Court Circular

St. James's Palace

The Duke of Edinburgh, Patron, this morning visited the Royal School, Wolverhampton, Penn Road, Wolverhampton, and was received by His Majesty's Lord-Lieutenant of West Midlands (Dr. Derrick Anderson).

Windsor Castle

The President of the French Republic and Mrs. Brigitte Macron arrived at Windsor Castle today on a State Visit to The King and Queen.

The Prince and Princess of Wales welcomed His Excellency and Mrs. Macron on behalf of His Majesty at Royal Air Force Northolt and travelled by car to the Royal Dais in Datchet Road, Windsor, where The President and Mrs. Macron were met by The King and Queen.

The President of the French Republic and Mrs. Brigitte Macron, accompanied by Their Majesties with Their Royal Highnesses, drove in a Carriage Procession to Windsor Castle with a Captain's Escort of the Household Cavalry.

Gun Salutes were fired in the Home Park (Private) by The King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery and at the Tower of London by the Honourable Artillery Company.

A Guard of Honour was provided at Windsor Castle by Nijmegen Company Grenadier Guards and F Company Scots Guards, who later marched past.

The Captain's Escort of the Household Cavalry ranked past.

His Majesty's Body Guard of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen at Arms, The King's Body Guard of the Yeomen of the Guard and the Military Knights of Windsor were on duty.

The President of the French Republic and Mrs. Brigitte Macron this afternoon drove to Westminster Abbey where His Excellency laid a wreath at the Grave of the Unknown Warrior.

The President and Mrs. Macron afterwards drove to the Palace of Westminster and were received by the Lord Great Chamberlain (the Lord Carrington), the Lord Speaker (the Lord McFall of Alcluith) and the Speaker of the House of Commons (the Rt. Hon. Sir Lindsay Hoyle MP).

His Excellency, accompanied by Mrs. Macron, addressed those assembled in the Royal Gallery.

The President of the French Republic, with Mrs. Brigitte Macron, accompanied by the Rt. Hon. Sir Keir Starmer MP (Prime Minister and First Lord of the Treasury), with Lady Starmer, afterwards laid a wreath at the statue of Sir Winston Churchill KG in Parliament Square, London SW1.

The President and Mrs. Macron, with the Prime Minister and Lady Starmer, drove to 4 Carlton Gardens, London SW1, where His Excellency laid a wreath at the statue of General Charles de Gaulle and met veterans of the United Kingdom Armed Forces.

The Rt. Hon. Olukemi Badenoch MP (Leader of the Opposition) later called upon The President of the French Republic at Lancaster House, London SW1.

The Rt. Hon. Sir Edward Davey MP (Leader of the Liberal Democrats) afterwards called upon His Excellency.

The King and Queen gave a State Banquet at Windsor Castle this evening in honour of The President of the French Republic and Mrs. Brigitte Macron at which The Prince and Princess of Wales, The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, The Princess Royal and Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence and The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester were present.

The following had the honour of being invited:

Suite of The President of the French Republic and Mrs. Brigitte Macron:

Mr. Sébastien Lecornu (Minister for the Armed Forces), Ms. Rachida Dati (Minister for Culture), Mr. Jean-Noël Barrot (Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs), Her Excellency Ms. Hélène Duchêne (French Ambassador to the United Kingdom), Mr. Emmanuel Moulin (Secretary-General, Presidency of the Republic), General Fabien Mandon (Chief of Staff to The President of the Republic), Mr. Emmanuel Bonne (Diplomatic Adviser and G7-G20 Sherpa for The President of the Republic), Mr. Tristan Bromet (Special Advisor, Presidency of the Republic), Mr. Xavier Chatel (Strategic Affairs and Disarmament Adviser, Presidency of the Republic), and Mr. Alexis Dutertre (Europe Adviser, Presidency of the Republic).

Members of the French Delegation and Guests:

Mr. Pieyre-Alexandre Anglade (Chairman of the National Assembly European Affairs Committee, Deputy for French Citizens Living Outside France, 4th constituency), Mr. Samir Assaf (Chairman of the Middle East and North Africa, General Atlantic), Mr. Philippe Bélaval (Special Envoy of The President of the Republic), Mr. Stéphane Bern (Television presenter), Mr. Pierre-Gaël Bessière(Chief of Staff to Mrs. Macron), Ms. Estelle Brachlianoff (Chief Executive Officer, Veolia), Mr. Olivier Cadic (Senator for French Citizens Abroad), Mr. Vincent Caure (Deputy for French Citizens Living Outside France, 3rd constituency), Mr. Dominique Delport (Founder, Arduina Partners) and Mrs. Delport, Ms. Laurence des Cars (Director of the Louvre), Mr. Vincent Guerend (Director for the European Union, Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs), Mr. Jean-Noël Ladois (Adviser on International Communication, Presidency of the Republic), Mr. Christophe Leribault (President of the Public Institution Overseeing the Palace, Museum and National Estate of Versailles), Mr. Frédéric Michel (Former special adviser to The President of the Republic), Mr. Eric Paridimal (Technical Advisor for European Affairs to The President of the Republic), Mr. Jean-François Rapin (Chairman of the Senate European Affairs Committee, Senator for Pas-de-Calais), Ms. Alice Rufo (Director General for International Relations and Strategy, Ministry for the Armed Forces), Mr. Rodolphe Saadé (Chief Executive Officer, CMA CGM Group) and Mrs. Saadé, and Ms. Victoire Vandeville (Advisor for Trade, Tourism and Export).

