COURT CIRCULAR

Buckingham Palace

Her Majesty was present at The Queen’s Birthday Parade on Horse Guards Parade this morning at which The Queen’s Colour of the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards was trooped.

The Queen was accompanied by The Duke of Edinburgh (Colonel, Grenadier Guards), The Prince of Wales (Colonel, Welsh Guards), The Duke of Cambridge (Colonel, Irish Guards), The Princess Royal (Gold Stick in Waiting and Colonel, The Blues and Royals, Royal Horse Guards and 1st Dragoons) and The Duke of Kent (Colonel, Scots Guards).

Her Majesty was attended by Field Marshal the Lord Guthrie of Craigiebank (Gold Stick and Colonel, The Life Guards) and Major General Edward Smyth-Osbourne (Major General Commanding Household Division).

The Lord Vestey (Master of the Horse), Colonel Toby Browne, Lieutenant Colonel Michael Vernon (Mounted Equerries in Waiting), Captain Thomas Tollemache (Coldstream Guards, Dismounted Equerry in Waiting) and Lieutenant Colonel Paul Bedford (The Blues and Royals, Royal Horse Guards and 1st Dragoons, Silver Stick in Waiting) were in attendance.

Colonel Hugh Bodington (Chief of Staff), Lieutenant Colonel Harry Scott (Silver Stick Adjutant) and the Household Division Staff were present.

The procession was led by Lieutenant Colonel Simon Soskin, Grenadier Guards (Brigade Major Household Division).

The Troops on Parade, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Giles Harris, Welsh Guards (Field Officer in Brigade Waiting), received The Queen with a Royal Salute.

The Duchess of Cornwall, Prince Henry of Wales, The Duchess of Cambridge, The Duke of York with Princess Beatrice of York and Princess Eugenie of York, The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, Prince and Princess Michael of Kent, Princess Alexandra, the Hon. Lady Ogilvy, Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence and other Members of the Royal Family drove to Horse Guards Parade and witnessed The Queen’s Birthday Parade.

On the conclusion of the Parade, Her Majesty drove in a carriage back to Buckingham Palace at the head of The Queen’s Guard, preceded by The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery, under the command of Major Robert Skeggs, the Massed Mounted Bands of the Household Cavalry, the Sovereign’s Escort of the Household Cavalry, under the command of Major Warren Douglas, The Life Guards, and the Massed Bands of the Guards Division.

On arrival at Buckingham Palace, The Queen’s Guard entered the Forecourt and formed up opposite the Old Guard, the remaining Guards marching past Her Majesty. The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery and the Household Cavalry ranked past The Queen.

Her Majesty, from Buckingham Palace, witnessed a fly-past by aircraft of the Royal Air Force, led by Wing Commander Ian Sharrocks, Royal Air Force, to mark the official celebration of The Queen’s Birthday.

Royal Salutes were fired today by The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery in Green Park and from the Tower of London Saluting Battery by the Honourable Artillery Company, under the command of Captain Felix Newton.

Buckingham Palace

The Earl and Countess of Wessex this morning departed from Heathrow Airport, London, for Sweden and later arrived at Stockholm-Arlanda Airport.

Their Royal Highnesses this afternoon were present at the Marriage of Prince Carl Philip of Sweden with Miss Sofia Hellqvist which took place in the Royal Chapel and later attended the Wedding Banquet at the Royal Palace in Stockholm.