The Duke of Sussex will attend the European Premiere of The Lion King

Sunday, 14th July 2019

The Duke of Sussex will attend the European Premiere of Disney’s The Lion King in Leicester Square on Sunday 14th July 2019. The Premiere is being held in support of the conservation and communities work of His Royal Highness through The Royal Foundation.

In celebration of the film’s release, The Walt Disney Company announced Protect the Pride, a global conservation campaign working with many conservation partners to raise awareness and support efforts to protect and recover the dwindling lion population across Africa. Since The Lion King was first released in theatres 25 years ago, half of Africa’s lions have disappeared. Lions face rising threats, such as poaching, loss of prey and destruction of habitats. However, research shows the lion population can recover.

The Royal Foundation is excited to be involved in and support the Protect the Pride campaign, alongside partners including the Wildlife Conservation Network’s Lion Recovery Fund to find solutions that benefit people, communities and wildlife across Africa. Through the work of His Royal Highness, The Royal Foundation is committed to advancing community conservation efforts across Africa and around the world, working with communities to ensure a sustainable future for the planet.

The Duke of Sussex has taken a deep personal interest in frontline conservation projects that work to protect Africa’s natural heritage and support both wildlife and local communities. On leaving the Army in 2015, His Royal Highness spent three months working on number of such projects in Namibia, Tanzania, South Africa and Botswana. The Duke of Sussex is President of African Parks and Patron of Rhino Conservation Botswana. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will undertake an official visit to South Africa this Autumn at the request of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. The Duke of Sussex will visit Angola and Malawi at the request of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and undertake a working visit to Botswana whilst in the region.

Upon arrival The Duke will meet some of the cast and crew before watching the film. Before departing The Duke will meet representatives from organisations doing ground-breaking work in the areas of conservation and the environment.

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The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s Autumn Tour

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will undertake an official visit to South Africa this Autumn at the request of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

In addition, The Duke of Sussex will visit Angola and Malawi at the request of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

His Royal Highness will also undertake a working visit to Botswana while in the region.

Further details will be advised in due course.

For more on The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s most recent engagements, be sure to purchase the latest issue of Royal Life magazine here.

HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN WILL VISIT GORGIE CITY FARM, EDINBURGH

THURSDAY 4^TH JULY, 2019

Her Majesty The Queen will visit Gorgie City Farm, a community based initiative which first opened to the public in 1982.

Her Majesty will be met on arrival by officials from the farm before viewing the gardens where she will meet volunteers, support workers and local children. Seasonal produce, sold at the farm and to local businesses and restaurants, will be on display and Her Majesty will meet the garden produce volunteer team.

The Queen will then view the animal enclosures including the duck pen, stables and Pet Lodge and meet local children working with the animals.

She will then view a display of petting animals and meet ‘Olive’ the duck. In the main hall, Her Majesty will view a display to learn about development plans for Gorgie City Farm.

Her Majesty will unveil a plaque, sign the visitors’ book and receive a posy before departing.

Gorgie City Farm is a much-loved green breathing space for the local community and visitors, free and available for all to enjoy. The animals on the Farm vary due to stock management, land use and maintaining animal welfare but there are generally have chickens, ducks, cattle, pigs, sheep and goats. There are also small animals such as bearded dragons, tortoises, guinea pigs and land snails.

There is an education garden, herb and sensory garden, several greenhouses, a poly-tunnel and a vegetable garden with a wildlife garden providing space for all kinds of wild insects, beasts and birds. Gorgie City Farm grow a range of fruit and vegetables, some of which are available seasonally from its produce stall, and some are sold to shops and restaurants in the community.

The site of the Gorgie City farm is located 2 miles (3 km) from Central Edinburgh.  It was a waste depot by the Edinburgh Corporation until the 1930s.  Horse-drawn refuse carts would deposit their loads from the wagons.  This was linked to the Railway which still passes to the west of the farm today. After this, the site was used for civil defence training area during the war.  It then lay derelict and disused, owned by the local authority for many years afterwards.

In 1977, a community group started work clearing the derelict site of what is now Gorgie City Farm. There were plans to develop the site for housing or for a school, but local people insisted green space was the priority and the City farm opened to the public in 1982. Ever since it has been working farm, selling lambs, pork, eggs, vegetables and manure to raise some of its running costs, and visited by tens of thousands of visitors every year.

The farm has always been free to enter, with donations from visitors being a vital part of its financing. The farm is run by a board of directors and money has been raised from a wide variety of sources both local and national. Chief among these has been for many years a grant for the City of Edinburgh Council, which funds the majority of staff wages.

The Federation of City Farms and Community Gardens (FCFCG), of which Gorgie Farm has been a member for many years, opened a Scottish office within Gorgie Farm in 2006.

