Court Circular

BUCKINGHAM PALACE

8 February: The Lady Elton has succeeded the Lady Susan Hussey as Lady-in-Waiting to The Queen.

8 February: The Princess Royal this morning visited the Manchester 2000 Olympic Centre and Park and was received by Her Majesty's Lord- Lieutenant for Greater Manchester (Colonel John Timmins).

Her Royal Highness afterwards attended a Seminar on the Manchester 2000 Olympic Bid, Exchange Quays, Salford.

ST JAMES'S PALACE

8 February: The Prince of Wales, President, the Fountain Society, this morning received Mrs Thelma Seear.

His Royal Highness afterwards gave a Luncheon for representatives of environmental and organic farming organisations.

YORK HOUSE

8 February: The Duchess of Kent, Patron, Age Concern, this afternoon attended a lunch hosted by Tarmac plc at the Connaught Hotel, Carlos Place, London W1.

Mrs Peter Wilmot-Sitwell was in attendance.

ROYAL ENGAGEMENTS

The Duke of Edinburgh, Chancellor, visits Cambridge University; as Permanent Master, Worshipful Company of Shipwrights, presides at a meeting of the court to admit The Duke of York as a freeman of the company at Ironmonger's Hall, London EC2, and later, with The Duke of York, attends a livery dinner. The Queen Mother visits the Royal College of Music, London SW7. The Prince of Wales attends a Luncheon with members of the US business community, hosted by the US Ambassador, at Winfield House, London NW1; as Patron, International Tree Foundation, attends a tree-planting ceremony to mark the 40th anniversary of the Queen's accession, at Green Park, London SW1; as President elect, attends a concert to mark the adoption of the Queen Mother as President Emerita of the Royal College of Music, at the college, London SW7; and gives a reception on behalf of the fund to acquire the Royal Commonwealth Society Library for the Nation, at St James's Palace, London SW1. The Duke of York, Colonel-in- Chief, the Staffordshire Regiment, visits regimental headquarters and museum, Lichfield, Staffordshire; and attends the launch of the book Rats Tale', at Guildhall, Lichfield, Staffordshire. The Princess Royal, Patron, the Butler Trust, visits HM Prison Chelmsford, Essex; as Patron, National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux, opens the extended Bureau premises, Rayleigh, Essex; as President, British Knitting & Clothing Export Council, visits Cavendish Silks, Essex Designs, Southend-on-Sea, Essex; as Patron, National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux, opens the Bureau extension, Brentwood, Essex; and as President, the Rural Housing Trust, holds a reception at Buckingham Palace for the launch of the John Arlott Memorial Trust. The Duke of Kent, Chancellor, hosts a retirement dinner for Sir David Nicolson, Pro-Chancellor of Surrey University, and Mr Nigel Robson, Treasurer, at Boodles, London SW1. The Duchess of Kent visits the Royal Naval Air Station, Yeovilton, Somerset.

Changing of the Guard

The Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment mounts the Queen's Life Guard at Horse Guards, 11am; 2nd Battalion Grenadier Guards mounts the Queen's Guard, at Buckingham Palace, 11.30am, band provided by the Scots Guards.