THE DUKE AND DUCHESS OF CAMBRIDGE WILL VISIT BIRMINGHAM

Wednesday 22nd November, 2017

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will visit Birmingham for a day of engagements on Wednesday 22nd November 2017.

Their Royal Highnesses will begin the day at Jaguar Land Rover‘s Solihull Manufacturing Plant. On arrival, The Duke and Duchess will be given an overview of JLR and the Solihull site before heading to the Vehicle Assembly area, to view the assembly line and hear about the manufacturing process, meeting staff and apprentices. Their Royal Highnesses will then visit the Jaguar Land Rover Experience Centre, where they will meet Mountain Rescue volunteers participating in a vehicle familiarisation exercise. The Duke and Duchess will have the opportunity to drive a vehicle in the off-road driving area. Afterwards, Their Royal Highnesses will meet some of JLR’s volunteers, who support projects focusing on regeneration, education, young people, charity work and the environment, and they will meet schoolchildren from Topcliffe Primary School, Castle Vale – winners of the Jaguar Primary School Challenge and will see their winning model car race on a track.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will then travel to Aston Villa Football Club to see the work of the Coach Core programme taking place in Birmingham. Their Royal Highnesses will initially meet with a group of employers to discuss the positive impact of Coach Core and hear about the progression of the apprentices. The Duke and Duchess will then join a training session underway on the pitch, with Coach Core apprentices and tutors working with local schoolchildren. Coach Core works with Sport Birmingham to give young people between the ages of 16-24 living in Birmingham the chance to become the next generation of inspirational coaches and to give them the opportunity to succeed in employment.

Finally, The Duke and Duchess will visit Acme Whistles, the creator of the first police whistle and the original Acme Thunderer. Established in 1870, this family-owned business has developed and patented over 40 whistle designs during its 147 year history and currently exports to 119 countries worldwide. Today, their modern whistles are used in major sporting events globally and by police forces, including the Metropolitan Police. During the visit, The Duke and Duchess will hear about the history of the company and see past and present products. Their Royal Highnesses will then tour the workshop seeing the production process, including the presswork, plating, moulding, welding and polishing of the 115,000 whistles which are made and tested every week. Afterwards, The Duke and Duchess will join members of staff and apprentices at a short reception before unveiling a plaque to mark their visit.

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The Queen will visit West Sussex

30th November 2017

Her Majesty The Queen will undertake two engagements in West Sussex on Thursday, 30th November 2017.

Engagement 1:

The Queen will visit Canine Partners in Midhurst, West Sussex. Her Majesty will meet young dogs and their volunteer ‘puppy parents’ who take the puppies from the age of 8 weeks, implementing a programme of basic training until the age of 12-14 months when they are ready to start assistance dog training. The Queen will then view a demonstration by assistance dogs in their final stages of training, which involves opening doors, pulling clothes out of a washing machine and using an ATM.

After this, Her Majesty will view the accommodation used by partners who are meeting and training their assistance dogs, and meet partners and staff in the kitchen.

Engagement 2:

The Queen will visit Chichester Festival Theatre, where she will watch a performance by Chichester Festival Youth Theatre, including a scene from their forthcoming Christmas production Beauty and the Beast. Songs from CFT’s production of Fiddler on the Roof will also be performed by Omid Djalili, Simbi Akande, Lucinda Lawrence and Rose Shalloo.

Canine Partners is a registered charity that assists people with physical disabilities to enable them to enjoy greater independence and a better quality of life. Where possible the charity helps people with disabilities into education and employment through the provision of specially trained assistance dogs. As part of this partnership, the well-being of the dogs is also a key consideration. Canine Partner dogs are trained to perform tasks such as opening and closing doors for their wheelchair-using partners, retrieving dropped items, loading and unloading washing machines, helping their partners to undress and getting help in case of emergency. As well as providing practical assistance, the dogs provide companionship, emotional support and increased opportunities for the human partner to interact with members of the public. The Charity currently has nearly 400 dogs partnered with disabled people across the UK, all of whom receive regular aftercare support visits at home. Canine Partners works closely with other charities where it is beneficial to do so, including Guide Dogs, Hearing Dogs, Help for Heroes and The Royal British Legion.

