Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal has been visiting volunteers and schoolchildren on the Isle of Wight today (Thursday). The wet weather didn’t dampen spirits for the Royal engagement, which saw Princess Anne visit the villages of Bembridge and Seaview. She was flown from her home at Gatgombe Park, Gloucestershire to Bembridge Airport, where The King’s Helicopter Flight touched down at 11:30. It’s at the National Coastwatch Institution station in Bembridge that Her Royal Highness, accompanied by Lord Lieutenant Susie Sheldon, met volunteer watchkeepers Jo Haigh and Colin Caldicott, and Station Manager Michael Batcheler. She is the charity’s patron. It is the Princess Royal’s 5th visit to an NCI station this year alone, but NCI Bembridge is unique. It is the only watch station to be co-located in an operational HM Coastguard station. Her Royal Highness was duly introduced to members of HM Coastguard based in the same building including Andrew Woodford, Senior Coastal Operations Officer and officers from Bembridge Coastguard Rescue Team. 
At a reception held at Brading Yacht Haven shortly afterwards, Princess Anne met around 25 other volunteers, as well as representatives from the local community. She also presented watchkeeper epaulettes to NCI Bembridge’s newest team members Mike Randall, Peter Knight and Simon Smith. Her Royal Highness also unveiled a plaque to commemorate the visit which will be placed in the Bembridge station. Over in Seaview, in her role as president of the Royal Yachting Association, Princess Royal officially opened Sea View Yacht Club’s training centre and boat park on Duver Road., with a plaque unveiling. She was joined by the RYA’s CEO, Sara Sutcliffe. 
Here she met with Year 5 and 6 schoolchildren from Bembridge, Brading, Dover Park, Oakfield and Nettlestone and St Mary’s Primary Schools, and Ryde School, who have benefited from the Seaview Sailing Trust’s on-the-water training. The Princess Royal spent some time on the water herself, watching the children enjoy their sailing lessons. A strong crowd gathered along the sea wall – which was opened by Princess Anne’s late father, Prince Phillip the Duke of Edinburgh, some 20 years ago. Andrea Minton Beddoes, Chair, Seaview Sailing Trust said:
“For such a young charity, this royal visit was an incredible honour… The Princess Royal left Seaview today with a real understanding of how these sailing lessons are transforming children’s lives – developing vital life skills such as confidence building, teamwork, as well as learning to sail.”
