PRINCESS Anne has had a sneak preview of a statue being created of her mother at York Minster.

The Princess Royal visited the cathedral yesterday after taking the salute in the city centre during a Freedom of York Parade by 2 Signal Regiment.

She viewed progress on a statue of the Queen, which is due to be installed in an empty niche at the West Front of the cathedral in the autumn.

She met Richard Bossons, a member of the Minster’s team of stone masons and the designer and carver of the new statue.

Escorted by Brigadier Tim Watts (Retired), 2 Signal Regiment, she had been welcomed to the cathedral by the Acting Dean of York, the Reverend Canon Michael Smith, and she was invited to take part in a Regimental photograph with 2 Signal Regiment on the steps of the South entrance.

Once inside, she met members of the Chapter of York, 2 Signal Regiment, representatives from the Kohima Educational Trust and members of 37 Signal Regiment, and was invited to sign the Royal Corps of Signals visitors’ book and the York Minster’s visitors’ book.

She was presented with a posy by Leo Davidson, aged 11, son of Staff Sergeant Julius Davidson of the Royal Corps of Signals.

Earlier, crowds gathered in Duncombe Place, near the Minster, and in St Helen’s Square as the regiment exercised its right to march through the City of York bearing arms, with bayonets fixed.

The parade started in Deangate and then made its way into Duncombe Place, where the Princess Royal inspected and spoke to the troops.

It then wound along Blake Street, Davygate, Parliament Street, High Ousegate and Coney Street, with the Princess, who is the Royal Signals Colonel-in-Chief, taking the salute.

She was accompanied during her visit by the Lord Mayor of York, Cllr Chris Cullwick.

He said there was a “close and enduring” tie between the regiment and the city, and spoke of how the regiment had been given the Freedom of York in recognition of the help it gave to the city in November 2000, when it was struck by one of its worst ever floods.

He added that it was the first time the regiment had exercised its right to the Freedom of York since 2019.