THE WEDDING OF PRINCESS EUGENIE OF YORK AND MR JACK BROOKSBANK

Her Royal Highness Princess Eugenie of York and Mr. Jack Brooksbank will invite members of the public to join in the celebrations of their wedding on Friday 12th October.

The couple are delighted to announce an opportunity for 1,200 people from across the United Kingdom to be invited into the grounds of Windsor Castle to share the experience of their special day.

The attendees will view the arrival of the congregation and Members of the Royal Family, listen to a live broadcast of the Marriage Service and watch as the Bride and Groom depart St George’s Chapel at the end of the ceremony.

The newly married couple will then undertake a short carriage procession through part of Windsor High Street. The carriage will process through the grounds of Windsor Castle, departing via Castle Hill to proceed along part of the High Street before returning to the Castle via Cambridge Gate.

Members of the public are invited to apply for the positions in the grounds of Windsor Castle at https://publicevents.royal.uk

Also present in the Castle Grounds will be representatives of charities supported by Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank, together with members of the Windsor community and children from the local schools which Her Royal Highness attended. Residents of Windsor Castle and a number of Royal Household staff will also be present.

THE CHRISTENING OF PRINCE LOUIS THE OFFICIAL PHOTOGRAPHS

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have released four official photographs to mark the christening of Prince Louis on Monday 9th July.

The photographs were taken by Matt Holyoak in the Morning Room and the garden at Clarence House, following Prince Louis’s baptism in The Chapel Royal, St. James’s Palace.

Matt Holyoak said: “I was truly honoured at being asked to take the official photographs at the christening of Prince Louis, and to witness at first hand such a happy event. Everyone was so relaxed and in such good spirits, it was an absolute pleasure. I only hope I have captured some of that joy in my photographs.”

Photograph One: Seated (left to right): Prince George, The Duke of Cambridge, Prince Louis, The Duchess of Cambridge, Princess Charlotte.
Standing (left to right): The Duke of Sussex, The Duchess of Sussex, The Duchess of Cornwall, The Prince of Wales, Mrs. Carole Middleton, Mr. Michael Middleton, Mrs. Pippa Matthews, Mr. James Matthews, Mr. James Middleton.

Photograph Two: Seated (left to right): The Duke of Cambridge, Prince George, Prince Louis, The Duchess of Cambridge, Princess Charlotte.
Standing (left to right): The Duchess of Cornwall, The Prince of Wales, The Duke of Sussex, The Duchess of Sussex.

Photograph Three: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.

Photograph Four: The Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Louis.

THE QUEEN WILL MEET THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND MRS TRUMP AT WINDSOR CASTLE

13th July 2018

The Queen will meet the President of the United States of America and Mrs Trump at Windsor Castle on Friday 13th July 2018.

Her Majesty will welcome the President and Mrs Trump at the dais in the Quadrangle of the Castle. A Guard of Honour, formed of the Coldstream Guards, will give a Royal Salute and the US National Anthem will be played. The Queen and the President will inspect the Guard of Honour before watching the military march past. The President and First Lady will then join Her Majesty for tea at the Castle.

The Queen has received three other Presidents of the United States at Windsor Castle in recent times:

1. President and Mrs Obama (Windsor 2016)

2. President and Mrs George W. Bush (Windsor 2008)

3. President and Mrs Reagan (Windsor 1982)

The Queen has met eleven out of twelve serving US Presidents during Her Majesty’s Reign (President Johnson being the only one not met by The Queen).

The 1st Battalion Coldstream Guards is one of the British Army’s longest serving units. As well as operational duties, the Coldstream Guards also have a ceremonial role as The Queen’s Guard, protecting the Royal Palaces, including Windsor Castle and Buckingham Palace. The Band of the Coldstream Guards is one of the oldest and best-known military marching bands in the world.

THE DUKE OF SUSSEX WILL VISIT THE RFU INJURED PLAYERS FOUNDATION

Twickenham Stadium, London

Wednesday 18th July, 2018

The Duke of Sussex will attend the RFU Injured Players Foundation’s annual Client Forum at Twickenham Stadium on Wednesday 18th July.

The RFU Injured Players Foundation (IPF) provides support and information to rugby players in England who have sustained catastrophic injuries playing the game, and help prevent future injuries through research and education. The charity’s assistance is available to any player and their families, from grassroots up to professional level, to empower them to lead their lives as fully and independently as they are able to.

The Client Forum is designed to enable injured players and their families to learn about the IPF’s support programmes, its research and try out some of the activities as part of the IPF Engage programme. It is also an opportunity for IPF clients to let the charity know what their priorities are and what they think of the IPF’s support so they can learn how to further improve their services.

