Royal hospital visit cancelled as plans sidelined by ‘adverse' weather

Princess Anne’s planned visit to Middlesbrough Hospital for a milestone celebration took an unexpected turn this week.

The Princess Royal had been due to mark the 20th anniversary of the hospital’s occupational therapy team within health and social care that has spent two decades helping patients regain independence after illness and injury. 

Staff had prepared to welcome the famously punctual royal, whose diary rarely skips a beat.

However, Thursday morning brought a change of plans. With severe weather sweeping across the region, flight conditions grounded the helicopter scheduled to carry her north. 

A Buckingham Palace spokesperson confirmed that the visit could not go ahead due to adverse weather preventing safe travel.

The cancellation coincided with intense media attention surrounding fresh headlines about her brother, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, though palace officials made clear the decision was purely weather-related.

While the anniversary event will now have to wait for a future date, the milestone remains significant.