Chichester Festival Theatre is one of the UK’s flagship theatres, renowned for the high standard of its productions as well as its work with the community and young people. Founded in 1962, the Festival Theatre’s thrust stage design makes it one of England’s most striking playhouses; a studio theatre, the Minerva Theatre, sits nearby. The annual Festival season runs from April to November, during which productions originated at Chichester reach an audience of over 200,000; many transfer to the West End or tour nationally and internationally. Year-round programming continues through the winter with the Theatre presenting high-class touring productions, as well as a traditional Christmas show mounted by Chichester Festival Youth Theatre, one of the largest youth theatres in the country.

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OFFICIAL PHOTOGRAPHS TO MARK THE PLATINUM WEDDING ANNIVERSARY OF HM THE QUEEN AND HRH THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH

New photographic portraits have been released worldwide to mark the 70th Wedding Anniversary of Her Majesty The Queen and His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh on 20th November 2017.

The portraits, by British photographer Matt Holyoak of Camera Press, were taken in the White Drawing Room at Windsor Castle in early November. Her Majesty wears a cream day dress by Angela Kelly, also worn at the Diamond Wedding Anniversary Service of Thanksgiving. The Queen is wearing the ‘Scarab’ brooch in yellow gold, carved ruby and diamond, designed by Andrew Grima,  given as a personal gift from The Duke to The Queen in 1966.

In the first portrait The Queen and His Royal Highness are framed by Thomas Gainsborough’s 1781 portraits of George III and Queen Charlotte, who were married for 57 years.

In a second sequence of pictures The Queen and the Duke are photographed against a platinum-textured backdrop.

The marriage of the then Princess Elizabeth to Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten at Westminster Abbey on 20th November 1947 attracted worldwide attention. Distribution of the official wedding images, by the photographer Baron, were the first assignment of a new photo agency, Camera Press, which also celebrates its 70th year in 2017.

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ROYAL MAIL ISSUES STAMPS TO COMMEMORATE 70TH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY OF HM THE QUEEN AND HRH THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH

Royal Mail today announced the release of a set of stamps to commemorate the 70^th Wedding Anniversary of HM The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh.

The six-stamp set features paired images from their engagement period, wedding and honeymoon.

On 9 July 1947, Buckingham Palace issued the following announcement: “It is with the greatest pleasure that the King and Queen announce the betrothal of their dearly beloved daughter The Princess Elizabeth to Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten RN.”

Officially, the wedding of Princess Elizabeth and Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten, which took place on 20 November 1947 at Westminster Abbey, was to be an austerity affair; the public and the wider world, however, had rather different ideas. For days before and after the service, huge crowds flocked to St James’s Palace to view an exhibition of some of the 2,500 wedding gifts.

These included a sewing machine from the Provost and Council of Clydebank and a sapphire and diamond necklace given to the Princess by her parents, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth.

The day before the wedding, the King appointed his future son-in-law a Knight of the Garter. On the day itself, it was announced that the King had also granted him the titles of Baron Greenwich, Earl of Merioneth and Duke of Edinburgh. He would be His Royal Highness Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh and, following the wedding, his bride would be the Duchess.

More than 200 million listeners worldwide followed the service by radio. For the first time, newsreel cameras were admitted into the Abbey to film part of the proceedings – and cinemas were packed for weeks.

For her wedding dress, the bride had turned to Norman Hartnell, already a royal favourite. The bridal gown was made of ivory silk and decorated with crystals and 10,000 seed pearls which Hartnell had sourced from America. The 15-foot train, with a star pattern, was inspired by Botticelli’s Primavera, symbolising post-war regeneration. Observing the tradition that there should be ‘something borrowed’, the Princess wore the tiara originally made for her grandmother Queen Mary.

The bride and her father travelled to the Abbey in the Irish State Coach. The groom, who had spent the previous evening at the Dorchester Hotel, was already waiting at the Abbey in his Royal Navy uniform, alongside his groomsman, the Marquess of Milford Haven.

