Court Circular

BUCKINGHAM PALACE

14 December: Mr Justice Mitchell 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.

His Excellency Dato Kassim Daud was received in audience by The Queen and presented the Letters of Recall of his predecessor and his own Letters of Commission as High Commissioner for Brunei Darussalam in London.

His Excellency was accompanied by the following members of the High Commission:

Mr Jaini Abdullah (First Secretary), Lieutenant-Colonel Brahim Haji Jumahat (Defence Adviser), Mr Majid Magarshah (Second Secretary), Mr Mohamed Haji Abdullah (Second Secretary), Mr Mahadi Maidin (Second Secretary), Mr Zulkifli Hussein (Third Secretary, Protocol), Pengiran Ali Pengiran Othman (Third Secretary, Recruitment/ Training) and Mr Ismi Ahmid (Attache, Education).

Datin Latifah Yaakub was also received by Her Majesty.

Sir David Gillmore (Permanent Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs) was present and the Household-in-Waiting were in Attendance.

Mr Oliver Miles (Her Majesty's Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary at Athens) and Mrs Miles were received by The Queen.

Her Excellency Dr Ursula Barrow was received in audience by Her Majesty upon her appointment as High Commissioner for Belize in London.

Wing Commander Christopher Moran RAF was received by The Queen when Her Majesty invested him with the Insignia of a Member of the Royal Victorian Order.

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

The Duke of Edinburgh, President, City and Guilds of London Institute, and Patron, the Fellowship of Prince Philip Medallists, this afternoon attended a Luncheon at Clothworker's Hall, London EC3.

Sir Brian McGrath was in attendance.

His Royal Highness, President, Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851, this evening attended a Dinner at the Armourers Hall, Coleman Street, London EC2.

Brigadier Miles Hunt-Davis was in attendance.

14 December: The Duke of York, Patron, this evening attended the Round Square Dinner at St James's Palace.

Captain Rupert Maitland-Titterton was in attendance.

14 December: The Prince Edward, Trustee, The Duke of Edinburgh's Award International Foundation, and Chairman, International Council, The Duke of Edinburgh's Award International Association, this afternoon arrived at Heathrow Airport, London, from the United States of America.

Lieutenant-Colonel Sean O'Dwyer was in attendance.

14 December: The Princess Royal, Patron, Sense, the National Deaf-Blind and Rubella Association, this afternoon attended the Deaf Acccord's 'Young Deaf Achievers' Luncheon and Awards Ceremony at the Cafe Royal, Regent Street, London W1.

Mrs Timothy Holderness-Roddam was in attendance.

Her Royal Highness, Chief Commandant for Women in the Royal Navy, accompanied by Commander Timothy Laurence RN, this evening attended the Wren's Carol Concert, St Mary-le-Strand, Strand, London WC2.

ST JAMES'S PALACE

14 December: The Prince of Wales this evening gave a Dinner for the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (the Right Hon Douglas Hurd MP) at St James's Palace.

KENSINGTON PALACE

14 December: The Duke of Gloucester, Honorary Air Commodore, Royal Air Force Odiham, received Group Captain Christopher Chambers on relinquishing the appointment of Officer Commanding Royal Air Force Odiham and Group Captain Peter Crawford on assuming the appointment.

YORK HOUSE

14 December: The Duke of Kent, Vice- Chairman, the British Overseas Trade Board, this morning visited Applied Hologrpahics, Phoenix Road, Washington, Tyne and Wear, and was met on arrival by Her Majesty's Lord-Lieutenant for Tyne and Wear (Colonel Sir Ralph Carr-Ellison).

His Royal Highness today visited Crabtree of Gateshead Limited, Team Valley Trading Etate, Gateshead, and the Universal Building Society, Universal House, Newcastle Central Technology Park, Newcastle.

The Duke of Kent later visited the Newcastle Business Advice Centre, Anderson House, Market Street, Newcastle, and St Mary's Training and Enterprise Centre, Oystershell Lane, Newcastle, Tyne and Wear.

Captain Alexander Tetley was in attendance.

THATCHED HOUSE LODGE

14 December: Princess Alexandra, Patron, this afternoon visited St Christopher's Hospice, 51-59 Lawrie Park Road, Sydenham, London SE26.

Mrs Peter Afia was in attendance.

Her Royal Highness, Patron, this evening attended a performance of the Messiah, arranged by Crisis in aid of homeless people, at St Paul's, Knightsbridge, London SW1.

The Lady Nicholas Gordon Lennox was in attendance.

ROYAL ENGAGEMENTS

The Queen, accompanied by The Duke of Edinburgh, attends a reception at the Royal Geographical Society, London SW7, to mark the Ninetieth Anniversary of the Fauna and Flora Preservation Society. The Duke of Edinburgh, Patron and Trustee, attends receptions for Young People who have reached the Gold Standard in The Duke of Edinburgh's Award at St James's Palace; and as Patron, British Trust for Ornithology, attends a luncheon to launch The New Atlas of Breeding Birds in Britain and Ireland at the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre, London SW1. The Prince of Wales, President, the Prince's Trust, attends a conference on Study Support Centres at the Sarah Bonnell School, London E15; and as Patron, Macmillan Nurse Appeal, attends a Carol Concer at the Guards Chapel, London SW1. The Princess Royal, Patron, the Association of Combined Youth Clubs, attends a Charity Christmas Luncheon at the Grosvenor House Hotel, London W1; as President, The Princess Royal Trust for Carers, attends the launch of Sutton Carers Centre, the Civic Offices, Sutton, Surrey; and as Patron, the British Nutrition Foundation, attends a Seminar on Nutrition in Developing Countries at the Society of Chemical Industry, London SW1. Princess Alexandra, President, attends the Christmas Party of the Friends of the V&A at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London SW7.

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; 1st Battalion the King's Regiment mounts the Queen's Guard, at Buckingham Palace, 11.30am, band provided by the King's Regiment.

Windsor Castle

The Precincts at Windsor Castle open between 10am and 4pm, and the State Apartments between 10.30am and 3pm.