It was a great honour recently to meet seven Canadian visitors, all members of Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry. They were visiting St Anne’s church to view the many links to the princess and her illustrious family. Princess Patsy (as she was known to her family before her marriage) was a granddaughter of Queen Victoria.

The princess’s father was Prince Arthur, the Duke of Connaught, third son of Queen Victoria The hard work and influence of the Duke meant that Bagshot has a far more splendid church than perhaps we would have had. St Anne’s replaced the old chapel once situated in Bagshot Cemetery.

The Duke, a military man, was appointed Governor General of Canada from 1912 to 1916. While there, Princess Patricia was a popular figure, helping her father host events at the governor’s residence during her mother’s illness. She consented to her name being used for the new regiment founded at his own expense by Hamilton Gault. Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry is the last privately raised regiment in the British Empire at the time.

Our Canadian guests were given a tour of St Anne’s by Lynne Cowley, an honorary member of PPCLI, who has just written a booklet entitled Queen Victoria and her children in St Anne’s Church. Each visitor received a copy to mark their visit.

As a memento of their visit Lynne was presented with Patricias At Home, a book celebrating a century of the PPCLI,

Copies of Lynne’s booklet can be obtained at the church.

Pictured from l to r: Norah Hewson, Brigadier General Vince Kennedy, Wendy Kennedy, Carol Romses, Brigadier General Ray Romses, Lynne Cowley, David Cowley, Mary Ann de Chastelain & General John de Chastelain.