HRH the Princess Royal was spotted wearing a sentimental brooch in Inverness just days after the Duchess of Wales revealed she had cancer.
Princess Anne touched down in the Highland capital this morning to begin a day of engagements.
Dressed in a blue tartan coat and red scarf, the 72-year-old finished her signature look with a Scout reef knot brooch, symbolising strength and unity.
The gesture comes just days after Kate announced doctors had discovered cancerous cells after undergoing abdominal surgery in January.
Kate is the third member of the royal family to be diagnosed with the disease this year, with King Charles also currently undergoing treatment.
Sarah Ferguson the Duchess of York was diagnosed with skin cancer in January, just months after undergoing treatment for breast cancer.
Princess Anne is one of the few royals conducting public engagements on behalf of the royal family.
Princess Anne all smiles during Inverness engagement
Today, she was in Inverness to mark the official opening of the Rural and Veterinary Innovation Centre (RAVIC).
The centre will lead the way in animal welfare, agriculture and aquaculture driving innovation and employment in the sectors.
Staff and students gathered at the centre today to commemorate the building’s official opening and give Princess Anne a guided tour.
Gordon Straube of the Inverness Royal British Legion Pipe Band piped and provided the perfect soundtrack for the occasion, playing a selection of tunes.
The royal was all smiles as she spoke with innovators behind the venture, learning about the benefits the centre will have on rural industries and protecting rural environments.
The two-storey building houses several incubation units, a lecture theatre and microbiology facilities to help attract businesses and entrepreneurs.
Dozens of jobs have already been created, with the centre estimated to have around 120 workers at its core in the next few years.
The £12.5 million centre was developed by Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) with funding from the European Regional Development Fund and The Scottish Funding Council.
Highland Wildlife Park visit for princess during Inverness tour
The royal also visited the Saving Wildcats project, based at the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland’s (RZSS) Highland Wildlife Park, where she learned more about the partnership project working to save one of the UK’s most endangered carnivores.
The wildlife conservation charity’s royal patron heard from the team responsible for restoring the Highland tiger to Scotland, and the work they do to breed the species for release, mitigate the threats the cats face, and monitor their progress in the wild.
Following a tour of the project hub, Her Royal Highness then unveiled a plaque to commemorate the visit.
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