Court Circular

BUCKINGHAM PALACE

8 July: Mr Andrew Burns was received in audience by The Queen and Kissed Hands upon his appointment as Her Majesty's Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Tel Aviv.

Mrs Burns was also received by Her Majesty.

His Excellency Mr Vincas Balickas was received in audience by The Queen and presented his Letters of Credence as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary from the Republic of Lithuania to the Court of St James's.

His Excellency was accompanied by the following member of the Embassy: Dr Antanas Nesavas (Counsellor).

Mrs Balickas 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.

The Queen received the Bishop of Bradford (the Right Reverend David Smith) who was introduced into Her Majesty's presence by the Right Hon Kenneth Clarke MP (Secretary of State for the Home Department) and did Homage upon his appointment.

The Secretary of State for the Home Department administered the Oath.

The Right Reverend John Waine (Clerk of the Closet to The Queen) and the Household-in-Waiting were in attendance.

Mr Peter Streams, Her Majesty's Ambassador at Khartoum, was received by The Queen.

Mrs Streams was also received by Her Majesty.

The Queen, accompanied by The Duke of Edinburgh today visited Hampton Court Palace to re-open The King's Apartments.

Her Majesty and His Royal Highness were received by the Lord Moore of Wolvercote, the Right Hon David Mellor MP (Secretary of State for National Heritage), Mr Crawford Macdonald (Director, Hampton Court Palace) and Dr Simon Thurley (Curator, Historic Royal Palaces) and toured the restored King's Apartments.

The Queen subsequently visited the Hampton Court Palace International Flower Show and was received by Mr Neville Labovitch (Chairman, The Queen's Anniversary Committee, Hampton Court Palace, and the Prince of Wales's Royal Parks Tree Appeal), Sir Bob Reid (Chairman, British Rail) and Mr Adrian Boyd (Chief Executive, Hampton Court Palace International Flower Show).

Her Majesty and His Royal Highness toured the Flower Show and later attended an Entertainment in Fountain Court.

The Duchess of Grafton, the Right Hon Sir Robert Fellowes, Sir Geoffrey de Bellaigue, Mr Christopher Lloyd, Mr Hugh Roberts, and Wing Commander David Walker RAF were in attendance.

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

His Royal Highness, President of the City and Guilds of London Institute, later presented the 1992 City and Guilds Prince Philip Medal and Silver and Bronze Medals at Buckingham Palace.

His Royal Highness, Visitor and Honorary Fellow, Royal College of Art, opened the Stevens Building, Royal College of Art, Kensington Gore, London SW7, this morning.

Lieutenant-Commander Malcolm Sillars RN and Wing Commander Christopher Moran RAF were in attendance.

The Duke of Edinburgh this evening attended the Anglo-Venezuelan Day Dinner at the Savoy Hotel, London WC2.

Mr Brian McGrath was in attendance.

8 July: The Princess Royal, President, British Knitting and Clothing Export Council, this morning visited Jamie and Jessie Seaton, Goetre Farmhouse, Llanfynydd, Carmarthen, and was received by Her Majesty's Lord-Lieutenant for Dyfed (Mr David Mansel-Lewis).

Her Royal Highness afterwards opened the Children's Care Centre at Nevill Hall Hospital, Abergavenny, and was received by Her Majesty's Lord-Lieutenant for Gwent (Mr Richard Hanbury-Tenison).

The Princess Royal, Chief Commandant, Women's Royal Naval Service, this afternoon visited HMS Collingwood's Resource and Initiative Training Centre, Talybont-on-Usk, Brecon, Wales.

The Hon Mrs Legge-Bourke was in attendance.

8 July: The Prince Edward, Chairman, this evening held a meeting of The Duke of Edinburgh's Award Special Projects Group at Buckingham Palace.

CLARENCE HOUSE

8 July: Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother was present this evening at a Festival Service for the Friends of St Paul's which was held in St Paul's Cathedral.

The Lady Margaret Colville and Sir Alastair Aird were in attendance.

