COURT CIRCULAR

Windsor Castle

The Queen, accompanied by The Prince of Wales, The Duke of Cambridge, The Duke of York, The Earl of Wessex, The Princess Royal, The Duke of Gloucester, The Duke of Kent and Princess Alexandra, the Hon Lady Ogilvy, today held a Chapter of the Most Noble Order of the Garter in the Throne Room, Windsor Castle.

The Duchess of Cambridge, The Countess of Wessex, Vice-Admiral Sir Tim Laurence and The Duchess of Gloucester were present.

The Duchess of Cornwall, the Rt Hon Sir Tony Blair and the Baroness Amos were present.

The following Knights Companion were present: the Duke of Abercorn, the Lord Butler of Brockwell, the Lord Morris of Aberavon, the Rt Hon Sir John Major, the Lord Luce, Sir Thomas Dunne, the Lord Phillips of Worth Matravers, Admiral of the Fleet the Lord Boyce, Marshal of the Royal Air Force the Lord Stirrup, the Lady Manningham Buller, the Lord King of Lothbury, the Lord Shuttleworth, Sir David Brewer, the Viscount Brookeborough, Lady Mary Fagan, the Marquess of Salisbury and Lady Mary Peters.

The Officers of the Order were: the Dean of Windsor (Register), Mr David White (Garter King of Arms), Miss Sarah Clarke (Lady Usher of the Black Rod) and Mr Patric Dickinson (Secretary).

Lieutenant Colonel Stephen Segrave (Secretary, Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood) and Lord Claud Hamilton (Page of Honour) were in attendance.

Her Majesty invested The Duchess of Cornwall with the Insignia of a Lady of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, the Rt Hon Sir Tony Blair with the Insignia of a Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter and the Baroness Amos with the Insignia of a Lady Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter.

The Queen later gave a Luncheon Party for the Companions of the Most Noble Order of the Garter at which The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall, The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, 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, The Duke of Kent and Princess Alexandra, the Hon Lady Ogilvy were present.

The following had the honour of being invited: the Duke of Abercorn and the Lady Sophie Hamilton, the Lord and Lady Butler of Brockwell, the Lord Morris of Aberavon and the Hon Mrs Blick, the Rt Hon Sir John Major and Dame Norma Major, the Lord Luce, Sir Thomas and Lady Dunne, the Lord Phillips of Worth Matravers, Admiral of the Fleet the Lord Boyce and the Hon Mrs Barling, Marshal of the Royal Air Force the Lord and Lady Stirrup, the Baroness Manningham-Buller, the Lord and Lady King of Lothbury, the Lord and Lady Shuttleworth, Sir David and Lady Brewer, the Viscount and Viscountess Brookeborough, Lady Mary Fagan and Captain Christopher Fagan, the Marquess and Marchioness of Salisbury, Lady Mary Peters and Mrs John Gaunt, the Rt Hon Sir Tony and Lady Blair, the Baroness Amos and Miss Colleen Amos, the Dean of Windsor, Mr David White, Miss Sarah Clarke, Mr Patric Dickinson, Lieutenant Colonel Stephen Segrave and Lord Claud Hamilton.

An Installation Service was held in St George’s Chapel this afternoon at which The Duchess of Cornwall was installed as a Lady of the Most Noble Order of the Garter and the Rt Hon Sir Tony Blair and the Baroness Amos were installed as a Knight Companion and a Lady Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter.

Her Majesty’s Body Guard of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen at Arms and The Queen’s Body Guard of the Yeomen of the Guard were on duty in the Chapel.