Thursday 22nd June

The Duke of Edinburgh has left hospital after being admitted as “a precautionary measure”.

The Duchess of Cambridge Will Open The New V&A Exhibition Road Quarter

London

Thursday 29th June, 2017

The Duchess of Cambridge will visit the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) on Thursday 29th June to officially open the Museum’s new entrance, courtyard and exhibition gallery on Exhibition Road.

The V&A Exhibition Road Quarter is the V&A’s largest architectural project in the last 100 years, designed by British architect Amanda Levete and her practice AL_A. The project has created new public areas and gallery space for London, transforming the experience of the V&A for visitors, and revealing the historic facades of the Museum’s existing Grade I buildings for the first time. A new public entrance to the V&A has been created on Exhibition Road, reconnecting the V&A with its neighbouring museums and institutions founded on the vision of Albertopolis, following the Great Exhibition of 1851. The new entrance leads visitors through the historic Aston Webb Screen into the world’s first porcelain tiled courtyard, which floats above a new column-free gallery that will host the V&A’s world-class exhibition programme.

The Duchess will tour the V&A Exhibition Road Quarter’s new spaces, and hear about the design and unique features of the building. During the tour Her Royal Highness will visit The Sackler Courtyard – the world’s first porcelain tiled public courtyard – The Blavatnik Hall, the V&A’s new entrance and The Sainsbury Gallery. The Sainsbury Gallery will host temporary site-specific installations for the opening, including immersive sound and light works by artist Simon Heijdens and viol player Liam Byrne, as well as industrial designer Jonathan Olivares’ Aluminium Bench, a twelve-metre long bench which curves throughout the space.

The Duchess will then attend a short reception in The Blavatnik Hall to meet guests involved in the project’s delivery, before unveiling a commemorative plaque in The Sackler Courtyard to officially mark the opening of the V&A Exhibition Road Quarter.

The Duchess’s visit precedes REVEAL, a free, week-long public festival running from 30th June celebrating the opening of the new entrance. To celebrate these new spaces, the V&A will be inviting the public to explore the V&A Exhibition Road Quarter’s unique combination of heritage, modernity and technology with a series of events that bring the architecture and collections to life.

For more information visit: www.vam.ac.uk

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My thoughts and prayers are with those families who have lost loved ones in the Grenfell Tower fire and the many people who are still critically ill in hospital.  Prince Philip and I would like to pay tribute to the bravery of firefighters and other emergency services officers who put their own lives at risk to save others.  It is also heartening to see the incredible generosity of community volunteers rallying to help those affected by this terrible event.

ELIZABETH R

The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh will mark the 175th anniversary of the first train journey by a British monarch

Tuesday 13th June 2017

Her Majesty The Queen, accompanied by The Duke of Edinburgh, will mark the 175th anniversary of the first train journey by a British monarch. The Queen and The Duke will travel from Slough to London Paddington on a Great Western Railway train, recreating the historic journey made by Queen Victoria on 13th June 1842.

Prior to travelling, Her Majesty and His Royal Highness will pass through the original waiting room at Slough Railway Station, which was also used by Queen Victoria. They will view a historical timeline of the Great Western Railway and a related art project by local schoolchildren.

The Royal party will then board GWR’s new Intercity Express train, which is due to enter passenger service later this year. Accompanying The Queen and The Duke on the journey will be descendants of Daniel Gooch, who drove the original locomotive (Phlegethon), and Isambard Kingdom Brunel, the celebrated engineer who designed the Great Western Railway line and assisted Daniel Gooch during the 1842 journey.

The new train’s two leading vehicles are to be called Queen Elizabeth II and Queen Victoria. On arrival at London Paddington, Her Majesty will take part in a short unveiling ceremony.

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The Duke of Cambridge to take part in the Maserati Royal Charity Polo Trophy

Beaufort Polo Club

Sunday 11th June, 2017

The Duke of Cambridge will take part in the Maserati Royal Charity Polo Trophy at Beaufort Polo Club in Gloucestershire on Sunday 11th June.

The charity match will help raise funds and awareness for two charities that The Duke supports as Patron: Child Bereavement UK and Fields in Trust.

The match, which will see the Maserati team take on the Dhamani 1969 side, is part of the Gloucestershire Festival of Polo, hosted by Beaufort Polo Club from 10th – 11th June. This match is part of a series of charitable polo matches that The Duke and Prince Harry will play in this summer.

