This evening, Buckingham Palace revealed that the Duke of Edinburgh has today been involved in a road traffic accident. The palace spokesperson said:

The Duke of Edinburgh was involved in a road traffic accident with another vehicle this afternoon. The Duke was not injured. The accident took place close to the Sandringham Estate. Local police attended the scene.

THE DUCHESS OF CAMBRIDGE TO SHOWCASE ‘BACK TO NATURE’ GARDEN AT CHELSEA FLOWER SHOW

To highlight the benefits of the great outdoors and inspire children, families and communities to get back to nature, The Duchess of Cambridge, the Royal Horticultural Society and landscape architects Davies White have today announced that they will design and build the 2019 RHS Garden at the Chelsea Flower Show.

The garden will build on Her Royal Highness’s passion for the outdoors and the proven benefits that nature has on physical and mental health. The Duchess is a strong advocate for the positive impact that nature and the environment can have on childhood development, demonstrated by her longstanding support for organisations including the Scouts and Farms for City Children, as well as at more recent engagements to Sayers Croft Forest School and Wildlife Garden, the RHS Campaign for School Gardening, and her visit today [15th January] to Islington Community Garden.

Based on a woodland, the garden seeks to recapture for adults the sense of wonder and magic that they enjoyed as children, in addition to kindling excitement and a passion for nature in future generations. Wild planting and natural materials will be used to recreate a woodland wilderness where children and adults alike can feel closer to the great outdoors.

Her Royal Highness has worked in collaboration with the RHS and Davies White over the past three months and will continue to finalise the design ahead of the show in May.

For over 200 years the RHS, which is the UK’s gardening charity, has been championing the power of gardening and growing plants for the environment, and for the health and wellbeing of people of all ages and backgrounds.

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THE DUKE AND DUCHESS OF SUSSEX WILL ATTEND THE PREMIERE OF CIRQUE DU SOLEIL’S TOTEM IN SUPPORT OF SENTEBALE

London

Wednesday 16th January, 2019

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will attend the premiere of Cirque du Soleil’s Totem in support of Sentebale at the Royal Albert Hall on Wednesday 16th January. The evening will raise awareness and funds for Sentebale’s work with children and young people affected by HIV in southern Africa. Over the course of the evening, Their Royal Highnesses will meet representatives from Sentebale, Cirque du Soleil and Totem, including members of the cast.

The Duke of Sussex founded Sentebale with Prince Seeiso of Lesotho in 2006 following The Duke’s gap year to Lesotho two years previously. The charity supports the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people affected by HIV in Lesotho, Botswana and Malawi. Sentebale’s programmes of education and care provide the tools and knowledge this vulnerable generation need to live long, happy, healthy lives.

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THE DUCHESS OF SUSSEX TO VISIT MAYHEW

Kensal Green, London

Wednesday 16th January, 2019

The Duchess of Sussex will visit Mayhew on Wednesday 16th January to meet with staff, volunteers and beneficiaries, and hear more about the animal welfare charity’s various initiatives, from community engagement to international projects. This will be Her Royal Highness’s first official visit to Mayhew in her new role as Patron.

During the visit, The Duchess will see first-hand a number of the diverse projects run by the charity, designed to improve the lives of animals and people and to better communities both in London and internationally. These initiatives include animal therapy visits, work with homeless people and their pets, animal welfare schemes such as the Trap, Neuter and Return programme, and international projects including dog rabies vaccinations in Kabul. Her Royal Highness will spend time touring the facilities, meeting members of the community and animals who have benefitted directly from the work of the charity.

Established in 1886, Mayhew looks for innovative ways to reduce the number of animals in need through pro-active community and educational initiatives and preventative veterinary care. This includes working with homelessness charities across London to ensure people and their animal companions can remain together; running a Pet Refuge programme to provide shelter and care for the pets of people in crisis; and educating young people about animal welfare and the importance of responsible pet ownership. Mayhew International works with governments, local communities and charitable groups to help improve animal welfare overseas.

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The DUCHESS OF ROTHESAY WILL UNDERTAKE ENGAGEMENTS IN ABERDEEN

Wednesday 16^th January 2019

Engagement 1

HRH The Duchess of Rothesay, Chancellor, University of Aberdeen, will install Professor George Boyne as Vice-Chancellor of the University and also confer an honorary degree and present an award in recognition of outstanding service to the community at Elphinstone Hall, King’s College, Aberdeen AB24 3EE.

Around 400 guests – University alumni, staff, students, supporters, civic and industry leaders and chancellors and vice-chancellors of other universities – will attend the formal ceremony.

The event will also see Her Royal Highness confer an honorary degree upon Edward Stevenson who worked in the University’s biomedical physics department for 42 years and supported the pioneering team that created the world’s first clinical MRI scanner. The retired technician – awarded an MBE in 2010 for his services to healthcare and charity – is known to many Aberdonians for the festive display he used to create every Christmas in his garden in the city’s Ashgrove Road West, raising tens of thousands of pounds for local children’s charities.

