COURT CIRCULAR

Buckingham Palace

The President of the People’s Republic of China and Madame Peng Liyuan today commenced a State Visit in London to The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh.

The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall welcomed The President and Madame Peng Liyuan on behalf of The Queen at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, 66 Knightsbridge, London SW1.

The President of the People’s Republic of China and Madame Peng Liyuan, accompanied by The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall, drove to Horse Guards and were met by The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh.

The President of the People’s Republic of China and Madame Peng Liyuan, accompanied by The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh, with The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall, drove in a Carriage Procession to Buckingham Palace with a Sovereign’s Escort of the Household Cavalry.

Gun Salutes were fired in Green Park by The King’s Troop, Royal Horse Artillery, and at the Tower of London by the Honourable Artillery Company.

Guards of Honour were provided at Horse Guards by 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards and at Buckingham Palace by 1st Battalion Welsh Guards.

Her Majesty’s Body Guard of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen at Arms, The Queen’s Body Guard of the Yeomen of the Guard and a Detachment of Household Cavalry were on duty.

The President of the People’s Republic of China this afternoon visited the Palace of Westminster and was received by the Lord Speaker (the Baroness D’Souza) and the Rt Hon John Bercow MP (Speaker of the House of Commons).

The Speaker welcomed The President and His Excellency delivered an Address.

The President of the People’s Republic of China subsequently attended a Reception with Peers, Members of Parliament and other guests.

The President of the People’s Republic of China and Madame Peng Liyuan later visited The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall at Clarence House.

The Duke of Cambridge called upon The President of the People’s Republic of China at Buckingham Palace.

Mr Jeremy Corbyn MP (Leader of the Opposition) subsequently called upon The President.

The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh gave a State Banquet this evening in honour of The President of the People’s Republic of China and Madame Peng Liyuan at which The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, The Duke of York, The Earl of Wessex, The Princess Royal and Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, The Duke of Kent, Princess Alexandra, the Hon. Lady Ogilvy and Princess Michael of Kent were present.

The following had the honour of being invited:

Suite of The President of the People’s Republic of China and Madame Peng Liyuan: 

His Excellency Mr Wang Huning (Member of the Political Bureau and Director of the Policy Research Office of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China), His Excellency Mr Li Zhanshu (Member of the Political Bureau, Member of the Secretariat and Director of the General Office of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China), His Excellency Mr Yang Jiechi (State Councillor), His Excellency Mr Wang Yi (Minister of Foreign Affairs), His Excellency Mr Xu Shaoshi (Minister of National Development and Reform Commission), His Excellency Mr Gao Hucheng (Minister of Commerce), His Excellency Mr Liu He (Director of the Financial and Economic Affairs Office), His Excellency Mr Ding Xuexiang (Executive Vice Director of the General Office of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and Chief of Staff to The President), His Excellency Mr Liu Xiaoming (Ambassador from the People’s Republic of China to the Court of St James’s) and Madame Hu Pinghua, and His Excellency Mr Wang Chao (Vice-Minister, Ministry of Foreign Affairs).

Specially attached to The President of the People’s Republic of China and Madame Peng Liyuan: 

Mrs Michael Gordon Lennox (Lady in Waiting), the Viscount Hood (Lord in Waiting) and the Viscountess Hood, Ms Barbara Woodward (Her Majesty’s Ambassador to the People’s Republic of China) and Wing Commander Sam Fletcher RAF (Equerry in Waiting).

Diplomatic Corps: 

His Excellency the Ambassador of the State of Kuwait, His Excellency the Ambassador of Japan and Mrs Hayashi, His Excellency the Ambassador of the United States of America, His Excellency the High Commissioner for the Republic of India and Mrs Mathai, His Excellency the High Commissioner for the Commonwealth of Australia and Her Excellency the High Commissioner for the Republic of Singapore.

The Cabinet and Government:

The Prime Minister and Mrs Cameron, the First Secretary of State and Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Hon Mrs Osborne, the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and Mrs Hammond, the Secretary of State for Health and Mrs Hunt, the Leader of the House of Lords (the Baroness Stowell of Beeston), the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills and Mrs Javid and the Rt Hon Hugo Swire MP (Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office) and Mrs Swire.

