COURT CIRCULAR

Buckingham Palace

Professor the Honourable Marie Bashir was received by The Queen today when Her Majesty invested her with the Insignia of a Dame of the Order of Australia.

Sir Nicholas Shehadie was also received by The Queen.

Her Majesty received the Reverend Jonathan Woodhouse upon relinquishing his appointment as Chaplain General to the Forces and the Reverend Dr David Coulter upon assuming the appointment.

Mr Hamish Cowell was received in audience by The Queen and kissed hands upon his appointment as Her Majesty’s Ambassador to the Tunisian Republic.

Mrs Shadi Khankasmai was also received by Her Majesty.

The following were received in audience by The Queen upon their appointment as British High Commissioners: Mr Peter Hughes (Belize), Mr Brian Olley (the Republic of Cameroon) and Mrs Victoria Dean (Barbados).

Mrs Olley and Mr Marcus Dean were also received by Her Majesty.

The Rt Hon Desmond Swayne MP (Vice-Chamberlain of the Household) was received in audience by The Queen and presented Addresses from the House of Commons to which Her Majesty was graciously pleased to make reply.

The Queen held a Council at 5.30pm.

There were present: the Rt Hon Nicholas Clegg MP (Lord President), the Rt Hon Alistair Carmichael MP (Secretary of State for Scotland), the Rt Hon Christopher Grayling MP (Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice) and the Rt Hon Justine Greening MP (Secretary of State for International Development).

The Rt Hon Stephen Crabb MP, the Lord Laming, the Rt Hon Elizabeth Truss MP, the Baroness Stowell of Beeston and the Rt Hon Jeremy Wright MP were sworn in as members of Her Majesty’s Most Honourable Privy Council.

The Rt Hon William Hague MP took the Oath of Office, kissed hands upon appointment and received the Seals of Office as First Secretary of State.

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

The Rt Hon Nicola Morgan MP took the Oath of Office, kissed hands upon appointment and received the Seals of Office as Secretary of State for Education.

The Rt Hon Elizabeth Truss MP took the Oath of Office, kissed hands upon appointment and received the Seals of Office as Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

The Rt Hon Michael Fallon 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 Stephen Crabb MP took the Oath of Office, kissed hands upon appointment and received the Seals of Office as Secretary of State for Wales.

The Baroness Stowell of Beeston took the Oath of Office as Lord Privy Seal, kissed hands upon her appointment and received the Privy Seal.

Mr Richard Tilbrook and Mrs Ceri King were in attendance as Clerk of the Council and Deputy Clerk of the Council.

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

After the Council the Rt Hon Oliver Letwin MP had an audience of The Queen, was sworn Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, kissed hands upon his appointment and received from Her Majesty the Seals of Office.

The Duke of Edinburgh, Patron, Royal Institute of Navigation, this afternoon attended the Annual General Meeting at 1 Kensington Gore, London SW7.

Clarence House

The Prince of Wales, Duke of Cornwall and The Duchess of Cornwall this morning attended a Reception at Fifteen, Watergate Bay, Newquay, and were received by Mrs Ellen Winser (Vice Lord-Lieutenant of Cornwall).

Their Royal Highnesses later visited the Tregunnel Hill development, Newquay, and were received by Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Cornwall (Colonel Edward Bolitho).

The Duchess of Cornwall, President, United Kingdom Vineyards Association, this afternoon visited Camel Valley Vineyard, Nanstallon, Bodmin, Cornwall, to mark its Twenty Fifth Anniversary.

Kensington Palace

The Duke of Cambridge this morning laid a wreath at the War Memorial, Kenilworth Road, Coventry, and was received by Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of West Midlands (Mr Paul Sabapathy) before visiting Earlsdon Primary School Sports Day and, as President, Fields in Trust, launching the Centenary Fields Project at the Visitors Centre.

Buckingham Palace

The Duke of York this morning received Mr James Ratcliffe (Chairman and Chief Executive, Ineos) and Mr Thomas Crotty (Chief Executive Officer, Ineos Olefines).

Buckingham Palace

The Princess Royal, President, Carers Trust, this morning visited the Carers Support Centre, 11 Redcombe Lane, Brigg, South Humberside, to mark its Twenty Fifth Anniversary and was received by Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Lincolnshire (Mr Anthony Worth).

Her Royal Highness, President, the City and Guilds of London Institute, this morning opened the Gelder Group Educational Centre, Tillbridge Lane, Sturton by Stow, Lincolnshire.

The Princess Royal, Patron, the Boston Stump Restoration and Development Appeal, this afternoon viewed restoration work at St Botolph’s Church, Wormgate, Boston, Lincolnshire.

Kensington Palace

The Duke of Gloucester, Royal Patron, the Blenheim Palace Literary Festival, this morning received Ms. Sally Dunsmore (Festival Director), Ms. Jill Dunsmore (Deputy Chairman) and Mr. Anthony Byrne (Special Advisor).