Their Royal Highnesses have taken part in polo fixtures in support of their charities since 2007, and have continued each year since, raising over £10 million for charitable causes to date.

Throughout the summer, The Duke and Prince Harry are raising funds for the following charities: Centrepoint, Child Bereavement UK, English Schools Swimming Association, Fields in Trust, Henry van Straubenzee Memorial Fund, The Household Cavalry Operational Casualties Fund, Irish Guards Appeal, Map Action, Mountain Rescue England and Wales, The Royal Marsden, RFU Injured Players Foundation, Sentebale, Skillforce, Tusk, Walking With the Wounded, WellChild and the Welsh Rugby Charitable Trust.

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Prince Harry Will Visit Chatham House,
The Royal Institute of International Affairs
London

Thursday 15th June, 2017

Prince Harry will visit Chatham House, the Royal Institute of International Affairs, to open their new extension, The Stavros Niarchos Foundation Floor. The new space will provide a permanent home for the Queen Elizabeth II Academy for Leadership in International Affairs, new meeting and work spaces, a media studio, and a simulation centre.

His Royal Highness will tour the new space, meet young people who are currently Fellows of the Queen Elizabeth II Academy for Leadership in International Affairs, and participate in a simulation exercise.

Founded in 1920, Chatham House, the Royal Institute of International Affairs, is an independent policy institute based in London. It carries out independent and rigorous analysis of critical global, regional and country-specific challenges and opportunities.

Chatham House has created the Queen Elizabeth II Academy for Leadership in International Affairs to develop a new generation of leaders capable of crafting innovative responses to the most pressing challenges facing their countries and regions.

The opening of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Floor marks a significant moment in the modern history of the institute and is a core component of the Chatham House Second Century Initiative, which aims to strengthen the institute’s capacity to innovate and meet the growing demand for its work in the lead-up to its centenary in 2020.

For more information on Chatham House please click here.

The Duchess of Cambridge Will Attend The 1851 Trust Roadshow
London

Friday, 16th June 2017

The Duchess of Cambridge, Patron of the 1851 Trust, will attend the charity’s final Land Rover BAR Roadshow at the Docklands Sailing and Watersports Centre on Friday 16th June.

The 1851 Trust roadshows uses the inspiration of Sir Ben Ainslie’s British America’s Cup challenge to inspire both primary and secondary school pupils into STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering and maths), with practical applications of the challenges the team has faced in their preparations to compete in the 35th America’s Cup in Bermuda. The roadshows also offers pupils the chance to get on the water themselves.

The sessions have each been carefully designed to enrich the school curriculum, using real-life examples from within the Land Rover BAR team to engage and inspire young people.

Students from four schools in East London will be joining the final roadshow at the Docklands Sailing and Watersports Centre.

During her visit, The Duchess will join a small group of young people taking part in an educational treasure hunt where they need to answer questions on science and technology, Land Rover BAR and the America’s Cup.

Her Royal Highness will then take part in an ocean plastics sea-bird activity, which highlights the damage caused by single use plastics and promotes sustainability, something both the Trust and team have put at the heart of their operations since their inception.

The Duchess and some of the school children attending the roadshow will speak to Sir Ben Ainslie, the Team Principal and Skipper of Land Rover BAR who are currently competing in Bermuda, about the team’s experiences so far in the America’s Cup.

For more information visit: www.1851trust.org.uk.

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The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh to visit Tower Hamlets

Thursday 15th June 2017

Her Majesty The Queen, accompanied by The Duke of Edinburgh, will visit Poplar, Tower Hamlets to attend commemorations for the centenary of the bombing of Upper North Street School during the First World War.

On 13 June 1917, a bomb from a German aircraft hit the Upper North Street School in Poplar, East London killing 18 children who were aged between 5 and 12.

Her Majesty and His Royal Highness will undertake two engagements to mark this important anniversary, including a Memorial Service and a visit to the site of the Upper North Street School, which is now named Mayflower Primary School.

Memorial Service, All Saints Church
The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh will attend a Memorial Service at All Saints Church on Newby Place, where the funerals of 15 of the children who died in the bombing took place 100 years ago.

The Service will be attended by 250 guests including community faith leaders, local dignitaries and relatives of the children that lost their lives. Her Majesty and His Royal Highness will meet guests in the church following the service.

