The Princess Royal leaned forward in her navy blue day gloves and shook hands with a robot. The futuristic encounter took place at a smart mobility laboratory at Korea University in Seoul, where Anne is on a three-day official visit to South Korea.
She watched as the state-of-the-art machine sped back and forth in a demonstration, then waved at the princess, prompting a smile from the King's sister. Anne was said to be extremely interested to talk about AI, and heard how the robot learns movement from trial and error as well as simulation. She also saw demonstrations of a dual-arm robot and a motion capture system, accompanied by her husband Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence.
“Princess Anne shook hands with a robot and discussed AI during her three-day official visit to South Korea.”
The visit to the university showcased examples of British-Korean academic, industrial and research collaboration in science and technology. Earlier in her trip, Anne honoured the sacrifice of soldiers who fought in the Battle of Imjin River, leaving a wreath of red flowers at the base of a lion statue during a service commemorating the 75th anniversary of the conflict. She also personally laid a single white chrysanthemum on the grave of Private Martin Hogan, who served in the Black Watch and died aged 19 on July 14 1952.
Later, the princess had an audience with South Korea's President Lee Jae Myung at his Cheongwadae residence in Seoul. At a reception celebrating UK ties to the republic, she met members of the K-Pop band NMIXX, with whom the British Embassy has a girls' empowerment partnership. Anne and Sir Tim also visited HD Hyundai Heavy Industries in Ulsan to hear about UK–South Korea industrial cooperation in maritime and defence.
The royal meet-and-greet with a robot underscored a trip blending tradition and technology, with the Princess Royal engaging with both the past and future of bilateral relations.