COURT CIRCULAR

Buckingham Palace

His Excellency Mr Thordur Aegir Oskarsson was received in audience by The Queen today and presented the Letters of Recall of his predecessor and his own Letters of Credence as Ambassador from the Republic of Iceland to the Court of St James’s.

Mrs Sigurborg Oddsdottir was also received by Her Majesty.

His Excellency Mr Mohamed Abdul Hannan was received in audience by The Queen and presented the Letters of Recall of his predecessor and his own Letters of Commission as High Commissioner for the People’s Republic of Bangladesh in London.

Mrs Shelina Afroza was also received by Her Majesty.

Sir Simon Fraser (Permanent Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs) was present.

The Queen held a Council at 5.30pm.

There were present: the Rt Hon Nicholas Clegg MP (Lord President), the Rt Hon Edward Davey MP (Secretary of State, Energy and Climate Change), the Rt Hon Christopher Grayling MP (Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State, Ministry of Justice) and the Rt Hon George Osborne MP (Chancellor of the Exchequer).

The Lord Kakkar, the Baroness Kramer, the Rt Hon Mark Simmonds MP, the Lord Taylor of Holbeach and the Rt Hon Jennifer Willott MP were sworn in as members of Her Majesty’s Most Honourable Privy Council.

The Rt Hon Norman Baker MP made affirmation as a member of Her Majesty’s Most Honourable Privy Council.

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

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

The Rt Hon David Cameron MP (Prime Minister and First Lord of the Treasury) had an audience of The Queen this evening.

The Queen was represented by The Duke of Kent at the State Funeral of Herr Richard von Weizsäcker (former President of West Germany and former President of the Federal Republic of Germany) which was held in Berlin Cathedral this morning.

Clarence House

The Prince of Wales, accompanied by Prince Sultan bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud (President and Chairman of the Board of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities), this afternoon visited the Islamic Fort and Hijaz Railway Station and viewed the Nabatean ruins at Mad’ain Saleh, Saudi Arabia.

Their Royal Highnesses later viewed excavation work at the Lihyan site, Al Khraiba.

The Prince of Wales, Patron, the Turquoise Mountain Foundation, and Prince Sultan bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud afterwards visited Al Ula Village.

Their Royal Highnesses this evening witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities and the Turquoise Mountain Foundation.

The Prince of Wales later attended a Dinner given by Prince Sultan bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud at a Desert Camp.

The Duchess of Cornwall, Royal Colonel, today visited 4th Battalion The Rifles during a training day at Bulford Barracks, Salisbury, Wiltshire.

Her Royal Highness, Patron, the National Literacy Trust, this evening attended a Reception at Pearson plc, 80 Strand, London WC2.

Kensington Palace

The Duchess of Cambridge, Patron, the Royal Foundation of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry, this afternoon attended a Reception in London with representatives from the Palliative Care Programme for Children and Young People.

Buckingham Palace

The Duke of York, Member of the Advisory Board, this afternoon attended a Lunch and Discussion at the Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies, 61 Whitehall, London SW1.

His Royal Highness, Fellow, the Royal Society, this evening attended a Dinner for Labs to Riches at 6-9 Carlton House Terrace, London SW1.

Buckingham Palace

The Earl of Wessex, Trustee, The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, this morning held a Meeting at Buckingham Palace.

His Royal Highness, Trustee, today attended Receptions at St James’s Palace for young people who have achieved the Gold Standard in The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award.

The Countess of Wessex, Patron, Vision 2020: the Right to Sight, this morning held a Meeting.

Her Royal Highness this afternoon opened Bracknell Urgent Care Centre at the Royal Berkshire Bracknell Healthspace, Brants Bridge, Bracknell, and was received by Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of the Royal County of Berkshire (Mr James Puxley).

The Countess of Wessex later opened the Library at Boyn Grove Community Resource Centre, Courthouse Road, Maidenhead, and was received by His Honour Charles Elly (Deputy Lieutenant of the Royal County of Berkshire).

Buckingham Palace

The Princess Royal, President, Animal Health Trust, this afternoon held a Fellowship Reception at Buckingham Palace.

Her Royal Highness, Patron, Special Forces Club, later unveiled a commemorative plaque to three French Section Special Operations Executive members at Nightingale House, 105 Nightingale Lane, London SW12, and was received by Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Greater London (Sir David Brewer).

The Princess Royal, Patron, the Wooden Spoon Society, this evening attended an Arctic Challenge Reception at Barclays Bank plc, 1 Churchill Place, Canary Wharf, London E14.

Her Royal Highness, Patron, Opportunity International United Kingdom, afterwards attended a Dinner in London.

Thatched House Lodge, Richmond Park

Princess Alexandra this morning visited the Richmond Views Exhibition at Orleans House Gallery, Riverside, Twickenham, Middlesex, and was received by Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Greater London (Sir David Brewer).