Court Circular

BUCKINGHAM PALACE

27 October: The Queen held an Investiture at Buckingham Palace this morning.

Captain Julian Giles was received by Her Majesty on the relinquishment of his appointment as Temporary Equerry to The Queen.

Her Excellency Dr Patricia Rodgers was received in Farewell Audience by Her Majesty and took leave upon Her Excellency relinquishing her appointment as High Commissioner for the Commonwealth of the Bahamas in London.

The Duke of Edinburgh arrived at Sheffield Midland Station this morning and was met on arrival by Her Majesty's Lord-Lieutenant for South Yorkshire (Lieutenant-Colonel Hugh Neill).

His Royal Highness visited the Health and Safety Executive and opened the new Robens Laboratory.

The Duke of Edinburgh then visited British Steel Stainless Trade Centre.

His Royal Highness this afternoon visited the Tinsley Park Opencast Site and planted a tree to mark the Millennium of the Shrievalty.

The Duke of Edinburgh later visited the Stocksbridge Engineering Steels and started up the new furnace.

This evening His Royal Highness, Patron and Trustee, The Duke of Edinburgh's Award, attended a Dinner at Cantley Hall.

Wing Commander Christopher Moran RAF was in attendance.

27 October: The Princess Royal, President, Save The Children Fund, today attended the Annual Public Meeting at the International Convention Centre, Birmingham.

Her Royal Highness afterwards presented new colours to the West Midlands Fire Brigade at Centenary Square, International Convention Centre.

27 October: The Prince Edward this morning visited the National Film and Television School at Beaconsfield.

His Royal Highness was received by Mr John Paterson (Vice Lord- Lieutenant of Buckinghamshire).

Mrs Richard Warburton was in attendance.

KENSINGTON PALACE

27 October: The Prince of Wales, Duke of Cornwall, this morning received the Award Winners for The Duke of Cornwall's Award for Forestry and Conservation, administered by the Royal Forestry Society of England, Wales and Northern Ireland, at St James's Palace.

His Royal Highness subsequently presided at a meeting of the Area Studies Monitoring Group at St James's Palace.

This evening the Prince of Wales, Patron, Royal Opera House, accompanied by The Princess of Wales, attended the Gala Performance of Otello at the Royal Opera House, London WC2.

Miss Belinda Harley was in attendance.

27 October: The Duke of Gloucester today visited Northern Ireland and was received by the Minister of State for Northern Ireland (Mr Michael Mates).

His Royal Highness presented a new standard at No 230 Squadron and subsequently opened the new Operations Centre at Royal Air Force Aldergrove.

Afterwards The Duke of Gloucester, Patron, Council for Education in World Citizenship, visited Banbridge Academy, Lurgan Road, Banbridge and was received by Her Majesty's Lord-Lieutenant for County Down (Colonel William Brownlow).

Later His Royal Highness opened the Banbridge Enterprise Centre, Scarva Road Industrial Estate, Banbridge.

Major Nicholas Barne was in attendance.

The Duchess of Gloucester, Patron, Baby Life Support Systems, this evening attended a Private View of a Photographic Exhibition at the Royal College of Art, Kensington Gore, London SW7.

Miss Suzanne Marland was in attendance.

YORK HOUSE

24 October: The Duke of Kent, President of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, this morning left Heathrow Airport, London, for Egypt in order to attend Services of Remembrance in commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of the Battle of El Alamein.

Captain the Hon Tom Coke is in attendance.

25 October: The Duke of Kent this evening arrived at Heathrow Airport, London, from El Alamein, Egypt.

Captain the Hon Tom Coke was in attendance.

ROYAL ENGAGEMENTS

The Queen, as Patron, visits Queen Mary and Westfield College to open the new Arts building and Library extension, London E1. The Duke of Edinburgh, Patron and Trustee, attends The Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme General Council in Sheffield. The Prince of Wales visits the Manchester area; inaugurates the Institute of Architecture at Regent's Park, London NW1; and later, as Patron, Royal Society for Nature Conservation, attends a Gala Dinner for the Society's 80th Anniversary at the Banqueting House, Whitehall. The Princess of Wales, Patron, National Aids Trust, opens a Conference entitled 'Women, Aids and Social Change' at the Commonwealth Institute, London W8. Princess Margaret, Grand President of St John Ambulance Association and Brigade, attends 'Gift of Sight: a musical evening' in St James's Palace, in aid of the St John Ophthalmic Hospital in Jerusalem. The Duchess of Kent, Patron of Cancer Relief Macmillan Fund, opens the Duchess of Kent House, Dellwood Hospital, Reading.

Changing of the Guard

The Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment mounts The Queen's Life Guard at Horse Guards, 11am; 2nd Battalion Grenadier Guards mounts The Queen's Guard, at Buckingham Palace, 11.30am, band provided by the Scots Guards.