Princess Royal receives honorary degree during Lincolnshire visit
She visited the University of Lincoln to open its new Geothermal Glasshouse
Last updated 11th Sep 2026
The Princess Royal has received an honorary degree from the University of Lincoln during a visit to the county.
Princess Anne was awarded an honorary Doctor of the University in recognition of "her exceptional contribution to public life and longstanding commitment to agriculture and rural communities", a university spokesperson said.
She visited the University of Lincoln's Riseholme Campus on Thursday 11 September 2026 to officially open its new Geothermal Glasshouse.
The facility will be used by researchers and businesses to test new crops and technology aimed at improving how food is grown.
It uses deep boreholes to provide heating and cooling, offering a lower-carbon alternative to more traditional systems.
During her visit, the Princess Royal also saw some of the agricultural technology being developed at the university, including autonomous robots and artificial intelligence designed to support farmers and food producers.
The visit marked her return to the University of Lincoln after she officially opened its Engineering Hub in 2012.