Princess Anne has arrived in Australia for a whirlwind royal visit, with her Melbourne itinerary remaining a closely-guarded secret as Defence officials keep details under wraps.
The King’s younger sister is travelling with her husband, Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, as guests of the Australian Defence Force for what promises to be a busy few days across multiple cities.
WATCH ABOVE: Princes Anne arrives in Melbourne.
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While royal watchers have received a drip feed of details for Sydney and Brisbane since the visit was announced, the ADF is keeping her Melbourne events tightly controlled.
There are no expectations of royal walkabouts in Melbourne — a stark contrast to Princess Anne’s first visit to the city in 1970 with her parents and her brother, now King Charles.
She also made a high-profile trip to Melbourne following Australia’s deadly bushfires in 2009.
Princess Anne has no public appearances set for her Melbourne visit. Credit: AAP
The Victoria Racing Club confirmed on Friday it was not expecting a surprise royal guest at Flemington on Saturday, despite Princess Anne’s lifelong love of horses.
The Princess Royal is in Australia to mark the 100-year anniversary of the Signals Corps in her role as Colonel-in-Chief, a position she has held since 1977 — covering almost half the corps’ existence since its formation in 1925.
Her confirmed schedule includes visits to Sydney on Sunday and Brisbane on Tuesday, with Monday set to be a busy day of duties in Melbourne including stops at Victoria Barracks and Simpson Barracks.
There’s also speculation the Princess Royal may drop in for tea with the Victorian Governor during her Melbourne stay.
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