Princess Anne to visit New Brunswick in celebration of 175th military anniversary

The Princess Royal is set to visit New Brunswick in May to celebrate the 175th anniversary of the oldest continuously serving armoured regiment in the Canadian military.

Princess Anne is scheduled to attend celebrations honouring the 8th Canadian Hussars (Princess Louise’s) held in Moncton and Sussex between May 18 and May 21.

“The regiment’s 175th anniversary is an amazing milestone and something New Brunswick, from where we draw our recruits, should be extremely proud,” said Honorary Colonel James Lockyer, organizer of the celebrations.

As the Colonel-in-chief of the 8th Canadian Hussars, Her Royal Highness’s time in New Brunswick will be considered a “working visit.”

She will meet with soldiers and veterans of the 8th Hussars and attend a commemorative concert featuring the New Brunswick Youth Orchestra on May 19.

The next day, she is set to take part in a gala evening in Moncton, and regimental and civic events in Sussex the day after.

The princess has visited the 8th Hussars on several occasions, including a 1998 trip to help the regiment celebrate its 150th birthday in Moncton, and another in 1992 when the regiment was serving in the Canadian Brigade in Germany.

Dawn Arnold, the mayor of Moncton, says the regiment has a long-standing connection to the city.

Princess Anne inspects the Honour Guard at Rideau Hall, the official residence of the Governor General, in Ottawa, Monday, November 10, 2014 . (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Fred Chartrand)

“[It] continues to provide opportunities for local residents to train and serve as army reservists. We look forward to commemorating this significant anniversary with them,” said Arnold.

Princess Anne is the daughter of the late Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip. She is currently 16th in line to the British throne.

A REGIMENT BORN IN NEW BRUNSWICK

The 8th Canadian Hussars, a reserve unit, was formed in 1848 in the Sussex area to deal with the potential threat of American expansion. It was originally known as Saunders Horse.

As traditional cavalry gave way to technology, the regiment was rerolled to an armoured unit.

Members of the 8th Canadian Hussars (Princess Louise’s) pose for a photo in Sussex, N.B. (The 8th Canadian Hussars - Princess Louise's/Facebook)

Its soldiers have served in France and Flanders in World War I, and in Italy and Holland in World War II.

They served later in Europe under NATO in the Middle and Far East, and in Cyprus as peacekeepers for the United Nations.