Specially attached to The President of the French Republic and Mrs. Brigitte Macron:

The Viscount Brookeborough (Lord-in-Waiting to The King) and the Viscountess Brookeborough and Dame Menna Rawlings (His Majesty's Ambassador to the French Republic) and Mr. Mark Rawlings.

Diplomatic Corps:

His Excellency the Ambassador of Honduras and Mrs. Mirian Nasser de Romero.

The Cabinet and Government:

The Prime Minister and Lady Starmer, the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs and Ms. Nicola Green, the Rt. Hon. Yvette Cooper MP (Secretary of State for the Home Department) and the Rt. Hon. Edward Balls, the Rt. Hon. John Healey MP (Secretary of State for Defence) and Mrs. Healey, and the Leader of the House of Lords and Mr. Smith.

Special Invitations:

The Rt. Hon. Olukemi Badenoch MP (Leader of the Opposition) and Mr. Hamish Badenoch, Mr. Andrew Bailey (Governor of the Bank of England), the Baroness Carr of Walton-on-the-Hill (Lady Chief Justice) and Mr. Alexander Birch, Mr. Jean-Pierre Clamadieu (Chairman, Engie), Dr. Nicholas Cullinan (Director, the British Museum) and Mr. Mattias Vendelmans, the Rt. Hon. Sir Edward Davey MP (Leader of the Liberal Democrats) and Lady Davey, Ms. Mary Earps (Professional Footballer, Paris Saint-Germain) and Ms. Catherine Forrest, Mr. Sebastian Faulks (Author, Journalist and Broadcaster) and Mrs. Faulks, Dame Amelia Fawcett (Co-Chairman, International Advisory Panel on Biodiversity Credits), Mr. Bernard Fontana (Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Energie De France), Mr. Thierry Garnier (Chief Executive Officer, Kingfisher plc) and Mrs. Garnier, Ms. Lina Ghotmeh (Lina Ghotmeh - Architecture) and Mr. Mohamad Arayssi, Sir Antony Gormley (Sculptor) and Lady Gormley, Ms. Sylvie Goulard (Co-Chairman, International Advisory Panel on Biodiversity Credits), Mrs. Joanne Harris (Author), Professor Edith Heard (Chief Executive Officer (designate), the Francis Crick Institute) and Dr. Vincent Colot, Ms. Cressida Hogg (Chairman, BAE Systems plc) and Mr. Henry Legge, Mr. Michael Holbrook Penniman (Singer-songwriter) and Mr. Andreas Dermanis, the Rt. Hon. Sir Lindsay Hoyle MP (Speaker of the House of Commons) and Lady Hoyle, Sir Michael Jagger (Musician) and Ms. Melanie Hamrick, Sir Elton John (Philanthropist) and Mr. David Furnish, Mrs. Emma Little-Pengelly (deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland) and Mr. Richard Pengelly, the Rt. Hon. the Lord Mayor and the Lady Mayoress, the Lord McFall of Alcluith (the Lord Speaker), Professor Lorna Milne (President, the Franco-Scottish Society of Scotland), the Baroness Morgan of Ely (First Minister of Wales) and Reverend Dr. Rhys Jenkins, Mrs. Leena Nair (Global Chief Executive Officer, Chanel) and Mr. Kumar Nair, the Lord Newby (Leader of the Liberal Democrats in the House of Lords) and the Reverend Canon Ailsa Newby, the Duke of Norfolk (the Earl Marshal) and the Duchess of Norfolk, Mr. René Obermann (Chairman of the Board of Directors, Airbus SE), Professor Olivette Otele (Distinguished Research Professor, School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London) and Mr. Jean-Luc Kriker, Ms. Kara Owen (State Visit Senior Responsible Officer, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office), Mr. Jonathan Powell (National Security Adviser), Admiral Sir Antony Radakin (Chief of the Defence Staff) and Lady Radakin, Sir Oliver Robbins (Permanent Under-Secretary of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) and Lady Robbins, Professor Christine Rollier (Professor of Vaccinology, University of Surrey) and Mr. Damien Weissenburger, Sir Mark Rowley (Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis) and Lady Rowley, Mr. Roland Rudd (Chairman, FGS Global) and Mrs. Rudd, Dame Kristin Scott Thomas (Actor) and Mr. John Micklethwait, Mr. Frédéric Sirieix (Broadcaster) and Mrs. Sirieix, the Lord Stern of Brentford (Chairman, Grantham Research Institute, London School of Economics and Political Science) and Lady Stern, Sir Jonathan Symonds (Chairman, GSK plc), Professor Mark Thomson (Director General Designate, CERN) and Mrs. Thomson, Dr. Robert Watson (President of Civil Aerospace, Rolls-Royce plc) and Mrs. Watson, Professor Nick Webborn (Chairman, UK Sport) and Ms. Stephanie Anderson, and Sir Christopher Wormald (Cabinet Secretary) and Lady Wormald.

