COURT CIRCULAR

Buckingham Palace

The Rt Hon Jack Straw MP had an audience of The Queen this afternoon and delivered up the Great Seal and took leave upon relinquishing his appointment as Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice.

The Queen held a Council at 4.00 pm.

There were present: the Rt Hon David Cameron, MP (Prime Minister), the Rt Hon Nick Clegg, MP (Deputy Prime Minister), the Rt Hon Kenneth Clarke, MP, the Rt Hon William Hague, MP, the Rt Hon Theresa May, MP, the Rt Hon Iain Duncan Smith, MP, the Rt Hon Sir George Young, Bt, MP and the Rt Hon Christopher Geidt.

The Rt Hon Danny Alexander, MP, the Rt Hon Dr Vince Cable, MP, the Rt Hon Dr Liam Fox, MP, the Rt Hon Cheryl Gillan, MP, the Rt Hon Michael Gove, MP, the Rt Hon Philip Hammond, MP, the Rt Hon Christopher Huhne, MP, the Rt Hon Jeremy Hunt, MP, the Rt Hon Andrew Lansley, MP, the Rt Hon David Laws, MP, the Rt Hon Andrew Mitchell, MP, the Rt Hon George Osborne, MP, the Rt Hon Owen Paterson, MP, the Rt Hon Eric Pickles, MP, the Rt Hon Caroline Spelman, MP and the Baroness Warsi were sworn in as members of Her Majesty’s Most Honourable Privy Council.

The Queen declared in Council the Rt Hon Nick Clegg, MP Lord President of the Council, who made affirmation and kissed hands on his appointment.

The Rt Hon David Cameron, MP was sworn First Lord of the Treasury.

The Rt Hon Sir George Young, Bt, MP took the Oath of Office as Lord Privy Seal, kissed hands upon his appointment and received the Privy Seal.

The following took the Oath of Office, kissed hands upon appointment and received the Seals of Office: the Rt Hon William Hague, MP (as First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs), the Rt Hon George Osborne, MP (as Chancellor of the Exchequer), the Rt Hon Kenneth Clarke, MP (as Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice), the Rt. Hon Theresa May, MP (as Secretary of State for the Home Department), the Rt Hon Dr Liam Fox, MP (as Secretary of State for Defence), the Rt Hon Dr Vince Cable, MP (as Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills), the Rt Hon Iain Duncan Smith, MP (as Secretary of State for Work and Pensions), the Rt Hon Christopher Huhne, MP (as Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change), the Rt Hon Andrew Lansley, MP (as Secretary of State for Health), the Rt Hon Michael Gove, MP (as Secretary of State for Education), the Rt Hon Eric Pickles, MP (as Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government), the Rt Hon Philip Hammond, MP (as Secretary of State for Transport), the Rt Hon Caroline Spelman, MP (as Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs), the Rt Hon Andrew Mitchell, MP (as Secretary of State for International Development), the Rt Hon Owen Paterson, MP (as Secretary of State for Northern Ireland), the Rt Hon Danny Alexander, MP (as Secretary of State for Scotland), the Rt Hon Cheryl Gillan, MP (as Secretary of State for Wales) and the Rt Hon Jeremy Hunt, MP (as Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport).

Miss Judith Simpson was in attendance as Clerk of the Council.

The Rt Hon Nick Clegg, MP had an audience of Her Majesty before the Council.

After the Council the Lord Strathclyde had an audience of The Queen, was sworn Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, kissed hands upon his appointment and received from Her Majesty the Seals of Office.

Clarence House

The Prince of Wales, President, the National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, this morning visited Mount Stewart House and Gardens, Newtownards, and was received by Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of County Down (Mr David Lindsay).

His Royal Highness, Patron, Plantlife International, this afternoon visited Barnwell Farm, Grey Abbey, County Down.

The Prince of Wales afterwards visited Queen’s University Belfast Marine Research Facility, Portaferry, County Down, and toured Strangford Lough by boat to observe the SeaGen Tidal Turbine, before attending a Meeting on renewable energy.

His Royal Highness later visited the newly restored City Hall, Belfast.

The Duchess of Cornwall, President, National Osteoporosis Society, today received Professor David Reid (Chairman) and Mrs. Claire Severgnini (Chief Executive).

Her Royal Highness, Royal Colonel, 4th Battalion The Rifles, this afternoon gave a Tea at Clarence House for families of the Regiment.

The Duchess of Cornwall this evening took the salute at the Royal Tattoo at Windsor Castle.

St James’s Palace

Prince William of Wales and Prince Henry of Wales, Founders, this evening held a Reception at Clarence House for the Foundation of Prince William and Prince Harry.

Buckingham Palace

The Duke of York, Special Representative for International Trade and Investment, this afternoon received Mr. Samir Brikho (Chief Executive, Amec plc).

His Royal Highness, Special Representative for International Trade and Investment, afterwards received the Lord Jones of Birmingham, who remained to Lunch.

The Duke of York, Patron, Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust, later opened the new entrance to the Royal Free Hospital, Pond Street, London NW3.

His Royal Highness, Patron, Robert T. Jones, Jr. Scholarship Foundation, afterwards received scholarship students at Buckingham Palace.

The Duke of York this evening attended a Reception at the Walbrook Club, 37A Walbrook, London EC4.

His Royal Highness, Special Representative for International Trade and Investment, afterwards gave a Dinner at Buckingham Palace for representatives of the education sector.

Buckingham Palace

The Earl of Wessex this evening attended the Royal Thames Yacht Club Cumberland Cup Reception at St. James’s Palace.

Buckingham Palace

The Princess Royal, President, Victim Support, this morning received Mrs Sarah Philips (Chairman) and Mrs Gillian Guy (Chief Executive).

Her Royal Highness, President, UK Fashion and Textile Association, today attended the Awards Ceremony and Luncheon at the Landmark Hotel, 222 Marylebone Road, London NW1, and was received by Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Greater London (Sir David Brewer).

The Princess Royal, Patron, this evening held a Dinner at the Palace of Holyroodhouse to mark the Twenty Fifth Anniversary of the Vine Trust and was received by Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of the City of Edinburgh (Councillor George Grubb, the Rt Hon the Lord Provost).

Kensington Palace

The Duke of Gloucester this evening attended a Reception and presented the Royal Charter to the Worshipful Company of Tax Advisers in the Great Hall, St. Bartholomew’s Hospital, West Smithfield, London EC1.

The Duchess of Gloucester, Honorary President, the Lawn Tennis Association, was represented by Miss Lucinda Hanbury at the Memorial Service for Sir Robert Phillis which was held in the Church of St. Martin-in-the-Fields, Trafalgar Square, London WC2, this morning.

St James’s Palace

The Duke of Kent, Patron, St. Dunstan’s Appeal, this morning received Major General Andrew Keeling (Chairman of Trustees), Prince Pavlos of Greece (Campaign Chairman) and Major General Jonathan Hall (Adviser).

His Royal Highness, Visitor, this evening attended a Dinner at Cranfield University to mark the retirement of the Lord Vincent of Coleshill as Chancellor and was received by Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Bedfordshire (Mr Samuel Whitbread).

Thatched House Lodge, Richmond Park

Princess Alexandra this morning opened the Cedarwood Centre at Willowbrook Hospice, Portico Lane, Prescot, and was received by Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Merseyside (Dame Lorna Muirhead).

Her Royal Highness this afternoon visited the World of Glass Museum, Chalon Way East, St. Helen’s, Merseyside, and switched on the light to illuminate the glass sculpture commemorating Sir Alistair Pilkington’s invention of the float glass process.