Princess Anne embarks on five-day South Korea tour

Princess Anne, one of the most active and hard-working members of the British Royal Family, has today officially begun an ambitious, five-day visit to the far east. Accompanying her will be her husband, Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence.

Princess Anne arrived in South Korea this morning, 13 July 2026, kicking off a tightly packed itinerary focused on strengthening ties between the UK and Asia, honouring the nations’ shared military heritage, and promoting partnerships across cutting-edge technology, education and humanitarian efforts.

Part 1: South Korea (13-15 July)

A focus on memorialisation and cutting-edge industrial partnerships is on the agenda for the first half of the Princess Royal’s Asian tour.

Princess Anne is in Korea to pay her respects to the British and Commonwealth service personnel. 2026 marks the 75th anniversary of two key and hard-fought battles between British and other UN forces during the Korean War: the Battle of Imjin River, a key clash involving the 29th Brigade of the British Army, and the Battle of Gapyeong.

A memorial service attended by Princess Anne will take place at the United Nations Memorial Cemetery in Busan. The cemetery honours all those from UN member states who died fighting in Korea, with more than a thousand British and Commonwealth troops laid to rest.

Alongside historic tributes, the trip also looks to boost relations in sectors that shape our modern world. Princess Anne and Sir Tim Laurence are attending events across the country, visiting, Seoul, Busan and Ulsan to showcase collaboration on:

Maritime Manufacturing and Shipbuilding – following decades of cooperation through maritime trade between our two countries.

Advanced Technologies and Scientific Research – strengthening links between our world-class universities, researchers and innovative start-ups.

Culture and Youth Empowerment – meeting with members of the Korean pop group NMIXX, a group of promotional ambassadors for the British Embassy’s “Girls’ Empowerment” initiative.

Princess Anne will also make a courtesy call to Save the Children Korea and conduct a closed-door meeting with the President Lee Jae-myung.

Part 2: Thailand (16-17 July)

On Thursday, 16 July, the couple will head over to the capital, Bangkok, where Princess Anne will arrive for her fourth visit to Thailand, her first since travelling with Her Majesty the Queen and HRH The Duke of Edinburgh in 1972. Princess Anne also visited Thailand on solo occasions in 1979 and 1987.

The second leg of the visit will focus on long-standing royal friendships and a more grassroots community approach to strengthening ties:

Thai Royal Audiences – Princess Anne is expected to be received in audience by HM King Maha Vajiralongkorn and HM Queen Suthida, and to pay her respects to HM Queen Sirikit, the Queen Mother.

Prime Minister and Diplomatic Engagement – A meeting with the Thai Prime Minister will take place, with both sides eager to boost regional cooperation and dialogue.

Championing the Rights of Children – Drawing upon more than 50 years as patron and president of Save the Children UK, Princess Anne will visit a local school which works closely with Save the Children Thailand.

Women in STEM and Health Security – meeting with female Thai researchers and attending a major exhibition focused on regional health security before a final visit that will focus on cultural collaboration on Friday.

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Even after her 75th birthday, The Princess Royal remains actively involved with over 250 charities and continues to perform a vital international diplomatic role on behalf of HRH The King. This high-level engagement with South Korea and Thailand highlights the continued strength of the bonds that unite the UK with these two key nations.