Princess Anne may be one of the most experienced and hard-working members of the Royal Family, but even the Princess Royal can still be surprised. During her visit to South Korea, Anne was left with a huge smile after an unusual encounter with a humanoid robot at Korea University in Seoul.
The 75-year-old royal toured a smart mobility laboratory during her time in the South Korean capital, where she watched the robot move quickly back and forth before it stopped to wave at her. The unexpected moment appeared to delight Anne, who is more often associated with no-nonsense duty than playful royal reactions.
The interaction became even more memorable when Anne shook hands with the robot while wearing a smart pair of navy gloves. During the visit, she also discussed advances in artificial intelligence and heard how the robot could improve its own systems through trial and error.
© PA Images via Getty ImagesAnne shook hands with a robot
For royal watchers, the image of the Princess Royal smiling at cutting-edge technology offered a refreshing glimpse of Anne’s curiosity. After decades of public service and hundreds of engagements each year, she is still finding new experiences — and this one was far from the usual royal walkabout or ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Anne’s South Korea trip was not only about technology. Earlier in the visit, she honoured British soldiers who lost their lives during the Battle of Imjin River in the Korean War. The battle was one of the bloodiest faced by British forces since the Second World War, with more than 1,000 lives lost.
The Princess Royal also met South Korean president Lee Jae Myung and attended a reception celebrating the relationship between the United Kingdom and South Korea. During that event, Anne spoke with members of the K-pop group NMIXX, adding another modern cultural moment to her overseas schedule.
© PA Images via Getty ImagesAnne was recently in France with the Duke of Gloucester
The visit fits neatly into Anne’s reputation as one of the monarchy’s most dependable figures. Although King Charles recently overtook her as the hardest-working royal, Anne continues to carry out a demanding programme of engagements across Britain and abroad.
In recent months, she has also travelled to France with the Duke of Gloucester to honour soldiers who died during the Battle of the Somme. As president of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Anne helped unveil UNESCO plaques and paid tribute at memorials commemorating thousands of servicemen with no known graves.
From solemn remembrance in France and South Korea to a cheerful handshake with a robot in Seoul, Anne’s latest appearances show the range of her royal duties. She remains a figure of discipline and tradition, but her huge smile in the laboratory proved that even the most seasoned royal can still be caught off guard by a futuristic surprise.
