Court Circular | 9th March 2023

Buckingham Palace

His Excellency the Hon Philip Goff was received in audience by The King today upon his appointment as High Commissioner for New Zealand in London. Mrs Goff was also received by His Majesty. His Excellency the Hon Stephen Smith was received in audience by The King upon his appointment as High Commissioner for the Commonwealth of Australia in London. Ms Jane Seymour was also received by His Majesty. The King received Addresses from Privileged Bodies to which His Majesty was graciously pleased to make reply. These were: the General Synod of the Church of England, the University of Oxford, the University of Cambridge, the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, the Free Churches Group, the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), the City of London Corporation, the Corporation of the City of Edinburgh, the University of Edinburgh, the University of London, the University of St Andrews, the University of Glasgow, the University of Aberdeen, the Royal Society, the Greater London Authority, the Royal Academy of Arts, the Board of Deputies of British Jews and the Anglo-Jewish Association, the Governor and Company of the Bank of England, the Lieutenancy of the City of London, the Dean and Chapter of Westminster, the Dean and Chapter of St Paul’s Cathedral, the City of Westminster, the Corporation of the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, the Dean and Canons of St George’s Chapel, Windsor, the Royal County of Berkshire, the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales, and the Military Knights of Windsor. The King’s Body Guard of the Yeomen of the Guard was on duty. His Majesty afterwards held a Reception at Buckingham Palace for the Privileged Bodies. The King later visited the Animal and Plant Health Agency, Woodham Lane, New Haw, and was received by His Majesty’s LordLieutenant of Surrey (Mr Michael More-Molyneux), the Minister of State for Biosecurity (the Lord Benyon), the Chairman (Mr Christopher Nicholson) and Mr David Holdsworth (Chief Executive). His Majesty received briefings on the work of the Agency and visited the Avian Influenza Virology High Containment Laboratory and the Genome Mapping Laboratory, before visiting the Library and meeting members of staff and scientists. The Queen Consort this morning visited the British Racing School, Snailwell Road, Newmarket, to mark their Fortieth Anniversary and was received by His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Cambridgeshire (Mrs Julie Spence). Her Majesty, Patron, the British Sporting Art Trust, this afternoon visited Palace House, Palace Street, Newmarket, to unveil the Belvoir Huntsman painting and was received by the Hon Peter Stanley (Deputy Lieutenant of Suffolk).

Kensington Palace

The Prince and Princess of Wales this morning visited Hayes Muslim Centre, 3 Pump Lane, Hayes, Middlesex, and were received by Ms Manju Malhi (Deputy Lieutenant of Greater London).

St James’s Palace

The Earl of Wessex this morning visited Propstore, Great House Farm, Chenies, and was received by His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Hertfordshire (Mr Robert Voss). His Royal Highness this afternoon visited Ashridge House, Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, and planted a tree for The Queen’s Green Canopy. The Earl of Wessex, Patron, the Production Guild of Great Britain, later visited Sky Studios Elstree, Rowley Lane, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire. The Countess of Wessex this morning visited the Countryside Education Trust, Palace Lane, Beaulieu, and was received by the Hon Mary Montagu-Scott (Deputy Lieutenant of Hampshire). Her Royal Highness, Patron, Lions Clubs International, Multiple District 105, British Isles and Ireland, this afternoon planted trees for The Queen’s Green Canopy.

St James’s Palace

The Princess Royal, Patron, Maritime UK, this evening attended the Annual Awards at DoubleTree by Hilton Hull, 24 Ferensway, Kingston Upon Hull, and was received by Her Majesty’s LordLieutenant of the East Riding of Yorkshire (Mr James Dick).

Kensington Palace

The Duke of Gloucester, Grand Prior, the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem, this evening attended the Installation Dinner of the Prior of the Priory of England and the Islands at St John’s Gate, 26 St John’s Lane, London EC1. The Duchess of Gloucester, Royal Patron, Missing People, this evening attended the “Night of Light” Gala Dinner at the Pan Pacific Hotel, Houndsditch, London EC3, to celebrate the Thirtieth Anniversary

Daisy Leiter (later Countess of Suffolk and Berkshire), 1903

Daisy Leiter, Later Margaret Hyde, 19th Countess of Suffolk (1898). John Singer Sargent (American, 1856-1925). Oil on canvas. English Heritage - Kenwood House.

Whilst visiting her sister, Mary Curzon, in India for the 1903 Delhi Durbar celebrations, Daisy met the Viceroy's aide-de-camp, Henry Howard, 19th Earl of Suffolk and 12th Earl of Berkshire. The Earl was known to be short of money and the New York Times noted when reporting on the engagement that the Earl's 'estate [Charlton Park] ... in Wiltshire will be restored to the glory of its former days.’ In her final years, Daisy became a helicopter enthusiast, flying from her Cornish home to her suite at the Ritz.

Court Circular | 26th January 2023

Sandringham, Norfolk

The King this afternoon visited the Africa Centre, 66-68 Great Suffolk Street, London SE1, and was received by His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Greater London (Sir Kenneth Olisa), the Chairman (Mr Oba Nsugbe) and Councillor Michael Situ (Deputy Mayor of the London Borough of Southwark). His Majesty met the trustees and members of staff, before hearing about the Centre’s work and viewing an exhibition on Africa’s climate and attending a Reception. The Queen Consort, Commodore-in-Chief, Royal Navy Medical Services, this afternoon received Surgeon Commodore Fleur Marshall upon relinquishing her appointment as Medical Director General (Navy) and Commodore Alison Hofman upon assuming the appointment. Her Majesty, Commodore-in-Chief, Royal Navy Medical Services, afterwards held a Reception at Buckingham Palace.

Kensington Palace

The Prince and Princess of Wales this morning visited Windsor Foodshare, Dedworth Green Baptist Church, Smiths Lane, Windsor, Berkshire. The Prince of Wales, President, the Earthshot Prize, this afternoon visited finalists attending a training session in Windsor Great Park. The Princess of Wales, Joint Patron, the Royal Foundation of The Prince and Princess of Wales, this afternoon held an Early Years Meeting.

St James’s Palace

The Countess of Wessex this morning received the Lord Benyon (Minister of State for Biosecurity, Marine and Rural Affairs). Her Royal Highness this afternoon received the Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon (Prime Minister’s Special Representative on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict).