Princess Anne, seen during a 2007 appearance, will honour the Royal Newfoundland Regiment during a visit this weekend. Princess Anne, seen during a 2007 appearance, will honour the Royal Newfoundland Regiment during a visit this weekend. (Leon Neal/Associated Press)

A visit by Princess Anne to St. John's has been delayed a day, to allow time for a jet to reach England to pick her up.

Princess Anne was to have arrived in St. John's on Thursday, but the itinerary of her Canadian visit was readjusted because of the temporary closure of airspace in Europe because of volcanic ash from Iceland.

The princess will now arrive on Friday.

Her stay is not a formal royal tour, but is described as a private visit. During her stay, she will attend several events honouring the Royal Newfoundland Regiment, of which she is the colonel-in-chief.

She will also receive an honorary degree from Memorial University, and will present a number of youth achievement awards.

The Canadian Forces are sending a plane to England to bring her to St. John's.