Princess Anne will be at the national memorial service in Melbourne

Princess Anne will cancel other engagements to personally represent her mother, the Queen of Australia, in Melbourne at a national memorial service for the victims of the devastating bush fires in Victoria, in which at least 200 people were killed and over 1800 houses destroyed.

The Princess Royal, will attend a service to be held at the Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne on Sunday, 22nd February at 11.00 am as part of the national day of mourning. Besides The Princess Royal the official party will include the Viceroys, government and opposition leaders, and senior judiciary.

The news of Her Royal Highness trip to Australia was announced on 18th February by a Buckingham Palace spokeswoman: "The Princess Royal will be attending the memorial service on Sunday representing the Queen in Melbourne. The following day she will visit areas affected by the fire." It is yet not known which communities Princess Anne would visit.

As reported here, The Queen has made a private donation to the fund-raising appeal for victims of the bushfires in Australia, Her Majesty expressing her deep concern over the bushfires which have ravaged Victoria. "I was shocked and saddened to learn of the terrible toll being exacted by the fires this weekend," The Queen said.

"I send my heartfelt condolences to the families of all those who have died and my deep sympathy to the many that have lost their homes in this disaster.

"On so dreadful an occasion as this for Australia, the firefighters and other emergency services have been making extraordinary efforts to contain the situation and tend to those who have been injured."