The Duke will meet a number of the IPF’s clients as they take part in activities including archery, tennis and boccia, and will hear how these former rugby players have been supported by the charity following their life-changing injuries. The Duke will also meet a number of the charity’s partners, including rehabilitation organisations who work to support the players on their journeys to recovery.

The Duke of Sussex to attend International AIDS Conference in Amsterdam

The Duke of Sussex will attend the International AIDS Conference in Amsterdam on Monday 23rd and Tuesday 24th July. His Royal Highness will attend the event in his capacity as Patron of Sentebale.

The International AIDS Conference (AIDS2018) is the largest conference on any global health issue in the world. First convened during the peak of the AIDS epidemic in 1985, it continues to provide a unique forum for the intersection of science, advocacy, and human rights. Each conference is an opportunity to strengthen policies and programmes that ensure an evidence-based response to the epidemic. The Duke previously attended the Conference in Durban in 2016.

The Duke will join Sentebale’s ‘Let Youth Lead’ advocates on Monday afternoon to discuss the challenges of young people living with HIV and those affected by the epidemic in southern Africa. The Let Youth Lead advocacy programme aims to engage policymakers to drive positive change in HIV interventions that better support the younger generation. His Royal Highness will then attend a meeting with influential leaders from organisations working in HIV response.

On the second day of his visit, The Duke will join a plenary session with Sir Elton John to launch a new coalition of global AIDS funders – the MenStar Coalition. Founding partners include the Elton John AIDS Foundation, the U.S. government’s PEPFAR programme, the Global Fund for AIDS, TB & Malaria, UNITAID, Johnson & Johnson, the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF), Gilead and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. These organisations represent some of the most critical stakeholders working on HIV globally. The MenStar Coalition’s first initiative will be to launch a new HIV self-testing campaign aimed at young men in Kenya.

THE CHRISTENING OF PRINCE LOUIS

ST. JAMES’S PALACE

Monday 9th July, 2018

The christening of Prince Louis will take place today, Monday 9th July, at the Chapel Royal, St. James’s Palace.

Prince Louis will be christened by The Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Reverend Justin Welby.

The service will begin at 1600hrs and will last approximately 40 minutes.

Guests and Godparents

The following guests will today attend the christening of Prince Louis at The Chapel Royal, St James’s Palace:

–    The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall
–    The Duke and Duchess of Sussex
–    Mr. and Mrs. Michael Middleton, Mr. and Mrs. James Matthews, and Mr. James Middleton
–    The godparents of Prince Louis and their spouses

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have asked the following people to be godparents to Prince Louis, all of whom are friends or family of Their Royal Highnesses:

–    Mr. Nicholas van Cutsem
–    Mr. Guy Pelly
–    Mr. Harry Aubrey-Fletcher
–    The Lady Laura Meade
–    Mrs. Robert Carter
–    Miss Lucy Middleton

Prince Louis will wear the handmade replica of the Royal Christening Robe, made by Angela Kelly, Dressmaker to The Queen.

The Lily Font and water from the River Jordan will be used during the baptism.

Following the service, The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will give a private tea at Clarence House. Guests will be served slices of christening cake, which is a tier taken from The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s wedding cake.

The Royal Christening Robe
The Royal Christening Robe, of fine Honiton lace lined with white satin, was made in 1841 for the christening of Queen Victoria’s eldest daughter, Victoria, Princess Royal.

The original gown was subsequently worn for all Royal christenings, including The Queen, her children and her grandchildren, until the youngest of The Queen’s eight grandchildren, James, Viscount Severn.

The Queen commissioned Angela Kelly to make a hand-made replica of the Royal Christening Robe in order to preserve the original. James, Viscount Severn, was the first member of the Royal Family to wear this replica gown at his christening at the private chapel at Windsor Castle on 19th April 2008.

The Lily Font
The Lily Font is a silver baptismal font which was commissioned by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert in 1840 after the birth of their first child, Victoria, Princess Royal. It was first used at The Princess Royal’s christening in 1841 and has been a feature of Royal christenings since then.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s Wedding Cake
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s wedding cake, designed by Fiona Cairns, was made from 17 individual fruit cakes and had eight tiers. The cake was decorated with cream and white icing using the Joseph Lambeth technique. There were up to 900 individually iced flowers and leaves of 17 different varieties decorated on the cake. A garland design around the middle of the cake matched the architectural garlands decorated around the top of the Picture Gallery in Buckingham Palace, the room in which the cake was displayed during the wedding.