Special Invitations: 

Brigadier and Mrs. David Allfrey, the Lord Alli, the Viscount and Viscountess Astor, Mr Lionel Barber and Ms. Victoria Greenwood, the Archbishop of Canterbury and Mrs Welby, Mr and Mrs Mark Carney, the Lord Great Chamberlain and the Marchioness of Cholmondeley, Mr Jeremy Corbyn MP, Sir Martin and Lady Davidson, Sir Ciarán Devane, the Rt Hon Nigel Dodds MP and Mrs Dodds, Dame Ann Dowling and Dr Tom Hynes, the Lord Speaker (the Baroness D’Souza), Mr Robert Dudley, the Baroness Dunn and Mr Michael Thomas, Mr and Mrs Warren East, Mr and Mrs Douglas Flint, Mr Richard Graham MP and Mrs Graham, Professor Sir David and Lady Greenaway, Sir Jeremy and Lady Heywood, Mr Gregory Hodkinson and Ms Siobhan O’Connor, General Sir Nicholas and Lady Houghton, Sir Henry and Lady Keswick, Sir Julian King and Ms Lotte Knudsen, Ms Katie Leung and Mr Enrico Caira, Mr Jean-Bernard Lévy, the Rt Hon Ed Llewellyn, the Rt Honthe Lord Mayor of London and the Lady Mayoress, Sir Mark and Lady Lyall Grant, Mr and Mrs Craig Mackey, Sir Simon and the Hon Lady McDonald, Mr and Mrs Ivan Menezes, the Lord and Lady Neuberger of Abbotsbury, Professor Peter Nolan and Ms Siobain Mulligan, Sir Paul and Lady Nurse, Mr and Mrs Kenneth Olisa, the Rt Hon Angus Robertson MP and Ms Jennifer Dempsie, the Lord and Lady Sassoon, Mr and Mrs Simon Segars, Dr and Mrs Ralph Speth, Sir David and Lady Tang, Mr Robert Thomson and Ms Wang Ping, the Leader of the Liberal Democrats in the House of Lords and the Lady Wallace of Tankerness, the Lord and Lady Wei, and Sir Andrew and Lady Witty.

Members of the accompanying Chinese Delegation:

Mr Wang Shaojun (Deputy Director, General Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee Director, Central Security Bureau), Mr Zhong Shaojun (Secretary to The President of the People’s Republic of China), Mr Lv Luhua (Secretary to The President of The People’s Republic of China), Mr Liu Haixing (Director-General, Department of European Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs), Mr Wang Yajun (Director-General, Department of Policy Planning, Ministry of Foreign Affairs), Mr Lu Kang (Director-General, Information Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs), Mr Qin Gang (Director-General, Protocol Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs), Ms Fa Jun (Secretary to Madame Peng Liyuan), Ms Chen Yundai (Physician and Professor), Mr Wu Weiping (Physician and Professor), Mr Wu Ziming (Physician and Professor), Mr Li Yaguang (Security Guard to The President of the People’s Republic of China), Mr Ding Zongfeng (Staff Officer, Central Security Bureau), Mr Sun Yufa (Physician and Professor) and Mr Zhu Qin (DDG, Department of European Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs).

Clarence House

The Prince of Wales, President, the British Red Cross Society, this morning received Mr David Bernstein (Chairman) and Mr Mike Adamson (Chief Executive).

His Royal Highness this afternoon received the Rt Hon Amber Rudd MP (Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change).

Kensington Palace

Prince Henry of Wales, Patron, today joined the Walking with the Wounded Walk of Britain Team for their walk from Holkham Hall, Holkham, Wells-next-the-Sea, Norfolk, to Stody Hall Barns, Stody.

Buckingham Palace

The Earl of Wessex Trustee, The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award Foundation, this afternoon held a Meeting.

His Royal Highness, Liveryman, the Worshipful Company of Haberdashers, later held a Meeting.

The Countess of Wessex this afternoon visited Vispring Limited, Ernesettle Lane, Ernesettle, Plymouth, and was received by Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Devon (Mr David Fursdon).

Her Royal Highness later visited Headway Devon, the XCentre, Commercial Road, Exeter.

The Countess of Wessex, Patron, the Two Moors Festival, subsequently attended the Fifteenth Anniversary production of the Opera Tarka the Otter at Exeter Cathedral.

Buckingham Palace

The Princess Royal, President, British Olympic Association, this morning attended a National Olympic Committee Meeting at Adidas UK Head Office, Pepper Road, Stockport, and was received by Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Greater Manchester (Mr Warren Smith).

Her Royal Highness, Royal Colonel, The Royal Scots Borderers, 1st Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland, this afternoon received Lieutenant Colonel Matthew Munro upon relinquishing his appointment as Commanding Officer.

Kensington Palace

The Duke of Gloucester, Grand Prior, the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem, this morning received Professor Anthony Mellows (Former Lord Prior).