COURT CIRCULAR

Windsor Castle

The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh this morning arrived at Blackburn Railway Station and were received by Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Lancashire (the Lord Shuttleworth) and the Mayor of Blackburn-with-Darwen (Councillor Salim Mulla).

Her Majesty and His Royal Highness drove to Blackburn Cathedral and were received at the West Door by the Bishop of Blackburn (the Right Reverend Julian Henderson), the Dean (the Very Reverend Christopher Armstrong) and the Residentiary Canons.

The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh attended the Maundy Service at which Her Majesty distributed the Royal Maundy.

The Right Reverend Dr John Inge (Lord High Almoner) and the Reverend Prebendary William Scott (Sub-Almoner) were present.

The Queen’s Body Guard of the Yeomen of the Guard were on duty.

Her Majesty and His Royal Highness this afternoon joined representatives of the Cathedral, the Diocese and the Royal Almonry at a Reception at Blackburn Rovers Football Club, Ewood Park, Blackburn, and were received by Messrs Balaji and Venky Rao (Joint owners of the Club).

The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh were subsequently entertained to Luncheon at the Club by the Mayor of Blackburn-with-Darwen.

Her Majesty and His Royal Highness were represented by Mr Alistair Harrison (Marshal of the Diplomatic Corps) at the Celebration of the Life of the Hon Sir Humphrey Maud (formerly Her Majesty’s Ambassador to the Argentine Republic) which was held at Marlborough House, London SW1, this afternoon.

Kensington Palace

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge today carried out the following engagements in Australia.

Their Royal Highnesses thismorning visited the residents of a fire affected area in the Blue Mountains before attending a Lunch given by the Rural Fire Service.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge this afternoon visited the Three Sisters in the Blue Mountains.

Their Royal Highnesses afterwards met young people involved in the Mountains Youth Services Adventure Programme.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge later received the Hon Anthony Abbott MP (Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Australia) at Admiralty House, Sydney.

Buckingham Palace

The Princess Royal, President, Royal Yachting Association, this morning attended the Youth National Championships at Weymouth and Portland Sailing Academy, Osprey Quay, Portland, and was received by Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Dorset (Mr Angus Campbell).

Kensington Palace

The Duke of Gloucester, Colonel-in-Chief, Royal New Zealand Army Medical Corps, this afternoon received Colonel Ross Blair (Colonel Commandant) and Lieutenant Colonel Michael Beale (Military Adviser, New Zealand Defence Staff).