On the 29th April 2016 Gorgie City Farm announced an urgent appeal. Rising costs and a serious reduction in external funding meant the farm had to turn to the community to help keep it open.  The response was phenomenal, within six weeks local people and businesses had donated £100 000. The actions of the community provided a real boost to staff and volunteers.  Since the appeal there has been ongoing energy and enthusiasm for developing the site and services, a robust business plan is now in place to ensure the long term sustainability of this much loved community resource.

Catch up on Her Majesty’s most recent engagements in the latest issue of Royal Life.

THE DUKE OF CAMBRIDGE TO VISIT THE ROYAL MARSDEN

Chelsea, London

Thursday 4th July, 2019

The Duke of Cambridge, President of The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, will visit The Royal Marsden in Chelsea on Thursday 4th July, to learn about the psychological support being offered to staff, patients and their families.

His Royal Highness will hear first-hand from staff and patients about the support offered through the Trust, with funding from The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity, to those caring for patients undergoing cancer treatments and for patients themselves whose diagnoses can affect so many aspects of their lives.

Alongside the care patients receive from doctors, nurses and other health professionals, The Royal Marsden offers a dedicated psychological support service, providing psychological therapy from cancer specialist nurse counsellors, clinical and counselling psychologists, plus a specialist paediatric psychology team.

The Trust also provides a staff support service for every member of staff at The Royal Marsden. Highly qualified counsellors provide 1:1 counselling for any staff member who is experiencing worries, concerns and problems in their professional or personal life that may be affecting their ability to function or work effectively.

During the visit, The Duke will also make a visit to the Ellis Ward, which specialises in the care of female patients undergoing investigations and treatments for breast, gynaecological, urological and gastrointestinal cancers.

In January this year, The Royal Marsden announced the sudden death of Professor Martin Gore who was their Medical Director for 10 years and a Trustee of The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity. As part of the visit, His Royal Highness will have the opportunity to meet Professor Gore’s widow, Pauline Gore, and some of his closest colleagues.

The Royal Marsden opened its doors in 1851 as the world’s first hospital dedicated to cancer diagnosis, treatment, research and education. Now, it is the largest and most comprehensive cancer centre in Europe, treating and seeing over 50,000 NHS and private patients every year. It is a centre of excellence with an international reputation for groundbreaking research and pioneering the very latest in cancer treatments and technologies.

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THE DUKE OF CAMBRIDGE TO VISIT ALBERT KENNEDY TRUST

Hoxton, London

Wednesday 26th June, 2019

Ahead of the annual Pride in London parade and in recognition of the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall uprising, The Duke of Cambridge will visit Albert Kennedy Trust (akt) to learn about the issue of LGBTQ+ youth homelessness, and the positive change that akt are enacting through their unique prevention and early action approach.

Akt is the national LGBTQ+ youth homelessness charity, providing safe homes and better futures for LGBTQ+ young people. Almost one quarter of the 150,000 young people facing or experiencing homelessness identify as LGBTQ+, and 77 per cent of those cite rejection or abuse from their families as what has led them to being so.

His Royal Highness will meet with individuals who have been supported by akt and talk to staff about the services they provide including the akt safe house ‘Purple Door’, LGBTQ+ ‘host’ (or carer) services, in-person and online mentoring programmes and a range of youth engagement activities. In 30 years, akt has provided over 250,000 nights off the street and supported over 50,000 LGBTQ+ young people at risk of or experiencing homelessness.

The Duke will officially open akt’s new services centre in Hoxton which will host drop-in sessions for young people and grow its youth engagement offering. The Services team at akt is made up of Caseworkers who support young people into better futures, which includes supporting them with job hunting and interview preparation, ensuring they have food, clothes and shoes, that their wellbeing is stable and that they know how to complete the right documentation for anything they might need.

The Duke is a longstanding supporter of organisations working to combat homelessness, and is Patron of Centrepoint and The Passage.

The Stonewall uprising took place in New York on June 28, 1969, and is seen as the moment that sparked the modern LGBTQ+ movement around the world. Pride marches around the world will be recognising the anniversary, including Pride in London, where akt staff and supporters will be marching.

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THEIR ROYAL HIGHNESSES THE EARL AND COUNTESS OF FORFAR WILL VISIT FORFAR, BANFFSHIRE AND MORAY

Monday 1^st – Tuesday 2^nd July 2019

The Earl and Countess of Forfar will visit Forfar, Banffshire and Moray on Monday 1^st and Tuesday 2^nd July 2019. Their Royal Highnesses will visit a range of charities, businesses and organisations over the two-day visit, highlighting the initiatives, support and opportunities on offer for local people, and showcasing the history and traditions of the area.

Monday 1^st July, Forfar

On Monday 1^st July, Their Royal Highnesses will visit Forfar on their first official visit to the town since The Queen granted The Earl of Wessex the additional title of The Earl of Forfar earlier this year. The Earl and Countess will meet local residents, and visit businesses and landmarks in the town – including Saddlers, makers of the famous Forfar Bridie.

