The Princess Royal has paid tribute to First World War soldiers who "gave their lives for peace they would never see" as she marked the reopening of the Menin Gate memorial. Anne joined Princess Claire of Belgium in Ypres where the memorial, bearing the names of more than 54,000 soldiers whose bodies have not been found, has undergone extensive restoration work.
Speaking in her role as president of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC), which helped fund the project, the princess said the memorial gives "the opportunity to renew our promise that we will remember them". She described the Menin Gate as "more than stone and inscription" and "a threshold between past and present, silence and memory, sacrifice and gratitude".
Duty to remember fallen soldiers
Anne emphasised the importance of remembering those who made the ultimate sacrifice. "This restoration reminds us of the duty to remember those who gave their lives for peace they would never see," she said. She added that it was "a duty to teach new generations that the cost of war is measured not only in history books, but in the poignant sadness of the Last Post each evening".
The princess, who was joined by her husband, Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, concluded her speech with a pledge from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. She promised that "this memorial will continue to stand as a testament to the courage, sacrifice, and enduring peace for which they fought". Anne declared: "We rededicate the Menin as a place for remembrance and unity."
Royal visit includes cemetery tour
During her one-day visit to Ypres, the princess also opened the CWGC visitor centre and visited a significant royal grave. She paid respects at the grave of Queen Victoria's grandson, Prince Maurice von Battenberg, who was killed fighting with the British Army in 1914 and was buried at Ypres Town Cemetery.
Prince Maurice served as an officer with the King's Royal Rifle Corps and was fatally wounded in October 1914. He died when a shell burst next to him as he led his men across open ground, dying before reaching a field dressing room.
(PA) Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
