Court Circular

BUCKINGHAM PALACE

16 November: His Excellency Mr Mboni Dlamini and Mrs Dlamini were received in farewell audience by The Queen and took leave upon His Excellency relinquishing his appointment as High Commissioner for the Kingdom of Swaziland in London.

His Excellency Mr Ghebremichael Mengistu was received in audience by Her Majesty and presented his Letters of Credence as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary from Eritrea to the Court of St James's.

His Excellency was accompanied by the following member of the Embassy: Mr Habtom Ghebremichael (Consul).

Sir David Gillmore (Permanent

Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs) was present and the Household-in-Waiting were in attendance.

Mr Justice Stuart-White was received by The Queen upon his appointment as a Justice of the High Court when Her Majesty conferred upon him the honour of a Knighthood and invested him with the Insignia of a Knight Bachelor.

Mr Justice Harrison was received by The Queen upon his appointment as a Justice of the High Court when Her Majesty conferred upon him the honour of Knighthood and invested him with the Insignia of a Knight Bachelor.

The Queen held a Council at 12.40pm.

There were present:

The Right Hon Antony Newton MP, (Lord President), the Lord Wakeham (Lord Privy Seal), the Baroness Blatch (Minister of State, Department for Education) and the Right Hon Sir John Wheeler MP (Minister of State, Northern Ireland Office).

Sir John Hobhouse was sworn in as a Member of Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council.

Mr Robert Bulling was in attendance as Deputy Clerk of the Council.

The Right Hon Antony Newton MP had an audience of Her Majesty before the Council.

The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh this afternoon attended a Reception at St James's Palace given by the Commonwealth Jewish Council and the Board of Deputies of British Jews on the occasion of the Tenth Anniversary Conference of the Council and were received by the President of the Council (the Hon Greville Janner MP) and Mrs Ronald Preston and Mr Aubrey Rose (Vice-Presidents of the Board).

The Lady Farnham, Sir Kenneth Scott and Major James Patrick were in attendance.

The Right Hon John Major MP (Prime Minister and First Lord of the Treasury) had an audience of Her Majesty this evening.

The Duke of Edinburgh, President and Honorary Life Fellow, Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce, this morning chaired a meeting of the Environment Committee at Buckingham Palace.

His Royal Highness, President, this afternoon attended a Luncheon to celebrate the Centenary of the Fellowship of the City and Guilds of London Institute at Clothworkers' Hall, London EC3.

Wing Commander Christopher Moran RAF was in attendance.

The Duke of Edinburgh, Patron and Trustee, The Duke of Edinburgh's Award, this evening gave a Dinner for Founder Charter Members at Buckingham Palace.

Mrs John Dugdale has succeeded Mrs Robert de Pass as Lady-in-Waiting to The Queen.

16 November: The Duke of York, Commodore, Royal Thames Yacht Club, received Mr John Vernon upon relinquishing his appointment as Vice Commodore and Mr John Prentice upon assuming the appointment.

His Royal Highness, Colonel-in- Chief, The Royal Irish Regiment, this evening visited D (London Irish Rifles) Company, The Duke of York's Headquarters, London SW1.

Captain Rupert Maitland-Titterton was in attendance.

16 November: The Prince Edward, Chairman of the Council, The Duke of Edinburgh's Award, this afternoon gave a Luncheon at Buckingham Palace.

The Prince Edward this evening inaugurated the Gryphon Oil Field in the North Sea during a Reception given by Kerr McGee Oil (UK) at the Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7.

Lieutenant-Colonel Sean O'Dwyer was in attendance.

CLARENCE HOUSE

16 November: Brigadier James Rucker today had the honour of being received by Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, Colonel-in-Chief, The Queen's Royal Hussars (The Queen's Own and Royal Irish), upon relinquishing his appointment as Colonel of The Queen's Own Hussars.

Major-General Richard Barron had the honour of being received by Her Majesty on assuming his appointment as Colonel of The Queen's Royal Hussars (The Queen's Own and Royal Irish).

Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Andrew Ogilvy-Wedderburn Bt had the honour of being received by Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, Colonel-in- Chief, The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment), upon assuming his appointment as Commanding Officer of the Regiment.

ST JAMES'S PALACE

16 November: The Prince of Wales this afternoon addressed the Historic Houses Association Annual General Meeting at the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre, London SW1.

His Royal Highness, President, later conferred Fellowships and Honorary Memberships and presented major prizes at the Royal College of Music, London SW7.

Miss Belinda Harley was in attendance.

The Prince of Wales this evening attended the Royal Film Performance of The Man Without a Face at the Odeon Cinema, Leicester Square, London WC2.

Commander Robert Fraser RN was in attendance.

KENSINGTON PALACE

16 November: The Princess of Wales today visited Dyfed and was received by Her Majesty's Lord-Lieutenant (Mr David Mansel Lewis).

