Court Circular

BUCKINGHAM PALACE

9 February: His Excellency Mr Ashworth Elwin was received in audience by The Queen and presented his Letters of Commission upon his appointment as High Commissioner for Dominica in London.

His Excellency was accompanied by the following member of the High Commission: Mr Steven Larocque (Attache).

Mrs Elwin 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.

General Sir John Waters was received by The Queen upon relinquishing his appointment as Commander-in-Chief United Kingdom Land Forces.

Her Majesty held a Council at 12.40pm.

There were present:

The Right Hon Antony Newton MP (Lord President), the Right Hon John MacGregor MP (Secretary of State for Transport), the Right Hon Tristan Garel-Jones MP (Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office) and the Right Hon Timothy Sainsbury MP (Minister of State, Department of Trade and Industry).

The Baroness Blatch, Sir Percy Cradock, Sir Peter Emery MP, Sir Peter Hordern MP and Sir John Wheeler MP were sworn in as Members of Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council.

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

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

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, Chancellor, today visited Cambridge University and was received by Sir David Williams (Vice-Chancellor).

Her Majesty's Lord-Lieutenant for Cambridgeshire (Mr James Crowden) was present.

Wing Commander Christopher Moran RAF was in attendance.

His Royal Highness, Permanent Master, Worshipful Company of Shipwrights, this evening presided at a Meeting of the Court to admit the Duke of York as a Freeman of the Company followed by a Livery Dinner, Ironmongers' Hall, London EC2.

Mr Brian McGrath and Captain Neil Blair RN were in attendance.

By command of The Queen the Baroness Trumpington (Baroness- in-Waiting) called upon the Governor-General of Solomon Islands and Lady Lepping at West Side, London SW19, today in order to welcome Their Excellencies upon their Arrival in this country on behalf of Her Majesty.

By command of The Queen the Baroness Trumpington (Baroness- in-Waiting) was present at Heathrow Airport, London, this evening upon the Arrival of The President of Ukraine and Mrs Kravchuk and welcomed Their Excellencies on behalf of Her Majesty.

9 February: The Duke of York, Colonel-in-Chief, The Staffordshire Regiment, this morning visited the Regimental Headquarters and Museum and was received by Colonel F. Walter James (Vice Lord-Lieutenant of Staffordshire).

His Royal Highness this afternoon attended a book launch of Rats Tale, Guildhall, Lichfield.

Captain Rupert Maitland- Titterton was in attendance.

9 February: The Princess Royal, Patron, National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux, this morning opened the new bureau extension, 10 Crown Street, Brentwood, and was received by Her Majesty's Lord- Lieutenant for Essex (the Lord Braybrooke).

Her Royal Highness, Patron, Butler Trust, afterwards visited HM Prison Chelmsford.

The Princess Royal, Patron, National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux, this afternoon opened the extended bureau premises, Civic Suite, Hockley Road, Rayleigh, and was received by Mr John Norris (Vice Lord-Lieutenant of Essex).

Her Royal Highness, President, British Knitting and Clothing Export Council, later visited Cavendish Silks, Essex Designs, Unit 38, Grainger Industrial Estate, Southend-on-Sea.

Mrs William Nunneley was in attendance.

The Princess Royal, President, the Rural Housing Trust, this evening gave a Reception at Buckingham Palace for the launch of the John Arlott Memorial Trust in conjunction with the National Playing Fields Association.

Her Royal Highness, Patron, accompanied by Commander Timothy Laurence RN, later attended a Dinner given by HFT Development Trust.

CLARENCE HOUSE

9 February: Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, President Emerita, this afternoon visited the Royal College of Music.

Dame Frances Campbell-Preston and Sir Alastair Aird were in attendance.

Dame Frances Campbell-Preston has succeeded the Lady Elizabeth Basset as Lady-in-Waiting to Her Majesty.

ST JAMES'S PALACE

9 February: The Prince of Wales, President, Business in the Community, this morning met business leaders and representatives of inner city development organisations at St James's Palace.

His Royal Highness, Patron, International Tree Foundation, afterwards attended a tree planting ceremony to mark the Fortieth Anniversary of The Queen's Accession, Green Park, London SW1.

Commander Robert Fraser RN was in attendance.

The Prince of Wales attended a Luncheon with members of the American business community given by the Ambassador to the United States of America (His Excellency the Hon Raymond Seitz), Winfield House, Regent's Park, London NW1.

Mr Peter Westmacott was in attendance.

His Royal Highness, President elect, this afternoon attended a Concert to mark the adoption of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother as President Emerita of the Royal College of Music, Prince Consort Road, South Kensington, London SW7.

Miss Belinda Harley was in attendance.

The Prince of Wales later received the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and Minister for Overseas Development (the Right Hon Baroness Chalker of Wallasey) at St James's Palace.

His Royal Highness this evening gave a Reception on behalf of the Fund to Acquire the Royal Commonwealth Society Library for the Nation at St James's Palace.

KENSINGTON PALACE

9 February: The Princess of Wales, Patron, Huntingdon's Disease Association, this morning visited the charity's headquarters, 108 Battersea High Street, London SW11.

Captain Edward Musto RM was in attendance.

YORK HOUSE

9 February: The Duchess of Kent, this morning visited the Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton, Somerset and was met on arrival by Her Majesty's Lord-Lieutenant for Somerset (Colonel Walter Luttrell).

Mrs Peter Wilmot-Sitwell was in attendance.

The Duke of Kent, Chancellor, this evening hosted a retirement dinner for Sir David Nicolson, Pro Chancellor and Mr Nigel Robson, Treasurer of the University of Surrey at Boodle's, 28 St James's Street, London SW1.

Commander Roger Walker RN was in attendance.

ROYAL ENGAGEMENTS

The Queen holds an Investiture; and, with The Duke of Edinburgh, dines with the Canadian High Commissioner and Mrs Eaton, Grosvenor Square, London W1. The Duke of Edinburgh, President of the Central Council of Physical Recreation, visits the Community Sports Leaders Award Scheme Action Day at the John Orwell Sports Centre, London E1. The Princess of Wales attends the Child of Achievement Awards at the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre, London SW1. The Duke of Kent, Vice-Chairman, the British Overseas Trade Board, visits Triumph Motorcycles, Hinckley, Leicestershire; PAL International Limited, Oadby, Leicestershire; the British United Shoe Machinery Limited, Belgrave, Leicestershire; Rearsby Automotive Limited, Rearsby, Leicestershire; and as Chairman, the Duke of Edinburgh's Commonwealth Study Conferences UK Trustees, receives Retiring UK Trustees at York House, London SW1.

Changing of the Guard

The Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment mounts the Queen's Life Guard at Horse Guards, 11am.