COURT CIRCULAR

Buckingham Palace

The King and Queen of Spain 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 Their Majesties on behalf of The Queen at ME London Hotel, 336-337, Strand, London WC2.

The King and Queen of Spain, 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 King and Queen of Spain, 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 and at Buckingham Palace by 1st Battalion Irish 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 King and Queen of Spain this afternoon visited The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall at Clarence House.

The King and Queen of Spain later visited the Palace of Westminster and were received by the Lord Speaker (the Lord Fowler) and the Rt Hon John Bercow MP (Speaker of the House of Commons).

The Speaker welcomed Their Majesties and The King of Spain delivered an Address.

The King and Queen of Spain subsequently attended a Reception with Peers, Members of Parliament and other guests.

The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh gave a State Banquet this evening in honour of The King and Queen of Spain at which The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall, The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince Henry of Wales, The Duke of York, The Earl and Countess of Wessex, The Princess Royal and Vice-Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, Princess Michael of Kent and The Lady Gabriella Windsor were present.

The following had the honour of being invited:

Suite of The King and Queen of Spain:

His Excellency Mr Alfonso Dastis-Quecedo (Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation) and Mrs María Luisa Alonso-Horcada, His Excellency Mr Jaime Alfonsín-Alfonso (Chief of the Royal Household), His Excellency Mr Carlos Bastarreche-Sagües (Ambassador from the Kingdom of Spain to the Court of St James’s), His Excellency Mr Jorge Moraga-Sánchez (Chief of the Cabinet of the President of the Government of Spain), His Excellency Mr Jorge Toledo-Albiñana (Secretary of State for the European Union), His Excellency Mr Carlos Espinosa del los Monteros y Bernaldo de Quirós, Marquis of Valtierra (High Commissioner of the Spanish Government for Marca España), Her Excellency Mrs María Luisa Poncela-García (Secretary of State for Trade), Her Excellency Mrs Carmen Vela-Olmo (Secretary of State for Research, Development and Innovation), His Excellency Vice-Admiral Juan Ruiz-Casas (Head of the Military Chamber of the Royal Household), His Excellency Mr Alfonso Sanz-Portolés (Diplomatic Counsellor, Royal Household of The King of Spain), His Excellency Mr José Zuleta y Alejandro, Duke of Abrantes (Head of the Office of The Queen of Spain), Mr Jordi Gutiérrez-Roldán (Director of Communications, Royal Household of The King of Spain) and Mr Alfredo Martínez-Serrano (Chief of Protocol, Royal Household of The King of Spain).

Specially attached to The King and Queen of Spain:

The Lady Elton (Lady in Waiting), the Viscount Brookeborough (Lord in Waiting) and the Viscountess Brookeborough, Mr Simon Manley (Her Majesty’s Ambassador to the Kingdom of Spain) and Mrs Manley 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 Estonia and Mrs Merli Bambus and His Excellency the High Commissioner for Malta and Mrs Norman Hamilton.

The Cabinet and Government:

The Prime Minister and Mr Philip May, the Chancellor of the Exchequer and Mrs Philip Hammond, the Secretary of State for the Home Department (the Rt Hon Amber Rudd MP), the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union (the Rt Hon David Davis MP), the Leader of the House of Lords (the Baroness Evans of Bowes Park) and Mr James Wild, and the Rt Hon Sir Alan Duncan MP (Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office) and Mr James Dunseath.

Special Invitations:

Ms Katya Adler and Mr Alexei Kidel, Mrs Esther Alcocer Koplowitz and Mr Pablo Santos Tejedor, Mr Ian Blackford MP, the Lord and Lady Brennan, Mrs Ana Botín-Sanz de Sautuola y O’Shea and Mr Guillermo Morenés Mariátegui, Mr Rafael del Pino Calvo-Sotelo, the Archbishop of Canterbury and Mrs Justin Welby, Mr and Mrs Mark Carney, the Lord Great Chamberlain and the Marchioness of Cholmondeley, Ms Cressida Dick, Mr and Mrs Warren East, Sir John and Lady Elliott, the Lord and Lady Falconer of Thoroton, Mr Timothy Farron MP and Mrs Farron, Dr and Mrs Gabriele Finaldi, the Lord Speaker and the Lady Fowler, the Lord and Lady Garel-Jones, Mrs Miriam González Durántez and the Rt Hon Nicholas Clegg, the Lord and Lady Leitch, the Rt Hon the Lord Mayor of London and the Lady Mayoress, Sir Simon and the Hon Lady McDonald, General Sir Gordon and Lady Messenger, the Lord and Lady Neuberger of Abbotsbury, Sir Paul and Lady Nurse, Mr and Mrs Kenneth Olisa, Mr Josep Oliu and Ms. Victoria Quintana, Dr Charles Powell and Dr Sylvia Fernández-Shaw, Sir Michael and Lady Rake, Mr Francisco Jose Riberas Mera and Ms Lucía Burgos, Mr Ignacio Sánchez Galán and Ms María Isabel García-Tabernero, the Baroness Smith of Basildon and Mr. Nigel Smith, the Rt Hon Emily Thorberry MP and the Hon Mr Justice Nugee, Ms Monica Vinader and Mr Nick Zoll and the Duke and Duchess of Wellington.

Members of the accompanying Spanish Delegation:

His Excellency Mr Francisco Javier Garzón-Morales, His Excellency Mr Juan Sunyé-Mendía, Mr Juan López-Herrera Sánchez, Mrs Cristina Serrano-Leal, Mrs Ana María Rodríguez-Pérez, Mr Ricardo Rodríguez-Martinez, Mr José María Fernández López de Turiso, Mr José Riera-Siquier, Mr Miguel Utray-Delgado, Mr Juan Rosell-Lastortras and Mrs Esther Trallero, Mr José Luis Bonet-Ferrer and Mrs Pilar Pastor-Nietro, Mr Pablo Isla Álvarez-Pallete, Mr Antonio Vázquez-Romero, Mr José María de Areilza y Carvajal, Count of Roda and Mrs María Salgado-Madriñán, Countess of Roda and Ms María Ángeles Alcázar Modrego.

Buckingham Palace

The Duke of York, Patron, Tall Ships Youth Trust, this afternoon received Mr Richard Leaman upon assuming his appointment as Chief Executive.

Mr John Lennox (Chairman) was present.

Buckingham Palace

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

The Countess of Wessex, Patron, Defence Medical Welfare Service, this afternoon held a Meeting.

Buckingham Palace

The Princess Royal, Honorary Air Commodore, Royal Air Force Brize Norton, this morning attended 101 Squadron’s Centenary Parade at Royal Air Force Brize Norton, Carterton, Oxfordshire.

Her Royal Highness, Patron, First World War Centenary Woods Project, this afternoon visited Langley Vale Wood, Langley Vale Road, Epsom, and was received by Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Surrey (Mr Michael More-Molyneux).

The Princess Royal, Patron, English Lacrosse Association, later attended the Federation of International Lacrosse’s Women’s World Cup Opening Ceremony, Surrey Sports Park, University of Surrey, Richard Meyjes Road, Guildford, and was received by Mr William Biddell (Vice-Lord-Lieutenant of Surrey).

St James’s Palace

The Duke of Kent, President, All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, this afternoon attended the Lawn Tennis Championships at Church Street, Wimbledon, London SW19.