Mayflower Primary School
The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh will visit the site of the Upper North Street School, which is now known as Mayflower Primary School.

Her Majesty and His Royal Highness will tour the School to meet teachers and students, starting in the Reception class which is where the bomb hit. The Queen and The Duke will view several school projects, including a WWI exhibition display.

At the time of the bombing, King George V sent a personal note to be read at the funeral service of those involved. The message which was read at All Saints Church on 20th June 1917 said that His Majesty and Queen Mary were thinking of the children’s parents and ”their saddened homes, especially today when the bodies of their little ones were laid to rest”. The King’s message continued: ”of young innocent lives, at all times pathetic, is made more so than ever in these tragic circumstances. Their Majesties pray that the mourners may be blessed with God’s help and comfort in their sorrow”

Mayflower Primary School is situated in Poplar, in the Eastend of London. The school has 385 pupils on roll, from nursery to year 6, and was graded outstanding in the Ofsted inspection in January 2017. The school’s motto is ‘Set Sail for Success’ and aims for pupils to experience success in their learning, enjoy the sense of adventure learning brings, and to discover how learning changes lives. The school building opened in 1928 as Upper North Street School, replacing the original school which was destroyed by the bombing in 1917.

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Good morning everyone.

Can I start by also sending my thoughts to those affected by Saturday’s attack in London Bridge. Australians form an important and vibrant part of the fabric of life in London and we are reminded of that in good times and bad. Our hearts go out to the victims, their friends and families.

It’s just over a hundred days to the beginning of the next Invictus Games in Toronto, and I’m delighted to be here with you and your families as you prepare for the final team trials and a chance to represent Australia again.

I am also glad that I have this opportunity to explain to the people of Australia why the Invictus Games are so important to me, and why I think it will be important for all of them too.

In February 2008 I was forced to leave Afghanistan. I’d been serving as an officer in the British Army until my presence on the front line leaked out in the press. I could no longer stay with my soldiers, as it would have put them at greater risk. It was a decision over which I had no control, but the guilt of having to leave my guys behind was something I found hard to swallow, as anyone who has served will understand.

It was that flight home from Afghanistan which put me on the path to create the Invictus Games. While we sat waiting to board, the coffin of a Danish soldier was loaded onto the plane. Also on the flight were three young British soldiers in induced comas; all three were wrapped in plastic, some with missing limbs and tubes coming out of them everywhere. The sacrifices we ask our servicemen and women to make, came home to me so powerfully in those moments.

Four years later, after another tour in Afghanistan, I began to look for ways in which I could support those veterans who had returned with injuries that, in previous years, simply would have been un-survivable. And when I visited the Warrior Games in Colorado in 2013, I knew what we had to do.

Sport is what would make the difference. Sport would help these guys and girls fix their lives and reconnect with those around them. And the spectacle of sport combined with stories of recovery against the odds, would inspire everyone who saw it.

I left Colorado with the determination to take this to an international audience, so more people could see what I saw. Lives had been changed in front of my eyes –
amazing men and women proving the impossible is possible.

That is exactly what we did when we held the first Invictus Games in 2014. We put on a show that attracted an audience of tens of thousands in the stands and many millions on television. Last year we achieved it again in the US, providing an even bigger platform for these inspiring men and women to tell their stories to the world. And in September, we will do it again in Toronto, with more competitors, more sports, and more spectators than ever before. And when I say we, I mean all of us.

I was lucky to have spent time with several units in the Australian Defence Force when I was here in 2015. I am also lucky enough to call a number of Diggers my mates, having walked to the South Pole, sweated while on exercise on Kangaroo Flats outside Darwin, and joined them for the centenary commemorations at Gallipoli. Having served in the Army for 10 years I think I understand what makes service men and women tick; through my connections to the ADF, I now have an appreciation of what it means to be a Digger and the admiration people have for you, not just here but across the world.

We are here today because in 500 days the Invictus Games will be held in one of the most sport mad countries and iconic cities in the world. As Founding Patron of the Invictus Games Foundation, I am so pleased that Australia and New South Wales will be taking on the Invictus baton from Canada and Toronto.

As Australians know better than anyone, sport has an unparalleled ability to bring people together; for those recovering from injury it has the ability to re-focus the mind, to bring a sense of purpose and boost self-confidence. The benefits which come from sport goes beyond the individual, it positively impacts their family too. I know all of you here today would agree that sport can change, and in some cases, save lives.

