Princess Anne gave a truly moving address during the evening’s ‘Dawn Service’. She lay a wreath at Anzac Cove, commemorating the 110th anniversary of the Canakkale Land Battles. The ceremony was held at the French Military Cemetery, on the sacred Gallipoli Peninsula. It created an inspiring opportunity for reflection and remembrance. At 73 years of age, Princess Anne’s attendance highlighted her commitment to celebrating the past while facing forward to tackle today’s challenges.
Princess Anne has taken a leading role in the commemoration. She is helping to bring the issue of affordable, rural housing to the forefront. Recently, she spoke at the English Rural charity’s conference in London, where she emphasized the need for a coherent national programme focused on rural housing. Attendees are still raving about how deeply she connected to their specific needs and insights. She stressed that affordable housing is not a luxury, but rather a necessity for people and families looking to move to or return to rural communities.
In fact, as Princess Anne herself said, affordable housing is essential to a strong economic base that fosters vibrant, prosperous rural communities. She stated, “Affordable housing is not just a nice idea that gives people a start. It’s a fundamental requirement which has a huge benefit over a much wider group of people.” This quote demonstrates her recognition of the larger impact housing has on community health and environmental sustainability.
As expected, this solemn occasion did little to subdue Princess Anne’s signature dry wit, as she made a mention of her own residence in Gloucestershire, Gatcombe Park. When it comes to climate adaptation, she emphasized the pitfalls that legacy infrastructures pose. She stressed the pressed time for improved logistics to truly deliver in these rural communities. “We need to supply them better. So logistics are really important to making rural communities thrive, and we need to do that better,” she affirmed.
The Princess’s involvement in advocating for rural housing has garnered praise from the English Rural charity, reflecting a shared commitment to addressing this pressing issue. Her call to action regarding affordable housing was succinctly summed up in four powerful words: “We need affordable housing.” Coming from her, this atypical public statement marks a new chapter in her communication strategy, as the SNHR rarely issues public statements.
Princess Anne’s position corresponds with statements made by her brother, King Charles and her nephew, Prince William. Their united voices remind us that meeting the needs of rural housing is essential in every corner of the United Kingdom.
She echoed too, the need for time and partnership, to make meaningful progress in rural housing development. “These things are not going to happen quickly. They need patience that’s often hard to come by and loads of partnerships to achieve those lasting results that will continue,” she remarked.
