COURT CIRCULAR

Buckingham Palace

The Queen held a Council at Windsor Castle today.

There were present: the Lord Strathclyde (Acting Lord President) and the Rt Hon Sir Christopher Geidt (Private Secretary to The Queen).

The Rt Hon Justine Greening, MP was sworn in as a member of Her Majesty’s Most Honourable Privy Council.

The Rt Hon Philip Hammond, MP took the Oath of Office, kissed hands upon appointment and received the Seals of Office as Secretary of State for Defence.

The Rt Hon Justine Greening, MP took the Oath of Office, kissed hands upon appointment and received the Seals of Office as Secretary of State for Transport.

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

The Lord Strathclyde had an audience of Her Majesty before the Council.

Sir Michael Peat was received by The Queen at Windsor Castle this afternoon upon relinquishing his appointment as Principal Private Secretary to The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall when Her Majesty invested him with the Insignia of a Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order.

The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh this evening attended a Reception at Wellington College, Crowthorne, on the occasion of the 2011 Round Square Conference and were received by Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of the Royal County of Berkshire (the Hon Mrs Bayliss), The Duke of York, King Constantine of the Hellenes (Patron and President, Round Square School Association) and Queen Anne-Marie of the Hellenes, the Master of Wellington College (Dr Anthony Seldon) and the Chairman of Round Square (Mr Rod Fraser).

The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh, and The Duke of York, escorted by King Constantine, attended the Conference Opening Ceremony and Her Majesty declared the Conference open.

The Queen addressed those present.

Her Majesty and Their Royal Highnesses afterwards met Wellington College Student Steering Committee and attended a Reception for International Delegates.

Buckingham Palace

The Countess of Wessex this afternoon opened the new Daycare Centre at Hospiscare’s Pine Lodge Centre, Post Hill, Tiverton, and was received by Lady Clifford of Chudleigh (Deputy Lieutenant of Devon).

Her Royal Highness later visited Tiverton Youth Drop-in Centre, Market Centre, Newport Street, Tiverton.

The Countess of Wessex, Patron, the Two Moors Festival, this evening attended a Concert in St Pancras Church, Widecombe-in-the Moor, Devon.

Buckingham Palace

The Princess Royal, Patron, Scotland’s Churches Scheme, this morning attended a Meeting at Hamilton Old Parish Church, Strathmore Road, Hamilton, followed by a Reception at Hamilton Town House, 102 Cadzow Street, Hamilton, and was received by Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Lanarkshire (Mr Mushtaq Ahmad).

Her Royal Highness this afternoon visited renovated community pay back accommodation at Auchentibber Criminal Justice, East Avenue, Blantyre, Lanarkshire.

Her Royal Highness, Patron, the New Zealand-United Kingdom Link Foundation, this evening attended the Visiting Professorship Lecture at the Royal Society, 6-9 Carlton House Terrace, London SW1.

The Princess Royal, President, Racing Welfare, later attended a Dinner at Fleming Family and Partners, 15 Suffolk Street, London SW1.

St James’s Palace

The Duke of Kent, President of the Board of Trustees, this afternoon visited an Exhibition entitled, Shaped by War: Photographs by Don McCullin at the Imperial War Museum, Lambeth Road, London SE1.

The Duke and Duchess of Kent were represented by General the Lord Guthrie of Craigiebank at the Memorial Service for Brigadier Anne Field which was held in the Guards Chapel, Wellington Barracks, Birdcage Walk, London SW1 today.