Invictus also reminds us all of the amazing contribution that our servicemen, women and veterans make. You need look no further than the remarkable sportsmanship showed by Mark Urquhart at the Invictus Games in Orlando last year; Mark sacrificed his gold on the track to push his fellow competitor Stephen Simmons from the USA into first place – simply because he felt Stephen deserved it more.

Sydney will soon be the custodian of the Invictus spirit and the focus for hundreds of men and women using the Invictus Games to motivate their recovery from physical and mental injuries.

I know that people across the country – from Perth to Sydney, from Darwin to Adelaide – will embrace the Invictus Games and show their support for competitors from their local towns and right across the country. I have no doubt that the Sydney public will make these games their own. I can promise that when they do, they will witness the very best of human spirit – courage, inspiration and defiance – on the track, on the court and in the pool. Competitors who give their all to cross the line first, but will then use what breath they have left to encourage others to achieve their own goals.

In these challenging times, we can all benefit from positive and inspiring stories from which to draw strength. The Invictus Games shows us that it is possible to overcome adversity, and that the impossible is possible, if you have the will. This spirit, championed by the games, extends far beyond the competition; when a bomb left a number of people with life-changing injuries in Manchester last month, wounded veterans, including Invictus team members, immediately offered themselves up to provide advice and support to the victims through their recovery process. The commitment to serve is ingrained in every member of the Armed Forces and is the embodiment of the Invictus spirit.

I know you will all agree with me that, the men and women of our Armed Forces and veteran community do not need our sympathy, in fact that is the last thing they want, but they do deserve the upmost respect and an opportunity to play a valued role in our communities. Duty and service is in their blood. The Invictus Games provides the launch pad from which they can fulfil these aspirations.

I know those of you here today and many people who see coverage of this launch will join me in creating a life-changing atmosphere for the competitors, family members and spectators alike.

The Invictus Games are coming to Australia – game on down under.

The Queen will visit Drapers’ Hall for Luncheon on the occasion of the 70th Anniversary of Her Majesty’s Admission to the Freedom of the Company

Wednesday 31st May, 2017

Her Majesty The Queen will visit Drapers’ Hall for a Luncheon on the occasion of the 70th Anniversary of Her Majesty’s Admission to the Freedom of the Company.

Upon arrival, The Queen will be met by Sir David Wootton (Lord Mayor, Locum Tenens) who will present Mr. William Charnley (Master) who will himself present Colonel Richard Winstanley (Clerk).

After the arrival, Her Majesty will meet members of the Court of Assistants (the governing body) and be photographed with the Master and Wardens from the Court.  

After lunch, The Queen will be asked to sign the Instrument.  This document, written on vellum, formally records Her Majesty’s attendance at the lunch to celebrate the 70^th anniversary of her becoming a Freeman of the Company.  The Instrument has been drafted by Tim Noad who is a professional calligrapher, illuminator and heraldic artist from Her Majesty’s College of Arms.  He has produced similar instruments to record Her Majesty’s visits to the Hall on previous occasions as well as the Company’s 2008 Charter. 

Founded over 650 years ago, the Drapers’ Company is incorporated by Royal Charter and is one of the Twelve Great Livery Companies in the City of London. Whilst its original involvement in the woollen cloth trade, from which it took its name, has ceased, the essence of the medieval fraternity has remained constant in the traditions of good fellowship and charity.   It has evolved into an organisation that addresses contemporary issues, gaining a new relevance through its philanthropic role. 

Its main functions are the commercial management of its own substantial endowment and the trusteeship of the many charitable trusts that have been left in its care over the centuries.  Much of the Company’s work concentrates on enabling young people to pursue educational qualifications, rise above social exclusion, and reach their full potential.  The Company also focuses on helping those in need or experiencing hardship through support of organisations working with the homeless, older people, disabled people and prisoners.  It provides support for textile conservation, heritage projects and projects in areas of County Londonderry, Northern Ireland.

The members today comprise a wide cross-section of society.  Some members’ families have been Drapers for centuries; other members with no links have been admitted following an interview.  They fulfil a variety of corporate governance roles for the Company and certain external organisations, and direct its philanthropic initiatives.

On 20 May 1947, Her Royal Highness The Princess Elizabeth was made Free of the Company (became a member) by Patrimony, following in her father’s (the then Duke of York) footsteps who had become a Draper in 1919.

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