The Princess Royal engaged in a unique encounter with a humanoid robot during her official visit to South Korea. Anne was visiting Korea University in Seoul as part of a three-day trip focused on strengthening scientific and technological ties between the United Kingdom and South Korea.

At a smart mobility laboratory, Anne observed a demonstration in which the robot moved swiftly across the room and then interacted with her by waving. The Princess responded with a smile before extending her hand, clad in navy blue gloves, to shake hands with the machine. Attendees noted her keen interest in artificial intelligence, particularly in how the robot acquires movement skills through both trial-and-error learning and simulation techniques.

In addition to the humanoid robot, Anne and her husband, Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, viewed demonstrations involving a dual-arm robot and a motion-capture system. The visit was part of a broader effort to highlight ongoing collaboration between British and Korean institutions in academia, industry, and research within the fields of science and technology.