The eight bridesmaids included Princess Margaret and Princess Alexandra, while two younger cousins, Prince William of Gloucester and Prince Michael of Kent, were page boys. The royal party entered to the hymn ‘Praise My Soul, the King of Heaven’, followed by another royal favourite, ‘The Lord’s My Shepherd’, set to the Scottish tune ‘Crimond’.

After the wedding breakfast and an appearance on the Palace balcony, the newly-weds departed by carriage for Waterloo station. They travelled to Broadlands, Hampshire – home of Prince Philip’s uncle Lord Mountbatten. Huge crowds followed them to Sunday morning church at Romsey Abbey. They were afforded more privacy on the second leg of the honeymoon, at Birkhall on the Balmoral estate.

HM The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh are the longest married British royal couple in history.

Royal Mail spokesperson, Philip Parker, said, “A platinum wedding anniversary is rare, and for the Royal Family it is unique. We are delighted to issue these six stamps to mark Her Majesty’s and the Duke of Edinburgh’s 70 years of marriage.”

STAMP BY STAMP

Engagement, 10 July 1947
The engagement of Princess Elizabeth to Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten is announced and the happy couple are pictured together in two images taken at Buckingham Palace.

Wedding, 20 November 1947
Princess Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh walk down the aisle of Westminster Abbey after their wedding service. They are followed by Prince Michael of Kent and Prince William of Gloucester holding the bridal train, the eight bridesmaids and then the groomsman, the Marquess of Milford Haven.

Princess Elizabeth with her husband Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, after the ceremony.

Honeymoon, 23 November 1947
The first image of the royal newly-weds in the grounds of Broadlands, Romsey, Hampshire, where they spent their honeymoon. The royal couple are looking at photographs of their wedding.

HRH Princess Elizabeth enjoys a stroll with her husband, HRH The Duke of Edinburgh. This was their first public appearance since their wedding.

The stamps go on sale from 20 November and will be available online at www.royalmail.com/royalwedding by phone on 03457 641 641 and in 7,000 Post Offices throughout the UK.

THE PRINCE OF WALES WILL VISIT ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA, THE BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS, AND DOMINICA

17th–19th November 2017

His Royal Highness’s visit comes following the widespread devastation in the region caused by Hurricanes Irma and Maria.

During the tour The Prince of Wales will meet members of the local communities and hear about the ways in which they have been recovering since the storms hit the Islands.

The Prince of Wales will arrive in Antigua and Barbuda on Friday 17th November, conducting engagements on the island of Antigua that day. His Royal Highness will visit Barbuda and The British Virgin Islands on Saturday 18th November. On the final day of the tour, Sunday 19th November, The Prince will conduct engagements in Dominica.

Antigua and Barbuda, The British Virgin Islands and Dominica were all severely affected when Hurricanes Irma and Maria struck in September 2017. The storms caused widespread devastation which led to the displacement of communities.

This will be His Royal Highness’s first official visit to Antigua and Barbuda, The British Virgin Islands, and Dominica.

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THE DUKE OF CAMBRIDGE VISITS GOOGLE AND YOUTUBE TO LAUNCH NATIONAL ACTION PLAN TO TACKLE CYBERBULLYING

King’s Cross, London

Thursday 16th November, 2017

The Duke of Cambridge will attend the final meeting of The Royal Foundation’s Taskforce on the Prevention of Cyberbullying on Thursday 16th November, before announcing the results of the Taskforce’s work so far. The event will take place at the London headquarters of Google and YouTube in King’s Cross, London.

The Taskforce was convened by The Duke in May 2016 to support young people and their families affected by cyberbullying, with a focus on 11-16 year olds.

The Duke brought together some of the world’s most recognisable names in media and tech, as well as children’s charities and parents, to work alongside a panel of young people to find a way forward. Together they set themselves the task of creating a safer and more supportive life online. After more than 18 months of work, the Taskforce is unveiling an Action Plan to combat this problem.

On arrival at Google’s King’s Cross Headquarters, The Duke will attend the final meeting of the Taskforce, joining senior representatives from leading communication service providers, technology, social media and gaming companies, as well as experts from charities working to combat online bullying.

