Princess Anne will travel to South Georgia, a remote island with no permanent inhabitants, later this month as part of her role as Patron of the South Georgia Heritage Trust (SGHT). The visit is scheduled to run from Monday, November 9 to Friday, November 20.
The Princess Royal's trip will allow her to see the Trust's work to preserve and protect the island's environment and heritage. She will also commemorate the life and achievements of polar explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton (1874-1922), who sailed 1,500km in a lifeboat to South Georgia to seek help for his crew after their Antarctic expedition was beset by ice.
Journey via the Falkland Islands
Joined by her husband, Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, the Princess will begin her visit with a series of engagements in the Falkland Islands on her way to South Georgia. While there, she will meet members of the local community and visit Cape Pembroke Lighthouse, Tussac House and the newly completed Falkland Islands National Sports Complex.
The Princess and Sir Tim will also attend a reception at Government House in Stanley.
South Georgia's unique status
South Georgia is a remote British Overseas Territory in the South Atlantic Ocean with no permanent civilian residents. Due to its harsh climate and isolated location, the island has no permanent settled population.
However, it is periodically inhabited by government officers, scientists, conservation workers and other personnel who live and work there on a temporary basis. The island's natural environment and wildlife remain central to its protection and management.
Commemorating Shackleton's legacy
A major part of her visit to South Georgia will see the Princess commemorating the life and work of polar explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton. Following his expedition to the Antarctic, during which he became trapped in the ice, Shackleton sailed 1,500km in a lifeboat to South Georgia to seek help for his crew.
Thanks to his actions and the assistance provided by the inhabitants of South Georgia, the entire crew survived. As part of the visit, the Princess will unveil a memorial at the Whaling Station in South Georgia, formally open the newly restored Stromness Managers' Villa and visit Possession Bay, the site of the first landing on South Georgia by Captain Cook in 1775.
On arrival in South Georgia, the Princess will see the important work undertaken by the South Georgia Heritage Trust on behalf of the Government of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands to protect the Islands' heritage and natural resources. The Princess and Sir Tim will also meet with British Antarctic Survey staff and members of the Government.
In January 2016, the Princess Royal made her first official visit to South Georgia to commemorate the centenary of Sir Ernest Shackleton's expedition, during which she also visited the Falkland Islands. Her Royal Highness returned to the Falkland Islands in 2022.
