COURT CIRCULAR

Balmoral Castle

Pipe Major Paul Burns was received by His Majesty this morning upon relinquishing his appointment as The King’s Piper when His Majesty decorated him with the Royal Victorian Medal (Silver).

The King this afternoon visited BAE Systems, Bridge Road, Barrow-in-Furness, and was received by His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Cumbria (Mr Alexander Scott), the First Sea Lord (General Sir Gwyn Jenkins), the High Commissioner for the Commonwealth of Australia in London (His Excellency the Hon Stephen Smith), the Ambassador from the United States of America to the Court of St James’s (His Excellency Mr Warren Stephens), the Chief of Defence Nuclear (Ms Madelaine McTernan), the Chief Executive Officer, BAE Systems (Dr Charles Woodburn), the Secretary of State for Defence (the Rt Hon John Healey MP), the Secretary of the United States Navy (the Hon John Phelan) and the Commanding Officer, HMS Agamemnon (Commander David Crosby).

His Majesty was received with a Royal Salute and attended the Commissioning Ceremony for HMS Agamemnon.

The King was received later by Mr Stephen Timms (Submarines Managing Director, BAE Systems) before meeting Serving Personnel and their families, and BAE Systems apprentices.

His Majesty, escorted by the Submarines Managing Director, afterwards visited the Bridge Centre, Portland Walk, Barrow-in-Furness, before being received by the Chairman of the Barrow Delivery Board, Team Barrow (the Lord Case).

The King subsequently attended a Reception in Coffee D’Ash Café, meeting recipients of the Team Barrow Social Impact Fund.

His Majesty afterwards formally presented Letters Patent to confer the Title Royal on the Port of Barrow at the Town Hall, Duke Street, Barrow-in-Furness, and was received by the Mayor of Barrow (Councillor F Chatfield).

The King met residents of Parkview Gardens Care Home and Primary Schoolchildren before meeting representatives of local patronages, community groups and members of the public in the town square.

St James’s Palace

The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh today carried out the following engagements in Osaka, accompanied by His Majesty’s Ambassador to Japan (Her Excellency Ms Julia Longbottom).

His Royal Highness this morning visited Sumitomo Electric Industries, Sumitomo Building, 4-5-33, Kitahama.

The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh this afternoon attended the World Exposition 2025 on Yumeshima Island.

The Duchess of Edinburgh this morning attended a United Nations Women’s Panel Discussion at World Exposition 2025.