Miss Sarah Clarke was received by The King this evening upon relinquishing her appointment as Lady Usher of the Black Rod and delivered up the Insignia of Office.

Lieutenant General Edward Davis was received by His Majesty, took the Oath upon his appointment as Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod and received the Insignia of Office.

Mr. David White (Garter King of Arms) was in attendance and administered the Oath.

St. James's Palace

The Princess Royal, Patron, this morning visited the Headquarters of the Field Studies Council, Preston Montford, Montford Bridge, Shrewsbury, and was received by Mr. Edward Tate (Deputy Lieutenant of Shropshire).

Her Royal Highness, Patron, the Butler Trust, this afternoon visited HM Prison and Young Offender Institution Stoke Heath, Warrant Road, Market Drayton, and was received by Mrs. Jennifer Wynn (Vice Lord-Lieutenant of Shropshire).

Windsor Castle

The King, Royal Founding President, The King's Foundation, this morning attended the Harmony Indigenous Leaders Summit.

Afterwards the Hon. James Marape MP (Prime Minister of the Independent State of Papua New Guinea) was received by His Majesty.

Kensington Palace

The Prince of Wales this afternoon attended a Service at the 7th July Memorial in Hyde Park, London W2, to mark the Twentieth Anniversary of the London bombings and was received by Ms. Thelma Stober (Deputy Lieutenant of Greater London).

The Princess of Wales, Joint Patron, the Royal Foundation of The Prince and Princess of Wales, this afternoon held an Early Years Meeting at Windsor Castle.

St. James's Palace

The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh this morning attended a Service of Commemoration in St. Paul's Cathedral, London EC4, to mark the Twentieth Anniversary of the London Bombings of 7th July, 2005.

St. James's Palace

The Princess Royal, President, Commonwealth War Graves Commission, accompanied by Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, this morning departed Kemble Airfield, Gloucestershire, for Belgium and was received upon arrival this afternoon at Flanders International Airport by His Majesty's Ambassador to the Kingdom of Belgium (Her Excellency Ms. Anne Sherriff).

Her Royal Highness afterwards re-opened the Menin Gate Memorial and opened the Visitor Centre, Menenstraat, Ypres.

The Princess Royal subsequently visited the grave of Prince Maurice von Battenberg in Ypres Town Cemetery.

Her Royal Highness, accompanied by Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, later arrived at Kemble Airfield, Gloucestershire, from Belgium.

Lieutenant Colonel Catherine Skinner and Captain Fergus Lupton were in attendance.

Kensington Palace

The Duchess of Gloucester, Honorary President, the Lawn Tennis Association, this afternoon attended the Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, Wimbledon, London SW19.

Buckingham Palace

The Sultan of Oman visited The King at Windsor Castle this afternoon and remained to Tea.

St. James's Palace

The Duke of Edinburgh, Trustee, The Duke of Edinburgh's Award, this morning held a Reception at the Palace of Holyroodhouse for young people who have achieved the Gold Standard in the Award.

His Royal Highness, Trustee, The Duke of Edinburgh's Award, this afternoon held a Luncheon at the Palace of Holyroodhouse.

The Duke of Edinburgh, Patron, Edinburgh Society of Musicians, later held a Reception at the Palace of Holyroodhouse.

His Royal Highness, Patron, Chetham's School of Music, this evening attended a Concert by Chetham's Symphony Orchestra and the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra at MediaCityUK, Dock House, the Quays, Salford, and was received by His Majesty's Lord-Lieutenant of Greater Manchester (Mrs. Diane Hawkins).

The Duchess of Edinburgh, Patron, Association of Show and Agricultural Organisations, today attended Kent County Show, Kent Showground, Detling, and was received by His Majesty's Lord-Lieutenant of Kent (the Lady Colgrain).

Her Royal Highness this evening attended an "Evening with Gabe Brown" at Plumpton College, Ditchling Road, Lewes, and was received by His Majesty's Lord-Lieutenant of East Sussex (Mr. Andrew Blackman).