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Princess Anne caught up in Cyclone Gabrielle in NZ

By AAP Newswire

Feb 15, 2023

NEW ZEALAND PRINCESS ANNE VISIT — Princess Anne has visited the National Crisis Management Centre in Wellington, New Zealand. -AAP Image

Cyclone Gabrielle has curtailed Princess Anne's visit to New Zealand, with a military centenary event axed as defence force personnel respond to the storm.

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The Princess Royal is visiting New Zealand this week for her first visit since 2010.

It is the first visit to the South Pacific nation by a member of the royal family since 2019, when then-prince Charles and Camilla travelled during the reign of Queen Elizabeth.

However, Anne's stay has coincided with NZ's worst storm in 35 years.

With troops needed in the response to Cyclone Gabrielle, the defence force cancelled a centenary event for the Royal New Zealand Corps of Signals on Wednesday.

Instead, Prime Minister Chris Hipkins gave the princess a tour of the coordinating bunker in Wellington, where emergency management officials are responding to the storm.

Princess Anne is scheduled to be in the country until Friday, with plans to visit a disabled riding group in Porirua, dedicate a war memorial and meet with the Royal Agricultural Society in Christchurch.