HRH The Princess Royal visited Kirkwall Harbour, during a tour of Orkney, where she formally opened the lifeboat house and unve-iled two dedication plaques. The plaques had been specially prepared from a granite curling stone which had been collected from Ailsa Craig when the station's lifeboat was on passage to Kirkwall.

With representatives of fund raisers in all the areas on the mainland of Orkney and the offshore islands in attendance Her Royal Highness toured the building, cut the christening cake and then, after donning a lifejacket, went for a short trip afloat on Kirkwall's Arun class lifeboat Mickie Salvesen.

On her return the guild served light refreshments and everyone present was delighted and enthused by Her Royal Highness' charm and interest in the RNLI..