Official Photographer

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have asked Matt Holyoak to be the official photographer at the christening of Prince Louis. Mr. Holyoak will take the official photographs at Clarence House following the service in The Chapel Royal.

Matt Holyoak has established himself as one of the world’s leading portrait photographers.  His love of portraiture started at art college, where he studied to be a fine artist, specialising in contemporary portrait painting and drawing.  He then discovered his passion for photography and perfected his craft working in still life, fashion and portraiture. Matt has had a number of his pieces of work acquired by The National Portrait Gallery for their permanent collection, and has donated photographic prints to many exhibitions across the world.

In 2017, Matt Holyoak photographed Her Majesty The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh to mark their 70th wedding anniversary.

State Visit by The King and Queen of The Netherlands

Their Majesties The King and Queen of the Netherlands have accepted an invitation from The Queen to pay a State Visit to the United Kingdom from 23rd to 24th October 2018.

The King and Queen of the Netherlands will stay at Buckingham Palace.

The Queen has hosted two previous State Visits from the Netherlands during her reign: the last State Visit from the Netherlands was by Her Majesty Queen Beatrix and Prince Claus of the Netherlands in November 1982. In April 1972, Queen Juliana and Prince Bernhard paid a State Visit to the United Kingdom.

The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh paid a State Visit to Queen Juliana and Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands in March 1958.

THE DUKE AND DUCHESS OF SUSSEX WILL VISIT THE NELSON MANDELA CENTENARY EXHIBITION

Southbank Centre, London

Tuesday 17th July, 2018

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will visit the Nelson Mandela Centenary Exhibition at Southbank Centre’s Queen Elizabeth Hall.

This exhibition explores the life and times of Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela (1918 – 2013) and marks the centenary of his birth. It provides insight into Mandela’s journey from young freedom fighter to becoming the inspiration for an international movement against South Africa’s violent and oppressive apartheid system. The exhibition is jointly curated by the Apartheid Museum in South Africa, the British Anti-Apartheid Movement Archives, and the Southbank Centre.

The exhibition is based around six themes (Character, Comrade, Leader, Prisoner, Negotiator, Statesman), and is made up of information and photo panels, along with films and archive items from different periods of Nelson Mandela’s life. Their Royal Highnesses will tour the exhibition and at each themed panel will meet people associated with the exhibition and with Mandela’s work including Andrew Mlangeni, who stood as an accused on charges of sabotage against the then apartheid government during the Rivonia Trials in 1938, and spent 26 years imprisoned on Robben Island. Thembi Tambo, the South Africa High Commissioner to the UK and daughter of anti-apartheid politician Oliver Tambo, who was a close colleague of Mandela’s, will also be present.

Their Royal Highnesses will listen to speeches by Lord Peter Hain, Chair of The Nelson Mandela Centenary Committee, and Elaine Bedell, Chief Executive of Southbank Centre, before joining those present in celebrating the official opening of the exhibition that will launch two days ahead of Southbank Centre’s Africa Utopia festival (19th – 22nd July). The Nelson Mandela Centenary Exhibition will run at Southbank Centre from 17th July to 19th August.

The Duke of Cambridge will attend ceremony marking centenary of the Battle of Amiens

Wednesday 8th August, 2018

The Duke of Cambridge will attend a ceremony marking the centenary of the Battle of Amiens on Wednesday 8th August. The ceremony will be held at Amiens Cathedral in Amiens, France. The visit is being undertaken at the request of Her Majesty’s Government.

Further details will be advised.

HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN, COLONEL-IN-CHIEF, WILL PRESENT A NEW STANDARD TO THE ROYAL SCOTS DRAGOON GUARDS (CARABINIERS AND GREYS) 

LEUCHARS STATION, FIFE

Thursday, 5th July, 2018

Her Majesty The Queen, Colonel-in-Chief, will present a New Standard to the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards (Carabiniers and Greys) at Leuchars Station, Fife on Thursday 5th July.

On the Parade Ground, Her Majesty will be met by His Royal Highness The Duke of Kent, Deputy Colonel-in-Chief, before inspecting the Parade from the State Review Range Rover. Prayers and Consecration of the New Standard will follow the Parade inspection before Her Majesty presents the New Standard. Her Majesty will make a speech before a Royal Salute, the National Anthem, Three Cheers and Regiment March Past.

Following the Parade, The Queen will view a display of equipment and vehicles and meet families.  Afterwards, there will be a Reception and private luncheon.  Her Majesty will sign the Visitors’ Book and receive a gift and posy before departing. The Queen will depart the Station by car, through Leuchars, following the Pipes and Drums of the Regiment.