Court Circular

BUCKINGHAM PALACE

22 July: Mr Roger Carrick was received in audience by The Queen upon his appointment as British High Commissioner to the Commonwealth of Australia.

Mrs Carrick was also received by Her Majesty.

Mr David Moss was received in audience by The Queen upon his appointment as British High Commissioner to Malaysia.

Mrs Moss was also received by Her Majesty.

Sir Robin Fearn, Sir Nicholas Barrington and the Hon Sir Humphrey Maud were received by The Queen upon their retirement from the Diplomatic Service.

Lady Fearn and Lady Maud were also received by Her Majesty.

The Queen held a Council at 3.15pm.

There were present:

The Right Hon Antony Newton MP (Lord President), the Right Hon David Hunt MP, the Right Hon Gillian Shephard MP, the Right Hon Michael Portillo MP and the Right Hon Brian Mawhinney MP.

The Viscount Ullswater, the Viscount Cranborne, Mr Jonathan Aitken MP, Mr Stephen Dorrell MP and Mr Jeremy Hanley MP were sworn in as Members of Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council.

The Viscount Cranborne took the Oath of Office as Lord Privy Seal, kissed hands upon his appointment and received the Privy Seal.

The following took the Oath of Office, kissed hands upon appointment and received the Seals of Office:

The Right Hon Gillian Shephard (as Secretary of State for Education), the Right Hon Michael Portillo (as Secretary of State for Employment), the Right Hon Brian Mawhinney (as Secretary of State for Transport) and the Right Hon Stephen Dorrell (as Secretary of State for National Heritage).

Mr Nigel Nicholls was in attendance as Clerk of the Council.

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

After the Council the Right Hon David Hunt had an audience of The Queen, was sworn Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, kissed hands upon his appointment and received from Her Majesty the Seals of Office.

The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh gave an Afternoon Party in the Garden of Buckingham Palace.

The Prince of Wales was present.

Her Majesty's Body Guard of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms and The Queen's Body Guard of the Yeomen of the Guard were on duty.

The Band of the Scots Guards and the Regimental Band of the Parachute Regiment played selections of music during the afternoon.

The Right Hon John MacGregor MP had an audience of The Queen this evening and took leave upon relinquishing his appointment as Secretary of State for Transport.

The Lord Wakeham had an audience of The Queen this evening and took leave upon relinquishing his appointment as Lord Privy Seal.

The Right Hon Peter Brooke MP had an audience of The Queen this evening and took leave upon relinquishing his appointment as Secretary of State for National Heritage.

Mr Michael Peat was received by The Queen when Her Majesty invested him with the Insignia of a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order.

The Duke of Edinburgh this morning presented The Prince Philip Prize for the Designer of the Year and gave a Luncheon at Buckingham Palace.

21 July: The Prince Edward, President, the Commonwealth Games Federation, this morning made presentations to the airlines supporting The Queen's Relay for the XV Commonwealth Games at Buckingham Palace.

21 July: The Princess Royal, Patron, Hearing Dogs for the Deaf, this morning visited the second training centre at Cliffe, near Selby, and was received by Her Majesty's Lord-Lieutenant for North Yorkshire (Sir Marcus Worsley Bt).

Her Royal Highness, President, Animal Health Trust, this afternoon attended a Luncheon at Cantley Hall, Doncaster, and was received by Her Majesty's Lord-Lieutenant for South Yorkshire (Lieutenant- Colonel Hugh Neill).

The Princess Royal, President, Riding for the Disabled Association, this evening attended the World Championships for Disabled Riders at Hartpury College of Agriculture, Hartpury, and was received by Her Majesty's Lord-Lieutenant for Gloucestershire (Mr Henry Elwes).

Mrs Timothy Holderness-Roddam was in attendance.

ST JAMES'S PALACE

21 July: The Prince of Wales, Patron, Cinema 100, this morning attended a meeting of the National Council followed by a luncheon at the Museum of the Moving Image, Southbank, London SE1.

Dr Manon Williams was in attendance.

KENSINGTON PALACE

21 July: The Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon, Colonel-in-Chief, The Highland Fusiliers of Canada, this afternoon met Veterans of The Highland Light Infantry of Canada Association in the State Apartments at Kensington Palace.

Mrs Charles Vyvyan and Major The Lord Napier and Ettrick were in attendance.

YORK HOUSE

21 July: The Duke of Kent, President, the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, this afternoon visited Helensburgh Lifeboat Station, Campbell Street, Helensburgh, Dunbartonshire, and was met on arrival by Mr Archibald Mackenzie (Vice Lord- Lieutenant of Dunbartonshire).

His Royal Highness later visited Largs Lifeboat Station, Burnside Road, Largs, Ayrshire, and was met on arrival by Her Majesty's Lord-Lieutenant for Ayrshire and Arran (Major Richard Henderson).

The Duke of Kent this evening attended a dinner hosted by Enterprise Oil plc to mark the inauguration of the Nelson Oilfield, Palace of Holyroodhouse, Edinburgh, Scotland.

Captain Alexander Tetley was in attendance.

The Duchess of Kent, Chancellor, this afternoon presided at the Conferment of Degrees and this evening attended a dinner for honorary graduates, the University of Leeds, Leeds, Yorkshire.

Mrs Richard Beckett was in attendance.

THATCHED HOUSE LODGE

21 July: Princess Alexandra this afternoon opened the Andrew Bryce Smith Imaging Centre at the Princess Alexandra Hospital, Harlow, and was received by her Majesty's Lord-Lieutenant for Essex (the Lord Braybrooke).

Mrs Peter Afia was in attendance.

ROYAL ENGAGEMENTS

The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh visit Rossall School, Lancashire, to mark its 150th anniversary; and visit Blackpool, Lancashire, to mark the centenary of the Grand Theatre and Blackpool Tower. The Duke of Edinburgh, Colonel-in-Chief, attends the Regimental Dinner of the Queen's Own Highlanders (Seaforth and Camerons) at Dreghorn Barracks, Edinburgh. The Prince of Wales, Patron, Glamorgan County Cricket Club, attends the club's match against Kent in Abergavenny, Gwent; as President, Business in the Community, visits Tredegar, Gwent, to view projects concerned with the regeneration of the town; and as Chairman, the Prince of Wales's Committee, visits the restored folly above Pontypool, Gwent. The Duke of Kent, President, Royal National Lifeboat Insitution, visits Girvan Lifeboat Station, Girvan, Ayrshire; and visits Troon Lifeboat Station, Troon, Ayrshire. The Duchess of Kent, Chancellor, presides at the Congregation for the Conferment of Degrees, Leeds University; and opens the Chapel Allerton Hospital, Leeds, Yorkshire. Princess Alexandra, Patron, opens the Veterinary Centre of the People's Dispensary for Sick Animals, Hendon, Middlesex; and takes the salute at the evening performance of the Royal Tournament at Earl's Court, London W5.

Buckingham Palace

The Queen's Gallery at Buckingham Palace opens between 10am and 5pm, last admission 4.30pm. The Royal Mews opens between 12pm and 4pm, last admission 3.30pm.

Changing of the Guard

The Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment mounts the Queen's Life Guard at Horse Guards, 11am; 7 Company Coldstream Guards mounts the Queen's Guard, at Buckingham Palace, 11.30am, band provided by the Scots Guards.

Bands playing in the Royal Parks

St James's Park, Ladies' Palm Court Orchestra, 12.30pm-2pm, 5.30pm-7pm; Regent's Park, Avely Band, 12.30pm-2pm, 5.30pm-7pm.