The Royal Week 23-29 April 2022

Saturday 23 April

The Earl and Countess of Wessex spent the day in St Vincent and the Grenadines as part of their Caribbean Tour. Their Royal Highnesses met the Governor General and the Acting Prime Minister, The Honourable Montgomery Daniel.

The Earl then visited the Diamond Track at the Sir Vincent Beach National Stadium, and The Countess visited St Vincent and the Grenadines Community College.

The day finished with a Duke of Edinburgh’s Gold Award presentation and trip a to the Botanical Gardens.

Sunday 24 April

In St Lucia, The Earl and Countess of Wessex attended a Service at Holy Trinity Anglican Church to mark The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.

Their Royal Highnesses then visited Morne Fortune, a historical site that also continues tombs of Saint Lucia’s two Nobel Laureates, Sir Arthur Lewis and Sir Derek Walcott.

Monday 25 April

The Prince of Wales sent a message to mark ANZAC Day:

The Duke of Gloucester laid a Wreath during the Dawn Service at Hyde Park Corner.

Later, on behalf of The Queen, The Duke of Cambridge laid a Wreath at the Cenotaph before attending the Service of Commemoration and Thanksgiving at Westminster Abbey with The Duchess of Cambridge.

His Royal Highness later attended the London's Air Ambulance Charity Gala in London.

Ahead of the Platinum Jubilee, The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall released a foreward for the Platinum Jubilee Cookbook.

In celebration of The Queen’s Jubilee, 70 British Embassies and High Commissions have come together from around the world to provide recipes - many of which served during Royal visits – that are proudly British, inspired by local influences from the Embassy's host country, or a fusion of the two.

The Earl and Countess of Wessex were in Antigua and Barbuda, where they met West Indies cricket legends Sir Viv Richards, Sir Richie Richardson and Sir Curtly Ambrose during a visit to the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium.

Their Royal Highnesses also met local craftspeople, creatives and community groups during a reception at Government House.

At the National Sailing Academy - which offers free swimming and sailing lessons for schoolchildren - The Earl and Countess met disabled sailors benefitting from the Sail-ability programme. 

The Duchess of Gloucester, visited Brington Church of England Primary School to mark its fiftieth Anniversary.

Tuesday 26 April

The Prince of Wales received Mr. Kyriakos Mitsotakis (Prime Minister of the Hellenic Republic) at Dumfries House.

Further details were also released about The Prince of Wales’ and Duchess of Cornwall’s tour to Canada later this month.

In St Lucia, The Earl and Countess of Wessex joined an event at the High Commissioners Residence, where they met Commonwealth Military Veterans, including 100-year-old Haynes Cyril.

At the Prime Minister’s Residence, Their Royal Highnesses also presented Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Awards.

Wednesday 27 April

On International Design Day, The Prince of Wales visited the Royal College of Art to see the Terra Carta Design Lab Award winners and present them with their prizes.

The Duchess of Cornwall, Royal Patron, visited the National Theatre for the first time since taking up the role.

The Princess Royal, Patron, the Royal College of Midwives (RCM), and The Duchess of Cambridge, Patron, the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG), will visit the RCM and RCOG’s headquarters in London.

Home to a collection of women’s healthcare organisations which are dedicated to improving and advocating for women’s healthcare, the hub has been designed by the RCOG to foster collaboration across the sector.

Continuing their time in St Lucia, The Earl and Countess of Wessex visited the Fond Doux Cocoa Plantation, where they learnt more will learn about the contribution of cocoa to the local economy.

Their Royal Highnesses also met representatives from female-led businesses, and heard about the impact Covid-19 has had on commerce, trade and tourism, and the importance of ensuring the next generation are afforded the skills and opportunities to succeed. 

They later visited the Sulphur Springs, where to learn about the history and evolution of the volcano and the establishment of the surrounding caldera, before also going to the UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Pitons.

The Earl, on behalf of The Queen, also hosted an Investiture Ceremony at Government House.

The Princess Royal in her role as Colonel-in-Chief of the Royal Army Veterinary Corps opened the new Defence Animal Training Regiment Canine Training Squadron Headquarters.

Her Royal Highness also attended the Whitley Fund for Nature’s annual awards Ceremony.

The Princess is Patron of the Whitley Fund, a charity that supports conservation leaders working in their home countries across the Global South.

The Duchess of Gloucester, Deputy Colonel-in-Chief of the Adjutant General's Corps, this week celebrated the Corps’ 30th anniversary by opening their new Gloucester Building and attending the annual Triple Crown Military Skills Challenge Competition.

Thursday 28 April

The Queen welcomed the President of Switzerland, Mr Ignazio Cassis, for an Audience at Windsor Castle.

The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall visited the BBC World Service to hear how they are continuing to report from Ukraine, Russia and Afghanistan.

His Royal Highness also visited West London Welcome to see first-hand some of the opportunities that are made to those that they support.

The community centre supports refugees, asylum seekers, migrants and other locals living in West London.

The Duke of Cambridge held a video call, where he spoke to emergency responders and residents who have been impacted by the severe flooding that has devastated the east coast of Australia in recent months.

His Royal Highness heard first-hand about the impact of the flooding, the experiences of emergency responders on the frontline and how local communities are being rebuilt.

On the final day of their Caribbean tour, The Earl and Countess of Wessex visited Camille Henry Memorial school and Patricia D James Secondary school where they watched performances and met staff and students from the local area.

At Pigeon Island National Landmark, Their Royal Highnesses heard about how climate change is affecting the region. The Countess concluded their visit by planting a tree within the island’s 44-acre island reserve.

The Princess Royal welcomed Lt Gen Sir Jim Hockenhull, Intelligence Corps Colonel Commandant, as she formally accepted the role of Colonel in Chief of the Corps – a role previously held by her father, The Duke of Edinburgh.

Her Royal Highness, in her as Chief Commandant for Women in the Royal Navy, also had an Audience with Rear Admiral Jude Terry - the first women to achieve the rank.

Later, in her role as President of the City and Guilds of London Institute, The Princess presented the Princess Royal Training Awards.

The annual awards, honours employers who have created outstanding training and skills development programmes which have resulted in exceptional benefits.

At the Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre Stanford Hall, Princess Alexandra, Patron and Air Chief Commandant of the Princess Mary's Royal Air Force Nursing Service, and Patron of the Queen Alexandra's Royal Naval Nursing Service, met staff and patients to learn more about the state-of-the-art facility that rehabilitates members of the Armed Forces suffering from complex musculoskeletal disorders and injuries. 

Friday 29 April

The Queen held two virtual Audiences.

The Prince of Wales, Marshal of the Royal Air Force, attended the RAF College combined Parade at RAF Cranwell.

The Parade consisted of approximately 600 RAF Aviators who have graduated from RAF Halton and RAF College Cranwell during the pandemic.

The Princess Royal was the Inspecting Officer for 77 recruits as they passed out as soldiers from Corunna Company at the Army Training Regiment in Winchester.

The Duke of Kent, Chancellor of the University of Surrey, this presided at the Post Graduate Degree Ceremony for the Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, in Guildford Cathedral, Surrey.

The Duchess of Gloucester, Patron of the Friends of St Paul's, sent a video message to mark the start of their online exhibition which celebrates 70 years of the organisation.

You can see a full list of engagements undertaken by The Royal Family in the Court Circular.