The Princess Royal receives her posy from Millie Oulton

Princess Anne, the Colonel-in-Chief for the Royal Corps of Signals, specifically requested the meeting.

She spent about an hour chatting to families of the soldiers from 2 Signal Regiment, based at Imphal Barracks in York.

During the trip the princess was presented with a garland from five-year-old Uchan Thapa, whose father Un is a Gurkha in the regiment.

Millie Oulton, whose father Phil also serves in the regiment, presented her with a posy.

Angela Brown, 31, whose husband Stephen recently returned from the Gulf said the visit had cheered everyone connected to the regiment.

Commanders' briefing

"It was particularly nice for the children because it was difficult for them while their father was away.

"I appreciated her visit, it's nice to know she was thinking of us," said Mrs Brown.

Karen Casey, 34, whose husband Mark was involved in the Gulf conflict, said: "She was very inquisitive, she wanted to know what it is like living here and whether I was living on the barracks.

"I was glad she came, I think everyone here appreciated her taking the time to visit us as the Colonel-in-Chief."

The Regiment's 530 soldiers in the Gulf provided battlefield communications during the conflict.

One squadron and support elements will remain in the Middle East until the summer - 260 soldiers have returned to York.

The princess was briefed about the Regiment's role in the Iraq conflict by Senior Commanders.