Aberdeen initiative Food and Fun – set up to provide free meals during the school holidays to children in most need – will also be recognised at the ceremony, with the founding partners presented with University’s inaugural Principal’s Award for Outstanding Service to the Community.

Scottish performers Fiona Kennedy and Robert Lovie will both sing at the installation ceremony which will also feature musical arrangements by the University’s Royal composer Professor Paul Mealor whose motet Ubi Caritas et Amor was performed at the wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton.

After the installation ceremony, Her Royal Highness will meet and greet guests at a short reception.

Engagement 2

Her Royal Highness will also visit the University’s School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition and in her role as President of the National Osteoporosis Society and Patron of the Versus Arthritis meet researchers working in arthritis and musculoskeletal health, breast cancer and women’s health at the Institute of Medical Sciences, Foresterhill Health Campus, Foresterhill Road, Aberdeen AB25 2XE.

Her Royal Highness will initially meet researchers working in the Centre for Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Health that enables innovative interdisciplinary clinical, research and training activities at the University of Aberdeen and NHS Grampian. Both are working together to improve the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of arthritis and other musculoskeletal conditions. Centre research investigates the role that stem cells – the cells that can form new joint tissues – play in joint health and osteoarthritis. This knowledge will help devise new treatments for osteoarthritis by harnessing the ability of the stem cells to maintain and repair joints.

HRH will then see poster presentations and hear from scientists and students conducting breast cancer research and meet a breast cancer charity representative.

HRH will then be updated on the University’s osteoporosis research.

The Duchess has a great interest in osteoporosis with both her mother and grandmother dying of it. HRH has been President of the National Osteoporosis society since 2001.

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THE DUCHESS OF SUSSEX ANNOUNCES PATRONAGES

Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Sussex will become Patron of four organisations that reflect the causes and issues with which she has long been associated including the arts, access to education, support for women and animal welfare.

Her Majesty The Queen has passed on two patronages to The Duchess of Sussex –The National Theatre and The Association of Commonwealth Universities. The Queen has held the roles for 45 and 33 years respectively. Her Royal Highness will also take on Patronage of two additional charities as part of her official working portfolio – Smart Works and Mayhew.

The Duchess is delighted to become Patron of both national and grassroots organisations that are part of the fabric of the UK, and is very much looking forward to working with them to bring wider public attention to their causes. Her Royal Highness feels she can use her position to focus attention on, and make a particular difference to these organisations and, more widely, the sectors they each represent.

For the arts, the National Theatre’s mission is to make world class theatre that is entertaining, challenging and inspiring for everyone and to be as inclusive, diverse and national as possible. In support of access to education, the Association of Commonwealth Universities is the world’s first and oldest international university network and the only accredited organisation representing higher education across all 53 Commonwealth countries.

With regards to supporting women, Smart Works helps long-term unemployed and vulnerable women regain the skills, confidence and tools to succeed at job interviews, return to employment and transform their lives. In terms of animal welfare, Mayhew is a grassroots charity working in a unique way to improve the lives of animals and people to better communities both in London and internationally.

Over the last year, Her Royal Highness has held meetings and conducted private visits with each of these organisations. The Duchess will today visit Smart Works and over the next few weeks will undertake public visits to the other three organisations.

Further information on these organisations and why The Duchess has chosen to support them as Patron follows:

The National Theatre

The Duchess is a strong believer in using the arts to bring people from different backgrounds and communities together. The National Theatre’s mission is to make world class theatre that’s entertaining, challenging and inspiring – and to make it for everyone. It aims to reach the widest possible audience and to be as inclusive, diverse and national as possible with a broad range of productions that play in London, on tour around the UK, on Broadway and across the globe. The National Theatre’s extensive UK-wide learning and participation programme supports young people’s creative education through performance and writing programmes like Connections, New Views and Let’s Play. Its major new initiative Public Acts creates extraordinary acts of theatre and community; the first Public Acts production was 2018’s Pericles. The National Theatre extends its reach through digital programmes including NT Live, which broadcasts some of the best of British theatre to over 2,500 venues in 65 countries, and the free streaming service On Demand In Schools, used by nearly 60% of UK state secondary schools. The National Theatre invests in the future of theatre by developing talent, creating bold new work and building audiences, partnering with a range of UK theatres and theatre companies.

Whilst Her Royal Highness spent ten years working in television, her training is in theatre. As well as a double major in theatre and international relations from Northwestern University, which is renowned for its drama programme, Her Royal Highness volunteered at a performing arts after school programme for children in underprivileged school districts in Los Angeles.

The Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU)

As a university graduate, Her Royal Highness is a strong advocate of accessible education for all, something she spoke of most recently during her visit to Fiji last year. Established in 1913, the ACU is the world’s first and oldest international university network, with more than 500 member institutions in over 50 countries. It is the only accredited organisation representing higher education across the Commonwealth. The ACU champions higher education as a force for good in the Commonwealth and beyond. Among its key principles is the value of higher education to society – or its role ‘as a common good’ – and the conviction that this value is enhanced by international collaboration. The ACU manages international scholarship schemes – including the UK government’s three major scholarship programmes and The Queen Elizabeth Commonwealth Scholarships – that offer life-changing educational opportunities, convenes universities to address key policy challenges such as climate resilience and peace and reconciliation, and promotes the role of universities in delivering the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

During her recent visit to Fiji, The Duchess announced new Gender Grants for ACU member universities in the Pacific to fund new learning initiatives aimed at empowering female university staff and promoting gender equality. Her Royal Highness last month met with university leaders, academics and international scholarship students as they discussed the role of higher education in addressing issues such as human trafficking, modern slavery, gender equality, peace and reconciliation, and climate change.

Smart Works

The Duchess has visited Smart Works several times over the last year where she has worked with many women who have benefited from the charity’s support, helping them through coaching and interview preparation. Her Royal Highness has also volunteered with several other projects in this sector in the past. Created in September 2013 Smart Works exists to help long term unemployed and vulnerable women regain the confidence they need to succeed at job interviews, return to employment and transform their lives. Half of Smart Works’ clients are from an ethnic minority, long-term unemployed and have been unsuccessful with a large number of job applications. Thanks to the charity’s support, 60% go on to get a job following their visit to Smart Works. As well as providing complete outfits of high quality clothes for job interviews, beneficiaries also have access to one-to-one interview training and the opportunity to join Smart Works Network, meeting every month to further their professional and personal development. Smart Works aims to dress 3500 women this year across their two London offices, and additional bases in key cities across the UK – Edinburgh, Manchester, Reading, Birmingham and Newcastle.

Her Royal Highness has also been involved with several other projects in this sector, including a project whilst at university which provided prom dresses for young women in underprivileged areas. The Duchess has a longstanding track record of working in the space of women’s empowerment both in her local community as well as abroad. In recent years, Her Royal Highness has travelled to India and Rwanda working on projects to mobilise women in challenging or marginalized situations to see their full potential.

Mayhew

The Duchess has long understood the connection between animals and community welfare and has supported various animal rescue centres in Los Angeles. Established in 1886 and entirely funded by public donations Mayhew is an animal welfare charity working to improve the lives of dogs, cats and people in communities both in London and internationally. Mayhew looks for innovative ways to reduce the number of animals in need through pro-active community and educational initiatives and preventative veterinary care. This includes working with homelessness charities across London to ensure people and their dogs can be kept together; running a Pet Refuge programme to provide shelter and care for the pets of people in crisis for short periods of time; and educating young people about animal welfare and the importance of responsible pet ownership. Internationally, Mayhew works with governments, local communities and charitable groups in Afghanistan, Georgia, Russia and India to help improve animal welfare.

The Duchess of Sussex is very much looking forward to working closely with these organisations, and her continued work with The Royal Foundation of which she is joint Patron along with The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and The Duke of Sussex.

Rufus Norris, Director of the National Theatre said: “I would like to thank The Queen for Her Majesty’s long and unwavering support and service to the National Theatre. We were honoured when The Queen became our Patron in 1974 and have celebrated many moments together including, in recent years, the Diamond Jubilee and the marking of our 50th anniversary. It is a privilege to welcome The Duchess of Sussex as our new Patron. The Duchess shares our deeply-held conviction that theatre has the power to bring together people from all communities and walks of life. I very much look forward to working closely with Her Royal Highness in the years to come”.

Dr Joanna Newman MBE, Chief Executive and Secretary General of the ACU, said: “We are absolutely delighted that HRH The Duchess of Sussex has chosen to become Patron of the ACU. The Duchess shares our passion for the transformational power of higher education, and Her Royal Highness’ support will help champion higher education as a force for good in the Commonwealth and beyond. We would like to thank Her Majesty The Queen for her support, and we look forward to working closely with The Duchess as our Patron.”

Juliet Hughes-Hallett, Chair and Founder of Smart Works said: “We are thrilled to announce that The Duchess of Sussex will become the Royal Patron of Smart Works. An acknowledged champion of women and their rights worldwide, The Duchess will motivate ever more women to come to our centres and get the job that will transform their lives. The Duchess’s patronage will inspire the women we serve and help them reach for the stars.”

