14 February 2023 , 12:26
1110
0
Princess Anne has been forced to make a last-minute change to her trip to New Zealand after the country has been battered by a powerful cyclone.
King Charles's sister and her husband Sir Timothy Laurence have travelled to New Zealand for a four-day trip, where they have several engagements planned.
They left London for New Zealand on Sunday evening just before Cyclone Gabrielle struck, in what is being described as the biggest weather event in the country for a century.
It has lashed the country's North Island leaving flooding, power cuts, landslides, heavy rain and a trail of destruction in its wake.
Princess Anne, who is on a four-day visit to New Zealand (PA)Later today, Anne was due to be at Linton Military Camp near the city of Palmerston North on the North Island to visit the Royal New Zealand Corps of Signals, which is part of the New Zealand Army.
Meghan Markle 'to unleash her own memoirs' as Prince Harry's drops next week
However, in a statement, the New Zealand Defence Force said this engagement would no longer be taking place due to the extreme weather and the Army being involved in the response to the storm.
But a spokesman told stuff.co.nz that instead, Anne would visit the centre coordinating the relief effort.
Anne has travelled to the country with her husband Sir Timothy Laurence (POOL/AFP via Getty Images)He said: "Instead, Princess Anne will visit the National Crisis Management Centre at the Beehive [New Zealand Parliament] ... to meet with staff from agencies involved in the Cyclone Gabrielle response."
Anne was due to meet with the new Prime Minister of New Zealand Chris Hipkins, who assumed office just last month after the unexpected resignation of Jacinda Arden.
However, Radio New Zealand reports that these plans may be affected due to the extreme weather.
Anne has completed several official trips abroad this year representing her older brother the King.
Flooding caused by Cyclone Gabrielle in Awatoto, near the city of Napier in New Zealand (AFP via Getty Images)
Destruction in Auckland following Cyclone Gabrielle (Getty Images)In early January, she travelled to Cyprus, where she met British military personnel and their families and also met with the Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades.
Shortly after, she travelled to Athens, where she represented Charles at the funeral of the former King Constantine of Greece.
She was among the foreign royals and dignitaries at the service, where she was pictured comforting Constantine's son Crown Prince Pavlos of Greece.
Princess Anne comforts Crown Prince Pavlos of Greece at the funeral of his father King Constantine, the last King of Greece (HANDOUT/AFP via Getty Images)Meanwhile, at the end of January, Anne went to Estonia in her role as Colonel-in-Chief of The King’s Royal Hussars, who are on deployment in the Eastern European country.
Harry and Meghan convinced 'royals were against them' after New Year photo snub
The regiment is currently part of an enhanced NATO presence in the country as part of Operation CABRIT.
In addition, Anne also attended a dinner hosted by the president of Estonia Alar Karis.