COURT CIRCULAR

Buckingham Palace

The Queen held an Investiture at Buckingham Palace this morning.

The Lord Patel was received by Her Majesty when The Queen invested him with the Insignia of a Knight of the Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle.

The Rt Hon Alistair Darling MP had an audience of Her Majesty and took leave upon relinquishing his appointment as Chancellor of the Exchequer.

The Rt Hon Robert Ainsworth MP had an audience of The Queen and took leave upon relinquishing his appointment as Secretary of State for Defence.

The Rt Hon Liam Byrne MP had an audience of Her Majesty and took leave upon relinquishing his appointment as Chief Secretary to the Treasury.

The Rt Hon Nicholas Brown MP had an audience of The Queen and took leave upon relinquishing his appointment as Chief Whip.

The Rt Hon Yvette Cooper MP had an audience of Her Majesty and took leave upon relinquishing her appointment as Secretary of State for Work and Pensions.

The Queen held a Council at 5.30 p.m.

There were present: the Rt Hon Nicholas Clegg MP (Lord President), the Rt Hon Christopher Huhne MP (Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change), the Rt Hon Andrew Lansley MP (Secretary of State for Health) and the Rt Hon Owen Paterson MP (Secretary of State for Northern Ireland).

The Baroness Neville-Jones, the Rt Hon Michael Moore MP, the Rt Hon Greg Clark MP, the Rt Hon Alan Duncan MP, the Rt Hon Dominic Grieve MP and the Rt Hon David Willetts MP were sworn in as members of Her Majesty’s Most Honourable Privy Council.

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

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

The Duke of Edinburgh, Royal Colonel, The Highlanders, 4th Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland, this morning received Brigadier Mark Dodson upon relinquishing his appointment as Representative Colonel and Colonel James Hopkinson upon assuming the appointment.

His Royal Highness, Air Commodore-in-Chief, Air Training Corps, received Air Commodore Ian Stewart upon relinquishing his appointment as Commandant and Air Commodore Barbara Cooper upon assuming the appointment.

The Duke of Edinburgh, Patron, the Caravan Club, received Mr Trevor Watson upon relinquishing his appointment as Director General and Mr Nicholas Lomas upon assuming the appointment.

His Royal Highness, Founder and Patron, The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award World Fellowship, this afternoon held a Lunch at Buckingham Palace for new World Fellows and Benefactors.

The Duke of Edinburgh, Senior Colonel, this evening took the salute at the Household Division Beating Retreat on Horse Guards Parade, London SW1.

By command of The Queen, Mr. Charles Gray (Marshal of the Diplomatic Corps) called upon His Excellency Mr Bjarne Lindstrom at 25 Belgrave Square, London SW1, this morning in order to bid farewell to His Excellency upon relinquishing his appointment as Ambassador from the Kingdom of Norway to the Court of St James’s.

Clarence House

The Prince of Wales this morning opened the Highgrove Shop in Bath, Somerset.

His Royal Highness, Patron, this afternoon gave a speech at the Sheldonian Theatre, Oxford, to mark the Twenty Fifth Anniversary of the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies.

The Prince of Wales this evening gave a Reception for bereaved families of the Armed Forces.

The Duchess of Cornwall this afternoon gave a Reception for bereaved families of the Armed Forces.

Her Royal Highness this evening attended the Orange Prize for Fiction Awards Ceremony at the Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, London SE1, and was received by Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Greater London (Sir David Brewer).

Buckingham Palace

The Duke of York, Special Representative for International Trade and Investment, today carried out the following engagements in St Petersburg, Russia.

His Royal Highness this morning visited the flood protection barrier site.

The Duke of York this afternoon received a maritime briefing onboard a Ministry of Transport launch.

His Royal Highness afterwards attended a Lunch with representatives of the automotive industry at the Old Custom House Restaurant.

The Duke of York later visited HSBC Bank plc.

His Royal Highness subsequently called upon the Governor of St Petersburg.

The Duke of York this evening attended a Meeting with Bank Rossiya.

His Royal Highness afterwards attended a Dinner given by Her Majesty’s Consul-General for St Petersburg (Mr William Elliott) at the Residence for representatives of St Petersburg’s business community.

Buckingham Palace

The Earl and Countess of Wessex this morning visited the Giant’s Causeway Visitor Centre, Bushmills, and were received by Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of County Antrim (Mrs Joan Christie).

Their Royal Highnesses this afternoon visited Rathlin Island, County Antrim, met the Island community and viewed some of the landmarks.

The Earl and Countess of Wessex later visited St Mary’s Primary School on Rathlin Island.

Buckingham Palace

The Princess Royal, Patron, Northern Lighthouse Board, this morning visited St Abb’s Lighthouse, East Lothian.

Kensington Palace

The Duke of Gloucester this morning visited Bournville Infant School, Linden Road, Birmingham, to mark its Centenary and was received by Colonel Anthony George (Deputy Lieutenant of West Midlands).

His Royal Highness this afternoon officially opened Shenley Court Hall Community Centre, Green Meadow Road, Bournville, and afterwards visited the completed Lower Shenley Redevelopment Project in Pecan Place, Bournville.

The Duke of Gloucester later officially opened Ronald McDonald House, St. Mary’s Row, Birmingham.

The Duchess of Gloucester, Patron, St Peter’s Trust for Kidney, Bladder and Prostate Research, this evening attended a Reception in St Catherine’s Chapel Garden at Westminster Abbey, London SW1.

Her Royal Highness, Patron, Asthma UK, afterwards attended a Gala Dinner at the Dorchester Hotel, Park Lane, London W1.

Thatched House Lodge, Richmond Park

Princess Alexandra, Deputy Colonel-in-Chief, The Queen’s Royal Lancers, this afternoon visited the Rear Party and families of those deployed in Afghanistan at Munster Barracks, Catterick Garrison, North Yorkshire.

Appendix to Court Circular

Notice is given that the Thanksgiving Service for the Life of Ayesha, Rajmata of Jaipur will take place at the Church of St. Michael and All Angels, Sunninghill, on 26th June at 11.00 a.m., postponed from an earlier date. A recent report of the Service having already taken place was published in error.