Royal Family Member Makes Surprise Visit to America, Rides the Staten Island Ferry
Princess Anne arrived at John F Kennedy International Airport on Monday, October 3rd.
The 72-year-old Royal was greeted by Majesty’s Consul-General for New York, Emma Wade-Smith, according to The Daily Mail.
Though her visit was viewed as a surprise to most of the general public, it was actually scheduled prior to the passing of her mother, Queen Elizabeth, according to People.com.
Princess Anne’s brother, King Charles, granted her permission to move forward with her planned trip.
The princess royal was the guest of honor during a gala dinner for the English-Speaking Union at the Cosmopolitan Club that took place a few hours after her arrival.
During her visit to New York, Princess Anne combined a Staten Island Ferry ride with her love of lighthouses.
The New York Department of Transportation captured the iconic moment and posted it via Twitter.
“We were pleased to welcome Her Royal Highness Princess Anne to the #StatenIslandFerry today,” said the New York DOT via Twitter.
We were pleased to welcome Her Royal Highness Princess Anne to the #StatenIslandFerry today. pic.twitter.com/XTQjIWqpJM
— NYC DOT (@NYC_DOT) October 4, 2022
When the princess royal arrived at the National Lighthouse Museum, she was greeted at the door by Linda Dianto, executive director of the museum; Capt. Joseph Ahlstrom, president of the museum; Borough President Vito Fossella, and District Attorney Michael E. McMahon, and then Princess Anne was provided a brief synopsis of the history of the museum’s site by historian Wade Goria, according to the Staten Island Advance.
As Princess Anne toured the museum with National Lighthouse Museum curator Amanda Nesci by her side, she stopped briefly and offered a warm handshake and a bit of conversation with each person she encountered.
She later attended a luncheon that included over 100 attendees during a cocktail hour and made a point of greeting each one of them.
Then the royal took to the podium where she shared her love of lighthouses, and her positive sentiments about the work that the National Lighthouse Museum is doing.
“I think lighthouses have been a particularly good way of educating people about the importance of maritime in all its formats,” Princess Anne began.
“It’s not just about trade, but the impact of what we do to the sea, and how we can look after it better, and the way in which it affects our lives.
“The lighthouse still has a really important part to play …,” she continued. “The story that goes with lighthouses and how we got here is just as important, and [the] museum has made an astonishing impact in telling that story. What you do needs scope, to tell more of that story.
“The campaign for Illuminating Future Generations is highly imaginative and has real scope for the future, not just here [in New York City]. … I can only wish you well.”
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