COURT CIRCULAR

Emirates Palace Hotel, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh left Heathrow Airport, London, this morning for the State Visits to the United Arab Emirates and Oman.

Her Majesty and His Royal Highness were received at the Airport by the Earl Peel (Lord Chamberlain), Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Greater London (Sir David Brewer), Mr Terry Morgan (Technical Standards and Assurance Director, British Airports Authority) and Mr Martin Broughton (Chairman, British Airways).

The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh this afternoon arrived at Abu Dhabi International Airport and were received by Her Majesty’s Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates (His Excellency Mr Dominic Jermey), The Crown Prince of the United Arab Emirates and The Duke of York.

The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh, with The Duke of York, drove to the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, Abu Dhabi, and were received by the Chairman of Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Centre (Dr Ali bin Tamin) and Dr Hamdan Muslim a Lazrouei (President, General Authority for Islamic Affairs and Endowment).

The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh paid their respects at the tomb of Sheikh Zayed and subsequently toured the mosque.

The following are in attendance: the Rt Hon William Hague MP (Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs), the Hon Mrs Whitehead, Mrs Michael Gordon Lennox, the Rt Hon Christopher Geidt, Mr Doug King, Mrs Mark Anderson, Surgeon Captain David Hett RN, Group Captain Timothy Hewlett, Lieutenant Colonel Charles Richards and Brigadier Sir Miles Hunt-Davis.

Clarence House

The Prince of Wales, Patron, the Poultry Club of Great Britain, this morning received Master Raven Power (Keeper of the Buff Orpingtons) at Sandringham House.

Mr Simon Power (Father) was present.

His Royal Highness, Colonel-in-Chief, The Mercian Regiment, today presented operational service medals at Sandringham House to members of 1st Battalion who have recently returned from Afghanistan and afterwards, accompanied by The Duchess of Cornwall, attended a Reception.

Buckingham Palace

The Duke of York this afternoon arrived at Abu Dhabi International Airport, United Arab Emirates.

Mrs Amanda Thirsk and Miss Laura Hutchings are in attendance.

Buckingham Palace

The Earl of Wessex, Vice Patron, the Commonwealth Games Federation, this morning visited the Commonwealth Athletes Village and the Velodrome at Celtic Park, Glasgow, and was received by Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of the City of Glasgow (Councillor Robert Winter, the Rt Hon the Lord Provost).

His Royal Highness later visited the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games Organising Committee Office at George Square, Glasgow.

The Earl of Wessex, Honorary Member, this afternoon presented The Earl of Wessex Scholarship Award Certificates to young Cooper Apprentices at Coopers of Glasgow, Trades Hall, Glassford Street, Glasgow.

His Royal Highness, Trustee, later visited The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award at Stow College, 43 Shamrock Street, Glasgow.

The Earl of Wessex, Patron, Badminton Scotland, subsequently attended the Bank of Scotland International Championships at Kelvin Hall, 1445 Argyle Street, Glasgow.

His Royal Highness, Patron, this evening visited Greenock Arts Guild Limited, Custom House, Custom House Quay, Grennock, and was received by Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Renfrewshire (Mr Guy Clark).

The Countess of Wessex, Patron, National Autistic Society, today attended a Lunch at Goldman Sachs International, River Court, 120 Fleet Street, London EC4.

Her Royal Highness, President, Girlguiding UK, this afternoon attended a Reception at St James’s Palace.

Buckingham Palace

The Princess Royal, Commandant-in-Chief, First Aid Nursing Yeomanry (Princess Royal’s Volunteer Corps), this evening attended a Reception at 95 Horseferry Road, London SW1.

Her Royal Highness, Patron, the Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity, accompanied by Vice Admiral Timothy Laurence, later held a Patron’s Dinner at St James’s Palace.

Kensington Palace

The Duchess of Gloucester, Patron, Elizabeth Finn Care, this morning officially opened the new Headquarters at Hythe House, 200 Shepherds Bush Road, London W6.

St James’s Palace

The Duke of Kent, President of the Council, King Edward VII’s Hospital — St Agnes, this afternoon officially opened the Critical Care Unit, Beaumont Street, London W1.