf of His Majesty The King; who visited Turkey in 2015 to commemorate the 100th Anniversary of the Gallipoli Landings. The Commonwealth War Graves Torch for Peace which represents the handing over of remembrance to the younger generations, was walked down the aisle.

While the impact of these losses reverberates through history, we may take some solace in the warm friendships and deep alliances that have emerged from the desperation of Gallipoli, and which continue to endure after one hundred and ten years.

Read the speech in full here.

The first day of the visit concluded with a tour the Seddülbahir Castle which was at the heart of the campaign and has recently undergone a 25-year long restoration process. Her Royal Highness had the opportunity to meet local CWGC staff, firefighters, curators and residents.

Day Two

The Princess Royal began the second day of commemorations by speaking and laying a wreath at the ‘Spirit of Place’ Ceremony and Dawn Memorial Service at Anzac Cove, a key landing spot for Australian and New Zealand forces during the campaign. The Australian and New Zealand Governments jointly conduct the Anzac Day Gallipoli Dawn Service on 25 April each year at the Anzac Commemorative Site. Over 75,000 Australians and New Zealanders served at Gallipoli between 25 April and 20 December 1915. Over 10,000 lost their lives.  

The Princess Royal met the Prime Minister of New Zealand, The Right Honourable Christopher Luxon, and the Governor-General of Australia, Her Excellency The Honourable Ms Sam Mostyn.

The Princess Royal also visited the Australian National Service at Lone Pine Cemetery where she laid a wreath at the Lone Pine Memorial.

Finally, Her Royal Highness visited the New Zealand Memorial service at Chunuk Bair Cemetery and laid a wreath at the Memorial of the Missing.