KENSINGTON PALACE

8 July: The Prince of Wales this morning unveiled the new railings in front of Lowther Lodge, the Headquarters of the Royal Geographical Society, Kensington Gore, London SW7.

Mr Peter Westmacott was in attendance.

His Royal Highness, President, Business in the Community, attended Business in the Community's Tenth Anniversary Conference at St George's in the East, Cannon Street Road, Tower Hamlets, London E1.

Mr Hugh Merrill was in attendance.

8 July: The Duke of Gloucester, accompanied by The Duchess of Gloucester, this evening took the Salute at a Performance of the Royal Tournament at Earl's Court, London SW5.

The Lady Camoys and Major Nicholas Barne were in attendance.

YORK HOUSE

8 July: The Duke of Kent today presented a new Standard to 360 Squadron at Royal Air Force, Wyton, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire.

Captain the Honourable Tom Coke was in attendance.

The Duchess of Kent this morning opened Beechenhurst Lodge, Forest of Dean, Cinderford, and was received by Her Majesty's Lord-Lieutenant for Gloucestershire (Mr Henry Elwes). Her Royal Highness later opened the new Police Headquarters in Cheltenham.

The Duchess, Patron of the National Star Centre, this afternoon visited the Centre for Disabled Youth, Ullenwood, Gloucestershire.

Mrs Julian Tomkins was in attendance.

THATCHED HOUSE LODGE

8 July: Princess Alexandra, Chancellor, today presided at congregations for the conferment of Degrees and an Honorary Degree at Lancaster University.

The Lady Mary Mumford was in attendance.

ROYAL ENGAGEMENTS

The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh give a luncheon at Buckingham Palace for members of the Order of Merit; and later attend a Garden Party at Buckingham Palace given by the Central Council for Physical Recreation. The Duke of Edinburgh opens the sixth New Designers's Exhibition at the Business Design Centre, Upper Street, Islington Green, London N1; as Patron, London Federation of Boys' Clubs, attends a reception at Goldman Sachs International Ltd, London EC4; visits the Canterbury, Oxford and Bermondsey Club, London SE1; and, as Patron, London Federation of Boys' Clubs, visits the Lynn Athletic Club, London SE5, and the Ethelred Estate Community Youth Centre, London SE11. The Queen Mother visits the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, London E8, to mark its 125th Anniversary. The Prince of Wales, Patron, Eureka the Children's Museum, opens Eureka at Discovery Road, Halifax; and later visits Square Chapel, Winding Road, Halifax. The Princess Royal, Patron, Quarry Bank Mill Trust Limited, opens a new Interpretive Gallery 'Waterforce' at Quarry Bank Mill, Styal, Wilmslow, Cheshire; visits Leighton Hospital, Crewe, Cheshire, in celebration of their 20th Anniversary and opens the new CAT Scanner; as Patron, the Butler Trust, visits HM Prison Risley, Risley, Warrington, Cheshire; and as Commandant-in- Chief, St John Ambulance and Nursing Cadets, attends the Safeway Summer Banquet, Brocket Hall, Welwyn, Hertfordshire. Princess Margaret, visits Liverpool and opens the Headquarters of the Personal Service Society in Seel Street; visits the Liverpool Dental Hospital to open the new extension; and visits the Parish Church of St Agnes to open the Flower Festival. The Duchess of Gloucester, Patron, the Royal Surgical Aid Society, presents the 'Good Food in Old Age' Award at Draper's Hall, London EC2. The Duke of Kent visits the Royal Armoured Corps Bovington, Wareham; AIDIS, Poole, Dorset; and the headquarters of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, Poole. The Duchess of Kent takes the Salute at the afternoon performance of the Royal Tournament at Earl's Court, London SW5. Princess Alexandra opens the new Sale School at Trafford, Greater Manchester; and opens the new Hydrotherapy Pool at the Bethesda School, Cheadle, Stockport, Greater Manchester.

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 The King's Regiment.

Bands playing in the Royal Parks

St James's Park, Royal Engineers Band, 12.30pm-2pm, 5.30pm-7pm.