Princess Anne had an encounter with a blind sailor during her visit to the Isle of Wight.
She took a particular interest in the work being done to make sailing more accessible to people with disabilities.
The Princess Royal visited East Cowes Sailing Club on 2 August as part of the celebrations marking the 200th anniversary of Cowes Week.
Sailor Dania Pich shared his delight at the encounter on Instagram.
He described the day as a memorable one, revealing that Princess Anne was keen to learn more about Yes We Sail and its work, including sailing the Patí Català.
Pich said the British Royal Family also received a copy of the book about the Patí Català, and that Princess Anne’s interest made the meeting particularly special.
During her time on the island, Anne also visited the new Sailing Through Royal History exhibition at Commodores House, which explores the Royal Family’s long association with Cowes and the sailing world.
The exhibition also offered a poignant link to Anne’s late father, Prince Philip, whose passion for sailing was closely intertwined with Cowes.
At its heart is Coweslip, the celebrated Flying Fifteen designed by legendary sailor and yacht designer Uffa Fox and gifted to the then Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip.
Philip sailed the yacht regularly and formed a formidable racing partnership with Fox, even winning the Britannia Cup together in 1952.
2026-08-11 03:55:00
