Court Circular
Encyclopedia
The Court Circular is the official record that lists the engagements carried out by the Monarch
of the United Kingdom
and of the other Commonwealth Realms; the Royal Family
; and appointments to their staff and to the court. It is issued by Buckingham Palace
and printed a day in arrears at the back of the The Times
, The Daily Telegraph
and The Scotsman
newspapers. An archive of the circular back to 1998 is provided on the British monarchy's website.
The circular is traditionally written in very formal language, and describes persons with their official styles and titles at all times (Michael Ancram
, for instance, was referred to as "the Marquess of Lothian MP" from 2004 to 2010). There has, however, been some modernisation of the writing style in recent years.
. The King had become irritated by the press at that time, who frequently reported false movements of the Royal Family. Therefore the King created an official circular to all the press that listed the engagements carried out by his family.
. Only engagements which are carried out by the Queen (or in the UK on the Queen's behalf) are listed. Certain engagements carried out in the UK by non-Royals on the Queen's behalf are also listed.
Note that the Duke of York, the Earl and Countess of Wessex and the Princess Royal do not actually reside permanently at Buckingham Palace
. However, their offices are based there, and they have use of apartments at the Palaces as a London residence.
Prince
and Princess Michael of Kent
do not appear in the Court Circular as they never carry out official royal engagements on behalf of the Queen.
Likewise Princess Beatrice
and Princess Eugenie of York
do not carry out official royal engagements and do not appear on the Court Circular. However, it is likely that they will do in the future, and will appear in order of precedence among the list above. Prince William began carrying out royal duties in July 2005, and was listed for the first time in his own right on 2 July for representing the Queen at a war memorial service in New Zealand
.
Vice Admiral
Sir Tim Laurence
is usually listed as accompanying his wife, the Princess Royal, on visits overseas and within the United Kingdom.
or hotel where she is staying is listed in the Court Circular as her residence. This differs from State Visits
to foreign countries where either the official residence of the foreign Head of State
, or whichever hotel the Queen is staying at; or simply Buckingham Palace.
When other members of the Royal Family visit one of the Commonwealth Realms, their UK principal residence is listed.
There is no separate Court Circular for any of the Commonwealth Realms outside the UK. The Court Circular only lists engagements carried out by the Queen, and not engagements carried out by others acting on her behalf outside the UK, for example by vice-regal officers such as Governor
s or Governors-General
.
Monarch
A monarch is the person who heads a monarchy. This is a form of government in which a state or polity is ruled or controlled by an individual who typically inherits the throne by birth and occasionally rules for life or until abdication...
of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and of the other Commonwealth Realms; the Royal Family
British Royal Family
The British Royal Family is the group of close relatives of the monarch of the United Kingdom. The term is also commonly applied to the same group of people as the relations of the monarch in her or his role as sovereign of any of the other Commonwealth realms, thus sometimes at variance with...
; and appointments to their staff and to the court. It is issued by Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace, in London, is the principal residence and office of the British monarch. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is a setting for state occasions and royal hospitality...
and printed a day in arrears at the back of the The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
, The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Arthur B...
and The Scotsman
The Scotsman
The Scotsman is a British newspaper, published in Edinburgh.As of August 2011 it had an audited circulation of 38,423, down from about 100,000 in the 1980s....
newspapers. An archive of the circular back to 1998 is provided on the British monarchy's website.
The circular is traditionally written in very formal language, and describes persons with their official styles and titles at all times (Michael Ancram
Michael Ancram
Michael Andrew Foster Jude Kerr, 13th Marquess of Lothian, PC, QC , known as Michael Ancram, is a United Kingdom Conservative Party politician. He is a member of the House of Lords, former Member of Parliament, and a former member of the Shadow Cabinet...
, for instance, was referred to as "the Marquess of Lothian MP" from 2004 to 2010). There has, however, been some modernisation of the writing style in recent years.
History
The Court Circular was first established by King George IIIGeorge III of the United Kingdom
George III was King of Great Britain and King of Ireland from 25 October 1760 until the union of these two countries on 1 January 1801, after which he was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland until his death...
. The King had become irritated by the press at that time, who frequently reported false movements of the Royal Family. Therefore the King created an official circular to all the press that listed the engagements carried out by his family.
Structure
The Court Circular follows royal protocols very strictly. Announcements in the circular are listed by the official residences of the Royals, in precedenceOrder of precedence
An order of precedence is a sequential hierarchy of nominal importance of items. Most often it is used in the context of people by many organizations and governments...
. Only engagements which are carried out by the Queen (or in the UK on the Queen's behalf) are listed. Certain engagements carried out in the UK by non-Royals on the Queen's behalf are also listed.
