Princess Anne is coming to Victoria as part of her Canadian tour next month.
The Princess Royal — the only daughter of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip, and the younger sister of King Charles — is set to visit the Victoria Therapeutic Riding Association on May 5, along with husband Sir Timothy Laurence.
The royal couple’s Canadian tour runs from May 3-5. No details had been announced by the Governor General or Lieutenant Governor as of Monday evening.
Princess Anne is an international-caliber equestrian, having competed in the 1976 Montreal Olympics, and is an avid supporter of therapeutic riding, said Annie Brothwell, board chair of the Victoria Therapeutic Riding Association.
She said it is “amazing” to be able to host the princess at the association’s Central Saanich facility.
“She’ll be with us approximately an hour-and-a-half,” said Brothwell, who has been involved in the riding group for 13 years.
Liz Gagel, the riding association’s acting executive director, said the visit by the princess will bring awareness to the work that the group and others like it can do.
The riding association has been operating since 1982, giving people with a range of abilities the chance to experience the joy of riding and being around horses — a recognized therapeutic aid.
Brothwell said it is “absolutely incredible” what horseback riding and other program activities can do for people with mental health or physical challenges.
“Just being on top of the horse, if you’ve got any physical challenges, they go away,” she said. “So it’s an equalizer.”
She said extensive training of the horses assures they are suited for the program.
About 200 people ranging from children under six to older adults use the program, with over 200 volunteers the key to making it work, she said.
Princess Anne was in Canada twice within one month last year. She visited New Brunswick in May to celebrate the 175th anniversary of the 8th Canadian Hussars (Princess Louise’s) military regiment. In June, she attended the Duke of Edinburgh’s Commonwealth Study Conference in Banff, Alta.
The B.C. government’s royal tour page lists two previous visits by the princess to the province, including one to the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics as a member of the International Olympic Committee.
She was also here in 1971 with the queen, a tour that included stops in Victoria, Nanaimo, Tofino and Comox.