Chaired by tech entrepreneur Brent Hoberman CBE, the Taskforce members include: The Anti-Bullying Alliance; Apple; BT; The Diana Award; EE; Facebook; Google; Internet Matters; NSPCC; O2; Sky; Snapchat; Supercell; TalkTalk; Twitter; Vodafone and Virgin Media.

His Royal Highness will then head to the YouTube Space London to meet some of the Taskforce’s panel of young people. The Duke will also meet with parents, young people, and prominent YouTube vloggers to learn more about the impact of cyberbullying and how technology can be used to help.

The Duke will then address an audience of Taskforce members and guests to announce a series of initiatives from the Taskforce designed to use members’ power and skill to deliver real change, and empower all young people to take a stand against bullying.

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THE DUKE OF CAMBRIDGE WILL ATTEND THE LAUNCH OF THE PLEDGE150 CAMPAIGN

London

Friday 17th November, 2017

The Duke of Cambridge will attend the launch event for the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and LandAid’s Pledge150 campaign.

In 2018, RICS will be celebrating its 150 years anniversary and as part of the celebrations to mark this occasion have pledged to raise £2.25million for LandAid, the property industry charity working to end youth homelessness. The money raised will fund 150 bed spaces for young people currently at risk of homelessness across all 12 regions in the UK.

LandAid brings together businesses and individuals from across the property industry to support charities delivering life-changing services for young people who are or have been homeless, or who are at risk of homelessness in the future.

As a charitable trust, LandAid award grants to exceptional small or medium-sized charities in the UK who are working to tackle youth homelessness. These grants are invested in capital projects which provide much-needed homes for young people.

At the launch event, The Duke of Cambridge will meet some of LandAid’s beneficiaries as well as RICS’s apprentices. His Royal Highness will also deliver a short speech.

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THE QUEEN AND MEMBERS OF THE ROYAL FAMILY WILL ATTEND THE ROYAL FESTIVAL OF REMEMBRANCE AT THE ROYAL ALBERT HALL

London

Saturday 11th November 2017

Her Majesty The Queen, accompanied by His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh and other members of the Royal Family, will attend the annual Royal Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall, on Saturday 11th November, 2017.

This year’s Festival will mark the following anniversaries:

The centenaries of women’s service in the regular Armed Forces, the Battle of Passchendaele, the creation of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, and the birth of Dame Vera Lynn.

The 75th anniversary of the Battle of El Alamein and the creation of the RAF Regiment.

The Royal Party will be received by Mr Jon Moynihan, President of the Royal Albert Hall and Air Marshal David Walker, President of the Royal British Legion. Members of the Royal Family who will be attending this year include:

– The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh
– The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall
– The Duchess of Cambridge
– The Duke of York
– The Earl and Countess of Wessex
– The Princess Royal and Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence
– The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester
– The Duke of Kent
– Prince and Princess Michael of Kent
– Princess Alexandra, the Honourable Lady Ogilvy

The Festival will be broadcast live on BBC One from the Royal Albert Hall on the evening of 11th November.

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Royal Attendance at Engagements to Mark Remembrance

The Queen and members of the Royal Family will attend the following engagements to mark Remembrance in 2017:

Thursday 9th November

PRINCE HARRY WILL ATTEND THE MIND MEDIA AWARDS

London

Monday 13th November

Prince Harry will attend the Virgin Money Giving Mind Media Awards in London on 13th November.

The Awards, which are now in their 24th year, celebrate the very best portrayals and reporting of mental health challenges across broadcast, print, digital media and film. By recognising examples of good practice and working closely with programme makers and journalists, Mind hopes to improve media representations of mental health and challenge stigma.

This year’s ceremony will be hosted by TV presenter and Mind Ambassador Fearne Cotton with an introduction from Mind’s President Stephen Fry.

11 awards will be presented on the night covering everything from news and current affairs, as well as journalist and digital champions to TV programmes. Prince Harry will present the Speaking Out Award, which recognises an individual who has experienced mental health problems, and made an inspirational contribution to at least one of the shortlisted entries. His Royal Highness will also deliver a short speech on the night.

Mental health has been a key area of focus for Prince Harry. Alongside The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, His Royal Highness last year launched Heads Together, a campaign to tackle stigma and change the conversation on mental health.

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