Princess Anne laid a wreath at the Battle of the Atlantic ceremony in Victoria

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VICTORIA —

Princess Anne saluted Canadian veterans and members of the current forces and paid tribute to her late mother at separate ceremonies in Victoria on Sunday as she wrapped up a three-day royal visit to British Columbia's West Coast.

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King Charles' sister Princess B.C. legislators laid a wreath at the cenotaph in a ceremony commemorating the Battle of the Atlantic, the largest and longest battle of World War II, in which Canada lost 24 warships and more than 4,300 Canadian troops. members of the merchant marine.

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On Sunday, Princess Anne planted a red-flowered tree and unveiled a plaque in honor of her late mother, Queen Elizabeth II, at Government House.

“We enjoyed touring the gardens with the Princess Royal,” said Patty Grant, President of the Friends of Government House Gardens. “It was beautiful. He was very kind and interested in each of the volunteers.”

Princess Anne was particularly keen on the woodland nature of the valley, said Valerie Murray, horticultural adviser at Government House.

“He was attracted to more forest land,” he said. “The stakes are looking great right now and we were able to talk about the unique ecosystem of Harry's Oak. He photographed Harry's oak forests.”

The Princess Murray was shown a new coronation path designed to honor King Charles, including the design to “make it accessible to the public and protect the ecosystem”.

Princess Anne's royal visit began Friday in North Vancouver, where she attended the commissioning of HMCS Max Bernays, the first Arctic patrol vessel for Canada's Pacific Fleet.

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The Princess traveled to Esquimalt aboard the Honorable Commander-in-Chief of the Pacific Fleet, Max Bernays, where she visited the God's Acre Veterans Cemetery and the Urban Agriculture Sustainable Food Project.

Commander of the Royal Canadian Navy, Vice-Admiral Angus Topshi, said it was an honor for Canada's navy to have Princess participate in the Battle of the Atlantic and sail from North Vancouver to Esquimalt aboard a patrol vessel.

“This makes it very special for the sailors of the Canadian Pacific Fleet,” he said. “He is the Honorable Commander-in-Chief of the Pacific Fleet and it is a great moment for us to have him meet the sailors, sail aboard HMCS Max Bernays and take part in the handing over of Max Bernays. . He is deeply concerned about his royal duties and the sailors in the Royal Canadian Navy.”

HMCS Max Bernays, based in Victoria, is the first new ship to be commissioned on the West Coast for Arctic and offshore patrols, Topshi said.

“This is a fantastic new opportunity for Canada and it ensures that we can secure our Arctic sovereignty,” he said.

About 600 people attended the Battle of the Atlantic ceremony, according to BC Legislature security staff.

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