COURT CIRCULAR

Buckingham Palace 

The Queen held a Council at Windsor Castle at 12.40pm.

There were present: the Rt Hon Kenneth Clarke MP (Acting Lord President), the Rt Hon Justine Greening MP (Secretary of State for Transport), the Rt Hon Michael Moore MP (Secretary of State for Scotland) and the Rt Hon Caroline Spelman MP (Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs).

Mr Richard Tilbrook was in attendance as Clerk of the Council.

The Rt Hon Kenneth Clarke MP had an audience of Her Majesty before the Council.

The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh this afternoon witnessed the exchange of the Olympic Torch in the Quadrangle of Windsor Castle and received the Chairman of the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (the Lord Coe).

The President of the French Republic visited The Queen at Windsor Castle.

The Baroness Garden of Frognal (Baroness in Waiting) was present at Royal Air Force Northolt this morning upon the arrival of The President of the French Republic and welcomed His Excellency on behalf of The Queen.

Clarence House

The Prince of Wales, Patron, the Brecon Cathedral Choir Endowment Fund, and The Duchess of Cornwall this morning attended a Service of Thanksgiving in Brecon Cathedral and subsequently visited the Brecon Small Picture Show and were received by Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Powys (the Hon Mrs Legge-Bourke).

The Prince of Wales, Patron, the British Horse Loggers, this afternoon met teams of horse loggers and viewed a demonstration of woodland management techniques.

The Duchess of Cornwall this afternoon visited Ysgol Penmaes, Canal Road, Brecon.

Her Royal Highness afterwards visited Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal to commemorate their Two Hundredth Anniversary.

Buckingham Palace 

The Duke of York, Colonel-in-Chief, The Royal Irish Regiment (27th (Inniskilling), 83rd, 87th and The Ulster Defence Regiment), this morning received Lieutenant Colonel Colin Weir upon relinquishing his appointment as Commanding Officer 1st Battalion and Lieutenant Colonel Ivor Gardiner upon assuming the appointment.

His Royal Highness afterwards visited Yelp, 55 Baker Street, London E8.

The Duke of York this evening received Mr Andrew Brown (Upstream International Director, Shell).

His Royal Highness, Colonel-in-Chief, The Royal Irish Regiment (27th (Inniskilling), 83rd, 87th and The Ulster Defence Regiment), later held a Dinner for the Regiment at Buckingham Palace.

Buckingham Palace

The Princess Royal, President, Riding for the Disabled Association, this afternoon opened a new indoor riding arena at Terally Bay Riding Centre, Terally Farm, Port Logan, Stranraer, and was received by Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Wigtownshire (Mrs Marion Brewis).

Kensington Palace 

The Duke of Gloucester this morning opened West Faversham Community Centre, Bysing Wood Road, Faversham, and was received by Mr Richard Oldfield (Vice Lord-Lieutenant of Kent).

His Royal Highness this afternoon viewed the Magna Carta at the Guildhall, Market Place, Faversham.

The Duke of Gloucester afterwards opened the Museum Reception at Fleur de Lis Heritage Centre, 10-13 Preston Road, Faversham.

His Royal Highness later visited Faversham Sea Cadet Unit at TS Hazard, Conduit Street, Faversham, to commemorate its Seventieth Anniversary.

Thatched House Lodge, Richmond Park 

Princess Alexandra, Deputy President, British Red Cross Society, this evening attended a Garden Party to mark The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee in College Garden, Westminster Abbey, London SW1, and was received by Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Greater London (Sir David Brewer).

Appendix to Court Circular

The Queen has been pleased to appoint Mr Martin Swift to be Crown Jeweller upon the retirement of Mr Harry Collins, with effect from 21st July, 2012.