THE KING WILL UNDERTAKE ENGAGEMENTS IN LONDON
Wednesday 23rd November 2022
Engagement 1:
The King, Royal Bencher at the Honourable Society of Gray’s Inn, will visit the society and hear more about their work to support, educate, and develop both aspiring and practising barrister members.
His Majesty will meet staff, students and barristers in the Hall before touring the grounds, where the King will meet garden staff and students from the new City Junior School which is based within their grounds, The Honourable Society of Gray’s Inn, 8 South Square London WC1.
On arrival at Gray’s Inn His Majesty will be met by the Treasurer of Gray’s Inn Sir Peter Gross, the Vice Treasurer, Lady Justice Nicola Davies, and the Under Treasurer, Brigadier Stephen Cartwright.
His Majesty will then move to the Small Pension Room where he will meet Masters of the Bench (Benchers form the governing body of Gray’s Inn).
Hanging over the fireplace in the room is a portrait of the King, which was commissioned by the Honourable Society of Gray’s Inn to commemorate His Majesty’s status as Royal Bencher, to which he was appointed in 1975. The portrait was completed in 1979.
The King will then meet staff, students and barristers in Gray’s Inn Hall. Many of the students are undertaking post-graduate studies in order to be called to the Bar and will benefit from compulsory and supplementary education from the Inn throughout their career journey. Some of these students are recipients of scholarships from the Inn, including one of their first undergraduate scholars. Finally, His Majesty will tour the gardens before meeting children from the local school based within the society’s grounds.
Engagement 2:
The King will visit the Grade I listed North Wing of St Bartholomew’s Hospital to recognise the success of Barts Heritage for their Sharing Historic Barts project. His Majesty will meet supporters of the project as well as some of the specialist craftspeople and conservators who will undertake the restoration works. The building is about to undergo a three-year restoration project starting in 2023, the 900th anniversary year of St Bartholomew’s Hospital.
During the visit His Majesty will also meet frontline NHS staff, nurses, therapists, and support staff including porters and security. The King will be told about the clinical projects that the hospital plans to mark the 900th anniversary. St Bartholomew’s Hospital, West Smithfield, London EC1.
On arrival at the hospital, the King will be met by Will Palin, Chief Executive of Barts Heritage, who will introduce His Majesty to some of the specialists and craftspeople who will undertake the sensitive restoration of the Grade I-listed North Wing, including the conservation of vast canvasses by William Hogarth on the Hogarth Stair.
His Majesty will be shown the spectacular Great Hall where he will meet project supporters, before cutting a celebratory cake to mark the successful campaign that will enable the much-needed restoration work to start in 2023.
The King will meet frontline staff from the hospital and hear about other important projects that are part of the hospital’s 900th anniversary campaign including a new centre of excellence for breast cancer surgery, which is being supported through Barts Charity. His Majesty will also be introduced to some breast cancer patients, before departing.
https://www.bartshealth.nhs.uk/st-bartholomews
Engagement 3:
The King will visit the Goldsmiths’ Centre where he will be introduced to young people on the Goldsmiths’ Centre’s Foundation and Goldsmiths’ Company Apprenticeship programmes, and their silversmithing community. His Majesty will learn about their work, silversmithing, training, education and skills transfer.
The King will also hallmark a piece of processional cross commissioned by the Goldsmiths’ Company on behalf of the King when Prince of Wales, and created using the silversmithing skills being taught to many of the young people he will meet. The Goldsmiths’ Centre, 42 Britton Street, London EC1.
His Majesty will be greeted by the Prime Warden Lord Bridges, the Chair of Trustees Edward Braham, the CEO/Clerk of the Goldsmiths’ Company Sir David Reddaway, and the Director of the Goldsmiths’ Centre Peter Taylor.
The King will tour the workshop in the Goldsmiths’ Centre where he will meet ten Foundation Programme trainees, all working at their benches. His Majesty will view their work and hear about the silversmithing skills they are learning.
The King will then move to the Conference Room to meet 2022 World Skills Competition contestants, Goldsmiths’ Company Apprentices and beneficiaries who have received grants from the Goldsmiths’ Centre or exhibited in its public programme. Sophie Welch, a Foundation Programme alumnus, will present a handmade gold-plated pin to the King, which celebrates the tenth anniversary of the Goldsmiths’ Centre.
His Majesty will continue to the Exhibition Room, where he will hallmark a piece of the commissioned cross.
