The Princess Royal has commenced her three-day visit of Australia by returning to the Sydney Royal Easter Show, which she first opened with her mother, brother and father in 1970.

Anne was the guest of honour at the opening ceremony for the event as it celebrated its 200th anniversary on Saturday.

In the same 150-year-old horse-drawn carriage which carried herself, the Queen, the late Duke of Edinburgh and Charles into the show 52 years ago, the princess again made her way into the main arena to officially open the event on Saturday afternoon.

Accompanied by her husband, Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence, the royal is visiting the Commonwealth nation on behalf of the Queen in celebration of her Platinum Jubilee.

She previously opened the show in 1988.

Anne, who is the patron of the Royal Agricultural Society of the Commonwealth, viewed stands and displays ahead of a planned dinner at Sydney Olympic Park.

On Sunday, the royal and her husband will meet representatives of the New South Wales Rural Fire Service as well as those affected by the devastating bushfires and more recent floods, which continue to impact Sydney and the Australian east coast.

Anne’s Australian trip on behalf of her mother will conclude with a visit to the Royal Australian Corps of Signals and Royal Australian Corps of Transport on Monday before travelling to Papua New Guinea.

On Monday and Tuesday the royal and her husband will tour the island nation, visiting Caritas Technical Secondary School, St John Ambulance, the Bomana War Cemetery, the Adventure Park Papua New Guinea and the National Museum and Art Gallery.

The princess will also open a Women’s Resource Centre at Vabukori Village and the National Cardiac Diagnostic Centre at Port Moresby General Hospital, respectively, and meet elders and community leaders at Hanuabada Village.

Anne will conclude the two-day tour with a dinner with Prime Minister James Marape and representatives from across the charity sector and business groups.