COURT CIRCULAR

Buckingham Palace

The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh today gave a Reception at Buckingham Palace for Civil Service Commissioners.

The Rt. Hon. Gordon Brown MP (Prime Minister and First Lord of the Treasury) had an audience of Her Majesty this evening.

By command of The Queen, Mr. Charles Gray (Marshal of the Diplomatic Corps) called upon Her Excellency Dr. Gabriele Matzner-Holzer at 18 Belgrave Square, London SW1, this morning in order to bid farewell to Her Excellency upon relinquishing her appointment as Ambassador from the Republic of Austria to the Court of St. James’s.

Clarence House

The Prince of Wales this morning arrived in Kabul, Afghanistan.

His Royal Highness attended a Meeting with Mr. Staffan de Mistura (Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General), the Canadian Ambassador (His Excellency Mr. William Crosbie) and Mr. Adrian Morrison (Deputy Australian Ambassador).

The Prince of Wales, President, afterwards visited the Turquoise Mountain Foundation in Kabul.

His Royal Highness this afternoon attended a Meeting at the International Security Assistance Forces Headquarters in Kabul.

The Prince of Wales later received Prince Mustafa Zahir (Head of the Environmental Protection Agency) and Mr. Makhdom Raheen (Minister for Information and Culture).

His Royal Highness afterwards met soldiers from Commonwealth Armed Forces.

Buckingham Palace

The Duke of York, Special Representative for International Trade and Investment, this morning arrived in Beijing and was received by Her Majesty’s Ambassador to the People’s Republic of China (His Excellency Mr. Sebastian Wood).

His Royal Highness today attended a Meeting at the Ritz Carlton Hotel with Mr. Louis Cheung (Executive Director and Group President, Ping An Insurance (Group) Company of China, Limited).

The Duke of York this afternoon attended a Meeting at the Sofitel Hotel with Mr. Fu Chengyu (Chairman, China National Offshore Oil Corporation).

His Royal Highness subsequently attended a Meeting at the Sofitel Hotel with Mr. Frank Chapman (Chief Executive, BG Group plc).

The Duke of York afterwards attended a Meeting with Mr. Martin Ferguson (Australian Minister of Resources and Energy) at the Sofitel Hotel.

His Royal Highness later attended a Meeting at the Sofitel Hotel with Mr. Lin Qi (Deputy Director of the National Energy Administration).

The Duke of York subsequently witnessed the signing of the liquefied natural gas contract between BG Group plc and China National Offshore Oil Corporation at the Sofitel Hotel.

His Royal Highness this evening attended a Dinner given by the Leaders Club at the Moutai Club.

Buckingham Palace

The Countess of Wessex, Royal Colonel, this morning met families of 5th Battalion The Rifles in Paderborn, Germany.

Her Royal Highness later attended a Reception given by the Mayor of Paderborn at the City Hall.

The Countess of Wessex today visited Paderborn Cathedral and the Imperial Museum in Paderborn.

Her Royal Highness this afternoon arrived at Farnborough Airport, Hampshire, from Germany.

Mrs. Philippa Southgate-Sands was in attendance.

Buckingham Palace

The Princess Royal this morning arrived at Heathrow Airport, London, from Tonga.

Captain Nicholas Wright RN was in attendance.

Kensington Palace

The Duke of Gloucester this afternoon arrived at Heathrow Airport, London, from Turkey.

Mr. Alistair Wood was in attendance.

His Royal Highness, President, St. Bartholomew’s Hospital, this evening attended a Reception for Bart’s and the London Charity at St. James’s Palace.

St James’s Palace

The Duke of Kent, Colonel, Scots Guards, this evening attended a Dinner at St. James’s Palace.