Present day
Today, the following members of the Royal Family are listed in the Court Circular:| Name | Residences | Styled |
|---|---|---|
| Elizabeth II | Buckingham Palace Buckingham Palace Buckingham Palace, in London, is the principal residence and office of the British monarch. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is a setting for state occasions and royal hospitality... Windsor Castle Windsor Castle Windsor Castle is a medieval castle and royal residence in Windsor in the English county of Berkshire, notable for its long association with the British royal family and its architecture. The original castle was built after the Norman invasion by William the Conqueror. Since the time of Henry I it... Sandringham House Sandringham House Sandringham House is a country house on of land near the village of Sandringham in Norfolk, England. The house is privately owned by the British Royal Family and is located on the royal Sandringham Estate, which lies within the Norfolk Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.-History and current... Balmoral Castle Balmoral Castle Balmoral Castle is a large estate house in Royal Deeside, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It is located near the village of Crathie, west of Ballater and east of Braemar. Balmoral has been one of the residences of the British Royal Family since 1852, when it was purchased by Queen Victoria and her... Holyrood Palace Holyrood Palace The Palace of Holyroodhouse, commonly referred to as Holyrood Palace, is the official residence of the monarch in Scotland. The palace stands at the bottom of the Royal Mile in Edinburgh, at the opposite end to Edinburgh Castle... Various Government House Government House Government House is the name of many of the residences of Governors-General, Governors and Lieutenant-Governors in the Commonwealth and the remaining colonies of the British Empire. It serves as the venue for the Governor's official business, as well as the many receptions and functions hosted by... s |
The Queen |
| The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh is the husband of Elizabeth II. He is the United Kingdom's longest-serving consort and the oldest serving spouse of a reigning British monarch.... |
Buckingham Palace Buckingham Palace Buckingham Palace, in London, is the principal residence and office of the British monarch. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is a setting for state occasions and royal hospitality... Windsor Castle Windsor Castle Windsor Castle is a medieval castle and royal residence in Windsor in the English county of Berkshire, notable for its long association with the British royal family and its architecture. The original castle was built after the Norman invasion by William the Conqueror. Since the time of Henry I it... Sandringham House Sandringham House Sandringham House is a country house on of land near the village of Sandringham in Norfolk, England. The house is privately owned by the British Royal Family and is located on the royal Sandringham Estate, which lies within the Norfolk Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.-History and current... Balmoral Castle Balmoral Castle Balmoral Castle is a large estate house in Royal Deeside, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It is located near the village of Crathie, west of Ballater and east of Braemar. Balmoral has been one of the residences of the British Royal Family since 1852, when it was purchased by Queen Victoria and her... Holyrood Palace Holyrood Palace The Palace of Holyroodhouse, commonly referred to as Holyrood Palace, is the official residence of the monarch in Scotland. The palace stands at the bottom of the Royal Mile in Edinburgh, at the opposite end to Edinburgh Castle... |
The Duke of Edinburgh, then His Royal Highness |
| The Prince Charles, Prince of Wales Charles, Prince of Wales Prince Charles, Prince of Wales is the heir apparent and eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Since 1958 his major title has been His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales. In Scotland he is additionally known as The Duke of Rothesay... |
Clarence House Clarence House Clarence House is a royal home in London, situated on The Mall, in the City of Westminster. It is attached to St. James's Palace and shares the palace's garden. For nearly 50 years, from 1953 to 2002, it was home to Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, but is since then the official residence of The... 1996–2002: St James's Palace ?–1996: Kensington Palace Kensington Palace Kensington Palace is a royal residence set in Kensington Gardens in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in London, England. It has been a residence of the British Royal Family since the 17th century and is the official London residence of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, the Duke and... |
The Prince of Wales (in Scotland: The Prince Charles, Duke of Rothesay), then His Royal Highness |
| Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall | Clarence House Clarence House Clarence House is a royal home in London, situated on The Mall, in the City of Westminster. It is attached to St. James's Palace and shares the palace's garden. For nearly 50 years, from 1953 to 2002, it was home to Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, but is since then the official residence of The... |
The Duchess of Cornwall (in Scotland: The Duchess of Rothesay), then Her Royal Highness |
| Prince William, Duke of Cambridge | St James's Palace until July 2009: Clarence House Clarence House Clarence House is a royal home in London, situated on The Mall, in the City of Westminster. It is attached to St. James's Palace and shares the palace's garden. For nearly 50 years, from 1953 to 2002, it was home to Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, but is since then the official residence of The... |
The Duke of Cambridge, then His Royal Highness |
| Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge | St James's Palace | The Duchess of Cambridge, then Her Royal Highness |
| Prince Harry of Wales Prince Harry of Wales Prince Henry of Wales , commonly known as Prince Harry, is the younger son of Charles, Prince of Wales and the late Diana, Princess of Wales, and fourth grandchild of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh... |
St James's Palace until July 2009: Clarence House Clarence House Clarence House is a royal home in London, situated on The Mall, in the City of Westminster. It is attached to St. James's Palace and shares the palace's garden. For nearly 50 years, from 1953 to 2002, it was home to Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, but is since then the official residence of The... |
Prince Henry of Wales then His Royal Highness |
| The Prince Andrew, Duke of York Prince Andrew, Duke of York Prince Andrew, Duke of York KG GCVO , is the second son, and third child of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh... |
Buckingham Palace Buckingham Palace Buckingham Palace, in London, is the principal residence and office of the British monarch. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is a setting for state occasions and royal hospitality... |
The Duke of York, then His Royal Highness |
| The Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex KG GCVO is the third son and fourth child of Elizabeth II and The Duke of Edinburgh... |
Buckingham Palace Buckingham Palace Buckingham Palace, in London, is the principal residence and office of the British monarch. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is a setting for state occasions and royal hospitality... |
The Earl of Wessex, then His Royal Highness |
| Sophie, Countess of Wessex | Buckingham Palace Buckingham Palace Buckingham Palace, in London, is the principal residence and office of the British monarch. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is a setting for state occasions and royal hospitality... |
The Countess of Wessex, then Her Royal Highness |
| The Princess Anne, Princess Royal Anne, Princess Royal Princess Anne, Princess Royal , is the only daughter of Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh... |
Buckingham Palace Buckingham Palace Buckingham Palace, in London, is the principal residence and office of the British monarch. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is a setting for state occasions and royal hospitality... |
The Princess Royal, then Her Royal Highness |
| Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester is a member of the British Royal Family. Prince Richard is the youngest grandchild of King George V and Queen Mary. He has been Duke of Gloucester since his father's death in 1974. He is currently 20th in the line of succession... |
Kensington Palace Kensington Palace Kensington Palace is a royal residence set in Kensington Gardens in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in London, England. It has been a residence of the British Royal Family since the 17th century and is the official London residence of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, the Duke and... |
The Duke of Gloucester, then His Royal Highness |
| Birgitte, Duchess of Gloucester | Kensington Palace Kensington Palace Kensington Palace is a royal residence set in Kensington Gardens in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in London, England. It has been a residence of the British Royal Family since the 17th century and is the official London residence of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, the Duke and... |
The Duchess of Gloucester, then Her Royal Highness |
| Prince Edward, Duke of Kent Prince Edward, Duke of Kent The Duke of Kent graduated from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst on 29 July 1955 as a Second Lieutenant in the Royal Scots Greys, the beginning of a military career that would last over 20 years. He was promoted to captain on 29 July 1961. The Duke of Kent saw service in Hong Kong from 1962–63... |
St James's Palace | The Duke of Kent, then His Royal Highness |
| Katharine, Duchess of Kent | St James's Palace | The Duchess of Kent, then Her Royal Highness |
| Princess Alexandra, The Hon Lady Ogilvy Princess Alexandra, The Honourable Lady Ogilvy Princess Alexandra, The Honourable Lady Ogilvy is the youngest granddaughter of King George V of the United Kingdom and Mary of Teck. She is the widow of Sir Angus Ogilvy... |
Thatched House Lodge Thatched House Lodge Thatched House Lodge is a royal residence in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames in London, England.The main house has six reception rooms and six bedrooms, and it stands in four acres of grounds. The gardens include an eighteenth-century two-room thatched summer house which gave the main... , Richmond |
Princess Alexandra, then Her Royal Highness |
Note that the Duke of York, the Earl and Countess of Wessex and the Princess Royal do not actually reside permanently at Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace, in London, is the principal residence and office of the British monarch. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is a setting for state occasions and royal hospitality...
. However, their offices are based there, and they have use of apartments at the Palaces as a London residence.
Prince
Prince Michael of Kent
Prince Michael of Kent is a grandson of King George V and Queen Mary, making him a cousin of Queen Elizabeth II. He is also the first cousin once removed of Prince Phillip. Prince Michael occasionally carries out royal duties representing the Queen at some functions in Commonwealth realms outside...
and Princess Michael of Kent
Princess Michael of Kent
Princess Michael of Kent is an Austrian-Hungarian member of the British Royal Family. She is married to Prince Michael of Kent, who is a grandson of King George V....
do not appear in the Court Circular as they never carry out official royal engagements on behalf of the Queen.