Caroline Yates, CEO of Mayhew said: “We are so excited that HRH The Duchess of Sussex has chosen to be our Patron. Mayhew works to improve the lives of dogs, cats and the people in our community, tackling the root cause of animal abandonment and neglect and supporting vulnerable people to stay with their companion pets. The Duchess has spent many years championing animal welfare, and we are honoured to have our charity represented by such a passionate Patron. We look forward to working closely with The Duchess and hope that, together, we can help even more animals and people.”

THE DUCHESS OF CAMBRIDGE TO VISIT THE ROYAL OPERA HOUSE

London

Wednesday 16th January, 2019

The Duchess of Cambridge will visit the Costume Department at The Royal Opera House on Wednesday 16th January to learn more about their use of textiles, commissioning of fabrics and supply chain. The visit will allow Her Royal Highness to find out more about the scale of the department’s work and how different textiles influence various costumes.

The textile and manufacturing industry is an area of interest to The Duchess. Her Royal Highness’ great-great-grandfather, Francis Martineau Lupton, was a mill owner who ran the family’s successful textile manufacturing business, William Lupton & Company, with his three brothers.

The Royal Opera House Costume Department is responsible for creating, refurbishing and conserving thousands of opera and ballet costumes per season, with up to 600 costumes per production. Up to 10,000 costumes are used each year by artists from The Royal Ballet and The Royal Opera House. The department has built up a historic costume collection of more than 5,000 items, including some dating back to 1861. Many of the costumes are used time and time again thanks to good maintenance and repair. It takes the entire revival workroom around 1,500 hours to refurbish the costumes.

During her visit to the Costume Department, Her Royal Highness will visit the pattern room where she will be shown the process of working and creating costumes for a new production with designers, including sourcing fabrics and samples. The Duchess will then visit the dye shop where staff will showcase different techniques including dyeing, hand-painting, staining garments and digital printing which allows the team to reproduce historic fabrics no longer available. Her Royal Highness will also meet costumiers in the Work Room working on multiple new shows.

Before departing, The Duchess will then meet with Royal Ballet Principal Dancers Lauren Cuthbertson, Laura Morera and Vadim Muntagirov who will explain how various factors such as lighting, interaction and movement influence the designs of their costumes. Her Royal Highness will then watch the dancers rehearsing the romantic Ballet The Two Pigeons.

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The Duke of Cambridge becomes Patron of the London Air Ambulance 30th anniversary campaign

The Duke of Cambridge has today become Patron of the London Air Ambulance
Charity 30th Anniversary Campaign. The campaign aims to highlight the charity’s
vital work in delivering life-saving treatment across London, and raise support for the
development of new facilities.

The patronage has been announced ahead of His Royal Highness’ visit to the London
Air Ambulance at The Royal London Hospital later this morning. The visit will see
The Duke meet with clinicians, paramedics, pilots and crewmembers, to learn more
about the challenges of working as a first responder in the capital.

Through his work as an air ambulance pilot for the East Anglian Air Ambulance,
His Royal Highness has seen first-hand the impact these first responders have upon the
lives of patients with critical injuries. As Patron of the 30th Anniversary Campaign,
The Duke will champion those working on the frontline, and highlight the importance
of the London Air Ambulance’s rapid response to incidents, and cutting-edge medical
care.

Jonathan Jenkins, CEO of London’s Air Ambulance Charity, said: “We are delighted
that The Duke of Cambridge has accepted the role of Patron of the London’s Air
Ambulance 30th Anniversary Campaign. Through his support, we aim to raise
awareness of the life-saving work carried out by us and by air ambulances across the
UK. Our crew face significant challenges when delivering our rapid response and
cutting-edge medical treatments in London. Through funds raised in our 30th year, we
plan to improve our facilities to ensure we can respond even faster, enhance our training
and ensure our crews have the facilities they need for their mental health and
wellbeing.”

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THE DUCHESS OF CAMBRIDGE TO VISIT ISLINGTON COMMUNITY GARDEN

Islington, London

Tuesday 15th January, 2019

The Duchess of Cambridge will visit the King Henry’s Walk Garden in Islington to see how the project brings people together through gardening and food growing.

The garden has been run for over a decade by community volunteers, with support from Islington Council. It contains growing plots for cultivation by local residents, where the use of organic gardening methods helps to promote a diversity of plants and wildlife, and a full programme of educational sessions and events engage the whole community. Alongside community cohesion, the garden has also helped to reduce problems such as anti-social behaviour and vandalism in the area. The garden has subsequently received many accolades, including London in Bloom’s Best Community Garden award in 2008, 2009 and 2011, and the RHS National Certificate of Distinction in 2012.

Her Royal Highness will visit the garden to meet with volunteers from the community to hear about the benefits of this urban green space. The Duchess will be shown some of their allotment plots to see the impact that can be achieved in small scale plots. Her Royal Highness will then take part in a winter planting workshop, bird box building and pizza making in the garden’s kitchen area.

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