Court Circular

BUCKINGHAM PALACE

8 March: The Prince Edward, on behalf of The Queen, this afternoon attended the Commonwealth Day Observance Service in Westminster Abbey and was received by the Dean of Westminster (the Very Reverend Michael Mayne) and the Chairman, Joint Commonwealth Societies' Council (Sir Donald Tebbit).

The Right Hon Sir Robert Fellowes and Lieutenant-Colonel Blair Stewart-Wilson were in attendance.

The Prince Edward and The Princess of Wales were later present at a reception given by the Commonwealth Secretary-General (His Excellency Chief Emeka Anyaoku) at Marlborough House, Pall Mall, London SW1, where The Prince Edward, on behalf of The Queen, unveiled a commemorative plaque marking the renovation of Marlborough House.

The Hon Mary Morrison, the Right Hon Sir Robert Fellowes, Lieutenant-Colonel Blair Stewart- Wilson and Mr Patrick Jephson were in attendance.

The Duke of Edinburgh this afternoon visited the Exhibition 'The Great Age of British Watercolours 1750-1880', the Royal Academy of Arts, Piccadilly, London W1.

Mr Brian McGrath and Brigadier Miles Hunt-Davis were in attendance.

The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh were represented by Mr Carron Greig (Gentleman Usher to The Queen) at the Service of Thanksgiving for the Life of Captain Michael Tufnell RN (formerly Gentleman Usher to The Queen) which was held in St John's Church, Alresford, Hampshire, this afternoon.

KENSINGTON PALACE

8th March: The Duchess of Gloucester, Patron, Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths (Cot Death Research and Support) was present this morning at the Judging of the Christmas Card Competition at 35 Belgrave Square, London SW1.

Mrs Euan McCorquodale was in attendance.

THATCHED HOUSE LODGE

8 March: Princess Alexandra, President, this evening opened an Exhibition of the Drawings of James Hakewill for the British School at Rome, at Hazlitt, Gooden and Fox, Bury Street, London SW1.

The Lady Nicholas Gordon Lennox was in attendance.

ROYAL ENGAGEMENTS

The Queen holds an Investiture. The Duchess of Gloucester attends the opening night of London City Ballet's Romeo and Juliet to mark the 100th anniversary of the Northampton branch of the National Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Children. The Duke of Kent visits the Shaftesbury Homes' Arethusa Venture Centre, Lower Upnor, Kent. The Duchess of Kent visits Bury Hospice, Radcliffe; opens the Trafford General Hospital Maternity Unit and Mental Health Services Unit, Trafford General Hospital, Davyhulme, Trafford; opens Synergy House at Manchester Science Park, Manchester; and, as President, visits the Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester.

Changing of the Guard

The Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment mounts the Queen's Life Guard at Horse Guards, 11am; 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards mounts the Queen's Guard, at Buckingham Palace, 11.30am, band provided by the Irish Guards.