Princess Anne rededicated the restored Guards Memorial on its centenary, saying each generation has a 'responsibility' to remember sacrifice

Princess Anne, 76, unveiled the newly-restored Guards Memorial at Horse Guards Parade on Friday, exactly 100 years to the day since Field Marshal the Duke of Connaught first dedicated it before 15,000 First World War veterans. The Princess Royal, serving as Senior Colonel of the Foot Guards, received a Royal Salute, laid a wreath alongside the Major General and seven regimental representatives, and delivered an address echoing elements of the original 1926 ceremony.

Anne spoke personally with 100-year-old John Barber, who served with the Irish Guards from 1944 to 1948 and called it a great honour to attend.

The memorial was originally erected to commemorate Foot Guards killed in the First World War; it was subsequently enlarged to record the dead of the Second World War.

The ceremony comes after a YouGov poll ranked Anne first among Royal Family members by popularity.