No nonsense, no bag carriers for Princess in Sri Lanka
THE Princess Royal has been welcomed to Sri Lanka with a dazzling performance by traditional dancers after an arrival in customary no-nonsense style as she carried her own bags off her commercial flight.
The straightforward royal was photographed in a warm jacket, trousers and sensible shoes as she thanked Srilankan Airlines staff before walking off the plane with two heavy bags.
Her husband, Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, followed her out and was also carrying luggage as the couple commenced their three-day official visit to celebrate Britain’s ties with the Commonwealth country.
The Princess, 73, is famously businesslike on her tours and she has a packed schedule on this trip, covering as much ground as possible.
She travels with a compact team of staff and tries to visit as many of her patronages as possible, as well as representing
‘This visit is the best possible way to mark 75 years of diplomatic relations with Sri Lanka’
Britain and the Royal family. She is now known as the King’s “righthand woman” thanks to her support for her brother and her reputation as one of the hardest-working royals in the slimmed-down monarchy.
The trip is the first overseas royal tour of 2024 and the Princess’s low-key arrival yesterday was expected to set the tone for a working visit in which she will undertake a busy schedule of engagements to showcase the country.
The visit is at the request of the Foreign Office and will include a meeting with Ranil Wickremesinghe, the Sri Lankan president. Andrew Patrick, the British High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, said: “This visit is the best possible way to mark 75 years of diplomatic relations with Sri Lanka.”
Shortly after arriving at Bandaranaike International Airport, the Princess went to the MAS Active factory, which has been manufacturing lingerie for Marks & Spencer for 30 years.