Her Royal Highness, Patron, the Trust for Sick Children in Wales, this morning opened the Adolescent Unit, Carmarthen and District National Health Service Trust, West Wales General Hospital, Carmarthen.

The Princess of Wales this afternoon opened the refurbished wards at the Carmarthen and District National Health Service Trust, West Wales General Hospital, Carmarthen.

Her Royal Highness later visited Teen Challenge, 52 Penygroes Road, Gorslas, Llanelli.

Mrs James Lonsdale and Captain Edward Musto RM were in attendance.

16 November: The Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon this afternoon visited Edinburgh, and was received by the Lord-Lieutenant for the City of Edinburgh (Councillor Norman Irons, The Right Hon The Lord Provost).

Her Royal Highness visited Lady Haig's Poppy Factory, Warriston Road.

The Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon, Patron, St Margaret's Chapel Guild and St Margaret 900, then attended a Service on the occasion of the 900th Anniversary of the Death of Queen Margaret, in St Margaret's Chapel, followed by a Reception in the Great Hall, Edinburgh Castle.

The Hon Mrs Willis and Major The Lord Napier and Ettrick were in attendance.

16 November: The Duke of Gloucester, Patron, Pestalozzi Children's Village Trust, this morning received The Right Hon the Lord Sainsbury on relinquishing the appointment of President and Trustee of the Trust.

The Duke of Gloucester, President, Britain-Nepal Society, this evening was present at the Annual General Meeting which was held at the Royal Nepalese Embassy, Kensington Palace Gardens, London W8.

Major Nicholas Barne was in attendance.

YORK HOUSE

16 November: The Duke of Kent, Patron, Endeavour Training, this evening attended a dinner at the Conference Centre, Williams Grand Prix Engineering Limited, Basil Hill Road, Didcot, Oxfordshire, and was met on arrival by Her Majesty's Lord-Lieutenant for Oxfordshire (Sir Ashley Ponsonby Bt)

Commander Roger Walker RN was in attendance.

The Duchess of Kent, Patron, the Spastics Society, this morning visited Newton Products, Garretts Green Lane, Birmingham, and was met on arrival by Mr Frank Graves (Deputy Lieutenant of the West Midlands).

Her Royal Highness this afternoon visited the Spring Gardens Development, Broadstones Hostel, Broadstone Road, and as President, Action Research, visited the Liver Unit and Action Research Volunteers at the Children's Hospital, Ladywood, Middleway, Birmingham.

Mrs Peter Wilmot-Sitwell was in attendance.

THATCHED HOUSE LODGE

16 November: Princess Alexandra and the Hon Sir Angus Ogilvy this evening attended a Concert in aid of the Princess Margarita of Romania Foundation at Syon House, Brentford, Middlesex.

Mrs Peter Afia was in attendance.

ROYAL ENGAGEMENTS

The Queen holds an investiture; and, accompanied by The Duke of Edinburgh, opens the new archives, library and galleries of the National Portrait Gallery, London WC2. The Duke of Edinburgh visits the London Custom House, London EC3; and as President, the Central Council of Physical Recreation, attends a dinner for Miss Marea Hartman at Drapers' Hall, London EC2. The Prince of Wales, President, Business in the Community, the Prince's Trust and the Prince's Youth Trust, visits Mexborough, South Yorkshire, to see the work of organisations involved in the economic development of the Dearne Valley; as Patron, the Prince of Wales Hospice, visits the hospice and meets patients, staff, volunteers and members of support groups at Pontefract, West Yorkshire; and hosts a reception for the Multiple Sclerosis Society and the Pentland Group at St James's Palace. The Princess of Wales, Patron, Turning Point, attends a conference entitled 'Can the Community Care?' at the Regent Hotel, London NW1. Prince Edward, President, National Youth Music Theatre, attends the Schools Prom at the Royal Albert Hall, London SW7. Princess Margaret opens the Bostock Building and the Swingland Building at Haberdashers' Aske's College, London SE14. The Duke of Kent, President, Imperial War Museum, attends a Board of Trustees Meeting, London SE1; and, as President, dines with the Army and Navy Club, Pall Mall, London SW1. The Duchess of Kent attends the Tree Council's Schools Competition, London SW1; attends lunch at the Metropolitan Police Senior Officers Club, Chigwell Police Sports Club, Chigwell; and as President, Action Research, attends the Annual General Meeting, Queen Elizabeth Conference Centre, London SW1.

Buckingham Palace

The Queen's Gallery at Buckingham Palace opens between 10am and 5pm. The Royal Mews opens between 12pm and 4pm, and last admission is at 3.30pm.

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 Coldstream Guards.

Windsor Castle

The Precincts at Windsor Castle open between 10.30am and 4pm.