Princess Anne has been pictured in Edinburgh just weeks ahead of her 75th birthday and private getaway with her husband, Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence.
The Princess Royal was in the Scottish capital to observe rehearsals for the Edinburgh Military Tattoo at Redford Barracks.
Anne was appointed Patron of The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo in 2006, which celebrates performances from armed forces around Britain and across the globe.
This year’s show, the 75th anniversary of the event, will see representations from Poland, Switzerland, USA and Ukraine.
Princess Anne was in Edinburgh ahead of her private 75th birthday celebrations
|IAN GEORGESON
The Princess Royal was pictured alongside members of the Centre for Military Music of the Ukrainian Navy, who are making their debut during this year’s performance.
Anne was seen shaking hands and chatting with the Ukrainian personnel, clad in blue camouflage uniforms.
The Odessa-based orchestra are currently focused on rehabilitation projects and cultural sharing exercises.
"I’m absolutely delighted to welcome our brothers and sisters from Ukraine," the Tattoo’s creative direction Alan Lane said.
The Princess Royal was in the Scottish capital to observe referrals for the The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, for which she serves a patron
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"Like all international acts, they’ve come to represent the best of their nation.
"We have some extraordinary Ukrainian military music and some Ukrainian cultural dancing as well so I think the audience are going to really enjoy that," he added.
The 75th anniversary tattoo will kick off on August 1 based on the theme "the heroes who made us".
"The team here are fantastic, they’ve been making shows for decades, so I’m very confident they’re a great team and they’ll do a great job," Lane told the PA News Agency.
Anne met representatives from Ukraine's naval orchestra, who will perform their debut at the Tattoo next month
|IAN GEORGESON
Princess Anne is also celebrating her 75th birthday next month but has insisted that no major royal celebrations be held to mark her personal milestone.
Instead, she will embark on a private birthday getaway with her husband, Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence.
The couple are understood to be planning to navigate the waters off western Scotland for approximately 10 days without any accompanying staff.
This maritime tradition represents a cherished ritual for the royal couple, who undertake similar voyages each May and August.
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The Princess Royal will embark on a private birthday getaway with her husband to celebrate her birthday
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Friends describe these sailing trips as the princess's "happy place" and view them as evidence of the couple's enduring partnership.
"How many couples could go out to sea that often, just the two of them, and still be speaking to each other? She loves it," observed a friend of the couple, per The Times.
The birthday voyage will conclude with Princess Anne joining the King at Balmoral, maintaining her usual August routine.
Looking ahead, the Princess Royal intends to remain in active royal service until reaching 80, before beginning a gradual reduction in her commitments.