Likewise Princess Beatrice
Princess Beatrice of York
Princess Beatrice of York is the elder daughter of Prince Andrew, Duke of York, and Sarah, Duchess of York...
and Princess Eugenie of York
Princess Eugenie of York
Princess Eugenie of York Eugenie Victoria Helena; born 23 March 1990) is the younger daughter of Prince Andrew, Duke of York, and Sarah, Duchess of York...
do not carry out official royal engagements and do not appear on the Court Circular. However, it is likely that they will do in the future, and will appear in order of precedence among the list above. Prince William began carrying out royal duties in July 2005, and was listed for the first time in his own right on 2 July for representing the Queen at a war memorial service in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
.
Vice Admiral
Vice Admiral (Royal Navy)
Vice admiral is a flag officer rank of the British Royal Navy. It equates to the NATO rank code OF-8 and is immediately superior to rear admiral and is subordinate to the full admiral rank.The Royal Navy has had vice admirals since at least the 16th century...
Sir Tim Laurence
Timothy Laurence
Vice Admiral Sir Timothy James Hamilton Laurence, KCVO, CB, ADC is a senior British naval officer and the second husband of HRH The Princess Royal, the only daughter of HM The Queen...
is usually listed as accompanying his wife, the Princess Royal, on visits overseas and within the United Kingdom.
Commonwealth Realms
When the Queen is visiting one of the Commonwealth Realms, the relevant Government HouseGovernment House
Government House is the name of many of the residences of Governors-General, Governors and Lieutenant-Governors in the Commonwealth and the remaining colonies of the British Empire. It serves as the venue for the Governor's official business, as well as the many receptions and functions hosted by...
or hotel where she is staying is listed in the Court Circular as her residence. This differs from State Visits
State visit
A state visit is a formal visit by a foreign head of state to another nation, at the invitation of that nation's head of state. State visits are the highest form of diplomatic contact between two nations, and are marked by ceremonial pomp and diplomatic protocol. In parliamentary democracies, heads...
to foreign countries where either the official residence of the foreign Head of State
Head of State
A head of state is the individual that serves as the chief public representative of a monarchy, republic, federation, commonwealth or other kind of state. His or her role generally includes legitimizing the state and exercising the political powers, functions, and duties granted to the head of...
, or whichever hotel the Queen is staying at; or simply Buckingham Palace.
When other members of the Royal Family visit one of the Commonwealth Realms, their UK principal residence is listed.
There is no separate Court Circular for any of the Commonwealth Realms outside the UK. The Court Circular only lists engagements carried out by the Queen, and not engagements carried out by others acting on her behalf outside the UK, for example by vice-regal officers such as Governor
Governor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
s or Governors-General
Governor-General
A Governor-General, is a vice-regal person of a monarch in an independent realm or a major colonial circonscription. Depending on the political arrangement of the territory, a Governor General can be a governor of high rank, or a principal governor ranking above "ordinary" governors.- Current uses...
.
Events commonly listed in the Court Circular
- Investitures by the Queen, the Prince of Wales or the Princess Royal
- Privy council meetings attended by the Queen or a Counsellor of StateCounsellor of StateIn the United Kingdom, Counsellors of State are senior members of the British royal family to whom the Monarch, currently Elizabeth II, delegates certain state functions and powers when she is in another Commonwealth realm, abroad or unavailable for other reasons...
- Meetings (described as Audiences) typically between the Queen and either: the Prime Minister of the United KingdomPrime Minister of the United KingdomThe Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
, the Chancellor of the ExchequerChancellor of the ExchequerThe Chancellor of the Exchequer is the title held by the British Cabinet minister who is responsible for all economic and financial matters. Often simply called the Chancellor, the office-holder controls HM Treasury and plays a role akin to the posts of Minister of Finance or Secretary of the...
, the Lord President of the CouncilLord President of the CouncilThe Lord President of the Council is the fourth of the Great Officers of State of the United Kingdom, ranking beneath the Lord High Treasurer and above the Lord Privy Seal. The Lord President usually attends each meeting of the Privy Council, presenting business for the monarch's approval...
or the First Minister of ScotlandFirst Minister of ScotlandThe First Minister of Scotland is the political leader of Scotland and head of the Scottish Government. The First Minister chairs the Scottish Cabinet and is primarily responsible for the formulation, development and presentation of Scottish Government policy...
. - Royal engagements in the UK or abroad including the attendance of Her Majesty's Lord-Lieutenants or their deputies, the personal representatives of the Queen throughout the Isles and overseas
- Departures of members of the Royal Family from the UK to attend events abroad
- Engagements of the Chief of the Diplomatic Corps on behalf of the Queen (usually the bidding of farewell to departing ambassadors/high commissioners)
- Attendance of representatives of the Royal Family at memorial services