COURT CIRCULAR

Clarence House

The King and The Queen Consort this morning arrived at Belfast City Airport and were received by His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of the County Borough of Belfast (Mrs Fionnuala Jay-O’Boyle).

Their Majesties drove to Hillsborough Castle and were received by Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of County Down (Mr Gawn Rowan Hamilton).

The King and The Queen Consort undertook a short walkabout outside the Castle before moving inside and viewing an exhibition of pictures showing The late Queen’s visits to Northern Ireland during Her Majesty’s reign.

The Rt Hon Christopher Heaton-Harris MP (Secretary of State for Northern Ireland) was received in audience by The King at Hillsborough Castle this afternoon.

The Speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly and Leaders of the Main Political Parties were received by His Majesty.

The Speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly subsequently presented a Message of Condolence to The King from the Assembly to which His Majesty was graciously pleased to make reply.

The King and The Queen Consort subsequently gave a Reception at Hillsborough Castle for representatives of the people of Northern Ireland.

Their Majesties afterwards attended a Service of Reflection for the Life of Her late Majesty The Queen in St Anne’s Cathedral, Belfast, and were received at the West Door by the Bishop of Connor (the Right Reverend George Davison) and the Rt Hon the Lord Mayor of Belfast (Councillor Christina Black).

The King held a Council at 6.30pm at Buckingham Palace.

There were present: the Rt Hon Penelope Mordaunt MP, the Rt Hon Dr Thérèse Coffey MP, the Rt Hon Kwasi Kwarteng MP, the Rt Hon James Cleverly MP, the Rt Hon Sue-Ellen Braverman MP, the Rt Hon Brandon Lewis MP, the Rt Hon Jacob Rees-Mogg MP, the Rt Hon Christopher Malthouse MP, the Rt Hon Anne-Marie Trevelyn MP, the Rt Hon Michelle Donelan MP and the Rt Hon Nadhim Zahawi MP.

Sir Clive Alderton, Mrs Olukemi Badenoch MP, Mr Simon Case, Mr Ranil Jayawardena MP, Mrs Wendy Morton MP, Ms Chloe Smith MP and the Lord True were sworn in or made affirmation as members of Her Majesty’s Most Honourable Privy Council.

The King declared in Council the Rt Hon Penelope Mordaunt MP Lord President of the Council, who made affirmation and kissed hands on her appointment.

The following took the Oath of Office or made affirmation, kissed hands upon appointment and received the Seals of Office: the Rt Hon Dr Thérèse Coffey MP (as Secretary of State for Health and Social Care), the Rt Hon Kwasi Kwarteng MP (as Chancellor of the Exchequer), the Rt Hon James Cleverly MP (as Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs), the Rt Hon Sue-Ellen Braverman MP (as Secretary of State for the Home Department), the Rt Hon Brandon Lewis MP (as Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice), the Lord True (as Lord Privy Seal), the Rt Hon Jacob Rees-Mogg MP (as Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy), the Rt Hon Olukemi Badenoch MP (as Secretary of State for International Trade), the Rt Hon Chloe Smith MP (as Secretary of State for Work and Pensions), the Rt Hon Christopher Malthouse MP (as Secretary of State for Education), the Rt Hon Ranil Jayawardena MP (as Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs), the Rt Hon Anne-Marie Trevelyn MP (as Secretary of State for Transport), the Rt Hon Michelle Donelan MP (as Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport), and the Rt Hon Nadhim Zahawi MP (as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster).

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

The Coffin bearing The late Queen departed from St Giles’ Cathedral, Edinburgh, this afternoon, followed by The Princess Royal, accompanied by Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, and was conveyed to Edinburgh Airport, before travelling to Royal Air Force Northolt and thence to Buckingham Palace where it is resting in the Bow Room.