Anne meets members of armed forces to offer thanks for roles in Queen’s funeral

The Princess Royal has met members of the armed forces to offer her personal thanks for their roles in the Queen’s funeral.

Anne visited Portsmouth Naval Base and St Omer Barracks in Aldershot to meet representatives of the Royal Navy and Army personnel who had been involved in the procession and planning.

More than 1,000 sailors and Royal Marines were on duty at the funeral on Monday, alongside RAF and British Army personnel.

Leading Engineering Technician (LET) Benjamin Tetley was one of 142 sailors responsible for pulling the gun carriage.

He said: “It was an honour to meet Her Royal Highness Princess Anne.

“It was a lovely personal touch that she came down in person to thank personnel involved.

“Everyone had a sense of purpose and put all their effort in.

“The Royal Navy is steeped in tradition and we helped upkeep that. To be part of that history and tradition is truly an honour.”

LET Tim Lavender, based at HMS Sultan in nearby Gosport, managed a team of nine sailors working on the gun crew movement and management.

Aircraft Engineer Connor Scotney, who was a street liner in Windsor, said: “I felt honoured that the Princess Royal took the time out to thank us for all we did.

“My family are all very proud of me and the part I played in the funeral.”