COURT CIRCULAR

Balmoral Castle

The King and Queen, accompanied by His Majesty’s Ambassador to the French Republic (Her Excellency Dame Menna Rawlings), this afternoon arrived in Bordeaux and, having been received by the Prefect of the Nouvelle Aquitaine Region (Monsieur Étienne Guyot), undertook a short walkabout at Place Pey-Berland.

Their Majesties signed the Livre d’Or at the Hôtel de Ville and were received by the Mayor of Bordeaux (Monsieur Pierre Hurmic).

The King and Queen subsequently attended a Reception on board HMS Iron Duke and were received by the Commanding Officer (Commander James Wallington-Smith), the Naval Attaché to the French Republic (Captain Philip Wills) and the Regional South-West Commander Officier Général de la Zone de Défense et de Sécurité du Sud-Ouest (Général de Corps Aérien Laurent Lherbette).

His Majesty, accompanied by Her Majesty, was received with a Royal Salute and inspected the Guard of Honour.

The King and Queen afterwards travelled by tram from Quinconces Fleuve to Place de la Bourse.

Their Majesties, having been received by the Deputy Trade Commissioner for Europe, British Embassy Paris (Ms Jo Hawley), visited a Showcase to celebrate the Franco-British relationship at Place de la Bourse, viewing stands and meeting members of the local British and French communities.

The King later visited the Forêt Expérimentale de l’Université de Bordeaux and was received by the President of the University (Monsieur Dean Lewis), the Vice-President of the National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment (Monsieur Jean-Francois Soussana) and the Research Director of the Experimental Forest Project (Monsieur Sylvain Delzon).

His Majesty, escorted by the President of the University, Vice-President and Research Director, met members of the 2022 Landes wildfire crisis response team and was briefed on elements of the Project, including work on fire resilience strategies and community outreach.

The Queen visited Pain de l’Amitié, Rue Saint-Nicolas, Bordeaux.

The King and Queen later visited the biodynamic vineyard at Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte, Martillac, and were received by the Vineyard Owners (Madame Florence Cathiard and Monsieur Daniel Cathiard).

Their Majesties viewed the wine cellars and the cooperage, and met members of staff and winemakers from the Entre-Deux-Mers area.

The King and Queen, attended by the Rt Hon Sir Clive Alderton, Mr Christopher Fitzgerald, Ms Eva Omaghomi, Mr Tobyn Andreae, Ms Laura Sullivan, Dr Douglas Glass, Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan Thompson and Mrs Sophia Densham, subsequently departed from Bordeaux-Merignac Airport upon the conclusion of the State Visit to France.

St James’s Palace

The Princess Royal, accompanied by Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, this afternoon opened Aberdeen South Harbour Expansion Project at the Port of Aberdeen, Aberdeen South Harbour, St Fitticks Road, and was received by His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of the City of Aberdeen (Councillor David Cameron, the Lord Provost).

St James’s Palace

The Duke of Kent, Colonel, Scots Guards, this evening attended a Dinner for Serving and Former Officers at the Palace of Holyroodhouse and was received by His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of the City of Edinburgh (Councillor Robert Aldridge, the Rt Hon the Provost).

Appendix to Court Circular

The King has been pleased to appoint the Very Reverend Dr E. Lorna Hood and the Very Reverend Dr Angus Morrison as Extra Chaplains to His Majesty in Scotland.