Their Royal Highnesses will also visit Pitstop, the local youth centre, to see the positive impact of The Duke of Edinburgh Award schemes in Angus, and Strathmore Rugby Community Club Trust, a charity initiative formed in 2017 to increase participation in rugby for less able-bodied young people and children with autism.

As their last engagement of the day, Their Royal Highnesses will visit the local Guide Dogs for the Blind Association where they will see a demonstration of guide dogs in training, and meet with volunteers and service users.

Monday 2^nd July, Banffshire and Moray

The Earl and Countess will visit Glenfiddich Whisky Distillery to mark the 50^th anniversary of the visitors centre, and meet volunteers running the heritage railway service between Keith and Dufftown before departing for their next engagement by train.

At the Keith Kilt School and Textile Centre, the original kilt school of Scotland, The Earl and Countess will meet with current students and have the opportunity to get involved in the kilt-making process.

Finally, The Earl and Countess will visit Step by Step in Elgin, Moray, a local charity that supports vulnerable or isolated families by offering free hands-on activity groups for parents and children. Their Royal Highnesses will meet volunteers and families at the service and join in with the activities.

On 10^th March this year, Her Majesty The Queen granted The Earl of Wessex the additional title of Earl of Forfar.

The Earldom of Forfar was created in 1661 and became extinct as a title in 1715. It was a subsidiary title to the Earl of Ormond and was a title held by the Douglas Family.

The 1st Earl of Forfar (1653 to 1712) was Archibald Douglas. His son, also Archibald Douglas, became the 2nd Earl of Forfar (1692 to 1715). The 2nd Earl took the title at the age of 20 and died without issue leaving the Earldom, part of the Peerage of Scotland, extinct.

The Earl of Forfar is Patron of a number of Scottish charitable organisations, such as The Edinburgh International Festival, the National Youth Orchestras of Scotland and Badminton Scotland. As Trustee of The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, HRH has supported the non-formal education of thousands of young people in Scotland and holds annual Gold Award presentations at the Palace of Holyroodhouse.

THE DUCHESS OF CAMBRIDGE JOINS PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP WITH ACTION FOR CHILDREN AND THE ROYAL PHOTOGRAPHIC SOCIETY

Warren Park, Kingston

Tuesday 25th June, 2019

To see how learning photography can help young people develop confidence and self-expression, The Duchess of Cambridge will join a photography workshop with her patronage Action for Children, run by the Royal Photographic Society.

Her Royal Highness will join young people from Action for Children in several sessions run by Royal Photographic Society honorary fellows Jillian Edelstein and Harry Borden that will cover various elements of photography such as portraits, light and colour. Alongside developing new skills, the workshop will highlight how photography provides a universal language for young people to express themselves and explore their thoughts and feelings.

As part of her longstanding work on early years The Duchess is on a mission to support organisations like Action for Children that aim to give every child the best possible start in life. Action for Children, who are marking their 150th anniversary this year, are committed to helping vulnerable children, young people, and their families, across the UK. The charity’s 7,000 staff and volunteers operated over 522 services in the UK, improving the lives of 301,000 children, teenagers, parents and carers last year.

The Royal Photographic Society is one of the world’s oldest photographic societies. It was founded in 1853 with the objective of promoting the art and science of photography, and in 1854 received Royal patronage from Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. The Society has over 11,000 members and runs an extensive programme of more than 300 events throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. Her Royal Highness was made an Honorary Member of the Royal Photographic Society in January 2017.

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New patronage announced for The Duchess of Cambridge

The Duchess of Cambridge has today become Patron of The Royal Photographic Society.

Her Majesty The Queen has passed the patronage to The Duchess after having held the role for 67 years. The new patronage has been announced ahead of Her Royal Highness’s visit to a photography workshop run by The Royal Photographic Society and Action for Children, which is another of The Duchess’s patronages.

Her Royal Highness will join children from Action for Children in several sessions, run with Royal Photographic Society Honorary Fellows Jillian Edelstein and Harry Borden, that will cover various elements of photography such as portraits, light and colour. Alongside developing new skills, the workshop will highlight how photography provides a universal language for young people to express themselves and release their thoughts and feelings.

The Duchess has a longstanding interest in photography, and this patronage will further highlight the beneficial impact that art and creativity can have on emotional wellbeing, particularly for children and young people.

The Royal Photographic Society is one of the world’s oldest photographic societies. It was founded in 1853 with the objective of promoting the art and science of photography, and in the same year received Royal patronage from Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. The Society has over 11,000 members and runs an extensive programme of more than 500 events throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. Her Royal Highness was made an Honorary Member of the Royal Photographic Society in January 2017.

Chief Operating Officer of the Royal Photographic Society Mike Taylor said, “It is a huge honour to have The Duchess as our Patron, especially given her personal interest in photography. We know that photography and creative pursuits have such a positive impact for people of all ages, and we are excited to be working with one of The Duchess’s charities in support of their work.”

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SOVEREIGN GRANT REPORT 2018-19

The Royal Household today published its annual financial statement, the Sovereign Grant Report, for the financial year 2018-19. The Sovereign Grant is the funding provided to support the official duties of The Queen and maintain the Occupied Royal Palaces. It also includes a dedicated amount to fund the ten-year Reservicing of Buckingham Palace.

The key financial details reported today are:

• The total Sovereign Grant for 2018-19, including the dedicated amount for Reservicing, amounted to £82.2m (2017-18 £76.1m), equivalent to £1.24 per person in the UK.
• The £82.2m Grant is made up of a Core Grant of £49.3m and an additional dedicated amount for Reservicing of £32.9m.
• Additional income generated from facilities management charges and property rental increased to £17.8m (2017-18 £17.3m), up 3%.
• The official expenditure in the year met by the Sovereign Grant was £67million, up 41% (2017-18 £47.4m), primarily due to higher levels of spending on property, including £14.1m on Reservicing and £25.1m on maintenance from the Core Grant.
• £15.2m was transferred to the Sovereign Grant reserve (2017-18 £28.7m) to fund future phases of the Reservicing of Buckingham Palace.

Other key data for 2018-19:

• Over 3,200 official engagements across the UK and overseas undertaken by members of the Royal Family.
• Over 160,000 guests welcomed at Royal Palaces at events such as garden parties and investitures.
• Over 7.9m people saw items from the Royal Collection Trust in Royal Palaces.

Reflecting on the year 2018-19, the Keeper of the Privy Purse, Sir Michael Stevens, said:

“The year under review has been another busy period for the Royal Household with The Queen undertaking 140 official engagements in the United Kingdom, including the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting at Buckingham Palace and the visit of the President of the United States to Windsor. In addition, the programme of other Members of the Royal Family who support The Queen helped the Royal Family deliver over 3,200 official engagements across the UK and overseas.”

In 2018-19, the Sovereign Grant also included a dedicated amount to fund the Reservicing of Buckingham Palace; the second year of a major ten-year project to future proof the building’s essential services. This followed a report to HM Treasury identifying that the building’s infrastructure was in urgent need of an overhaul to avoid the very real danger of catastrophic failure.

Key Reservicing progress in 2018-19 included:

• Members of the Royal Family and all staff moving out of the East Wing, along with the decant of over 3,000 works of art, leaving this area of the building unoccupied – in preparation for reservicing, which will include the replacement of electrical and mechanical infrastructure, and the provision of new lifts to improve accessibility.
• The building of a compound for contractors working on the Reservicing project on the Palace forecourt.
• The strip-out of the Palace’s main boiler room to prepare for the installation of the new energy centre.
• Conversion of space on the upper floor of the West Wing to a new open plan office space for approximately 100 people.
• Authorised or contracted commitments for works over the next five years amounting to £85m.

Reflecting on the Reservicing programme, Sir Michael added:

“The ten year Reservicing programme presents a unique opportunity for innovation and investment in one of the world’s most prestigious and iconic historic buildings, thereby preserving it for future generations. The work is sequenced so as to enable the Palace to remain occupied and fully operational and The Queen’s programme to continue to be delivered without interruption.”

HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN, ACCOMPANIED BY HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE DUKE OF ROTHESAY, WILL ATTEND A CEREMONY TO MARK THE 20^TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT

SATURDAY 29^TH JUNE 2019

Her Majesty The Queen, accompanied by His Royal Highness The Duke of Rothesay, will attend a Ceremony to mark the 20^th Anniversary of the Scottish Parliament. The Queen and The Duke of Rothesay will arrive at the Queensberry House entrance to the Scottish Parliament and will be met in the courtyard by the Lord Lieutenant of the City of Edinburgh, the Presiding Officer and Deputy Presiding Officers before continuing inside to the Garden Lobby. In the lobby, HM and HRH will meet Party and Parliamentary Leaders ahead of the Ceremony in the Debating Chamber.

The Mace and the Crown of Scotland will be carried into the Debating Chamber in procession to a Fanfare sounded by the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. The Presiding Officer will open the meeting of Parliament and Her Majesty will then respond with an address to the Scottish Parliament. After The Queen’s speech, there will be speeches by the party leaders. Following the ceremonial proceedings in the Debating Chamber, Her Majesty and His Royal Highness will attend a reception in the Main Hall and sign the visitor’s book before departing the Scottish Parliament.

Further details of the Ceremony to mark the 20^th Anniversary will be announced by the Scottish Parliament in due course.