The Heir of Luxembourg to Marry

On the 26th of April 2012, it was announced that Prince Guillaume Hereditary Grand Duke of Luxembourg is engaged to Countess Stéphanie de Lannoy. The Prince and Countess then attend a banquet in honour of their announcement at the Ducal Palace. The couple have been dating for nearly two years.

New Lord-Lieutenant of Nottinghamshire

On the 17th of April 2012, Sir John Peace DL was appointed by the Queen to become Lord-Lieutenant of Nottinghamshire when Sir Andrew Buchanan Bt KCVO retires on the 21st of July 2012.

New Deputy Lieutenants of the County of Somerset

On the 17th of April 2012, Lady Gass, Lord-Lieutenant of Somerset commissioned the following to become Deputy Lieutenants of the County of Somerset.

Mr Neil Francis Dowdney Esq TD

Brigadier David Hugh Godsal MBE

Ms Clare Margaret Jordan

Lieutenant-Colonel Michael John Richard Motum

Rear-Admiral Benjamin Brian Perowne CB

The Hon Thomas Fletcher Rees-Mogg

The Duchess of Cornwall Awarded GCVO

On the 9th of April 2012, Her Majesty the Queen appointed HRH The Duchess of Cornwall Dame Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order (GCVO) for her Service as a member of the Royal family.

New Deputy Lieutenants of the City of Edinburgh

On the 12th of March 2012, George D W Grubb, Lord-Lieutenant of Edinburgh commissioned the following to become Deputy Lieutenants of the City of Edinburgh.

Mrs Moyra E McK Forrest

Mr John Lawrie OBE

Ms Bridget M Stevens

Queen Elizabeth’s Second Great Grandchild

On the 30th of March 2012, it was announced that Autumn Phillips has given birth to a baby girl at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital on the 29th of March. The baby’s name is Isla Elizabeth Phillips she weighed 7lb 4oz. Isla is currently 13th in line to the British Throne.

New Deputy Lieutenants of the County of Suffolk

On the 23rd of March 2012, Lord Tollemache KStJ JP, Lord-Lieutenant of Suffolk commissioned the following to become Deputy Lieutenants of the County of Suffolk.

James Kennedy Buckle Esq

Dr Michael Richard Lynch

Henry Clavering Tollemache Strutt Esq

New Deputy Lieutenants of the County of Gloucestershire

On the 23rd of March 2012, Dame Janet Trotter, Lord-Lieutenant of Gloucestershire commissioned the following to become Deputy Lieutenants of the County of Gloucestershire.

Mr Clive Lewis OBE

Professor Steven West

Mrs Shazia Riaz

New Deputy Lieutenants of the County of Norfolk

On the 19th of March 2012, Richard Jewson JP, Lord-Lieutenant of Norfolk commissioned the following to become Deputy Lieutenants of the County of Norfolk.

Mr Charles Barratt

Lord Dannatt GCB CBE MC

Miss Bryony Falkus

Mrs Holly Rawkins

Mrs Melinda Raker

Mr Nigel Savory

New Vice Lord Lieutenant for West Glamorgan

On the 19th of March 2012, Byron Lewis, Lord-Lieutenant of West Glamorgan appointed Dr Edward Morgan Roberts Vice Lord-Lieutenant of West Glamorgan.

New Deputy Lieutenants of the Royal County of Berkshire

On the 19th of March 2012, The Hon. Mrs Bayliss JP, Lord-Lieutenant of Berkshire commissioned the following to become Deputy Lieutenants of the Royal County of Berkshire.

Mr Simon Peter Carter

Mrs Jacqueline Doris Sylvia Ryder

General Sir Charles Redmond Watt KCB KCVO CBE

The King of Tonga Passed Away

On the 18th of March 2012, His Majesty King George Tupou the fifth passed away at the Queen Mary hospital in Pokfulam, Hong Kong aged 63. His Majesty had been undergoing treatment for cancer and had recently had surgery to remove one of his kidneys following the discovery of a tumour. King George succeeded his father Tāufaʻāhau Tupou the fourth in 2006. In 2008 King George started a program of reforms in Tonga passing much of the royal prerogatives to a democratically elected Prime Minister and Parliament. King George was much loved by the people of Tonga and will be greatly missed. The Tongan throne has now passed to King George’s younger brother Crown Prince Tupouto’a Lavaka.

New Lord Mayoralty

On the 14th of March 2012 Her Majesty the Queen honoured the city of Armagh in Northern Ireland with the title of Lord Mayor; this will allow Armagh City and District Council to elect a Councillor of the Council Lord Mayor instead of Mayor.

Queen Honours Towns

On the 14th of March 2012 Her Majesty the Queen honoured the following three towns with title of city.

Chelmsford in Essex

Perth in Perthshire

St Asaph in Denbighshire

The grant of city status is honorary and can only be awarded by the Queen, it gives the towns no additional power or funding.

New Deputy Lieutenants of North Yorkshire

On the 9th of March 2012, Lord Crathorne, Lord-Lieutenant of North Yorkshire commissioned the following to become Deputy Lieutenants of the North Yorkshire.

Lord Best OBE

Baroness Grey-Thompson DBE

Professor Graham Henderson CBE

Mrs Alexandra Holford

Dr Richard Shephard

Mr Simon Theakston

New Member of the United Kingdom Privy Council

On the 9th of March 2012, Her Majesty the Queen approved the following person member of Her Majesty’s most Honourable Privy Council.

Hon Lord Menzies

New Deputy Lieutenants of the West Midlands

On the 28th of February 2012, Mr Paul Sabapathy CBE, Lord-Lieutenant of the West Midlands commissioned the following to become Deputy Lieutenants of the West Midlands.

Professor David Eastwood

Mr David Stuart Frost CBE

Mr Christopher Peter Sims OBE QPM

Mrs Satinder Kaur Taunque

New Princess of Sweden

On the 23rd of February 2012 Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden gave birth to a baby girl at Karolinska University Hospital in Sweden. On the 24th of February King Carl XVI Gustaf announced the princess’s name is Estelle Silvia Ewa Mary and has been given the title Duchess of Östergötland the young princess is second in line to the Swedish throne behind her mother.

New Lord-Lieutenant of Bedfordshire

On the 22nd of February 2012, Helen Nellis became Lord-Lieutenant of Bedfordshire when Sir Samuel Whitbread KCVO retired after 21 years of Public service.

Royal Tours of 2012

Below outlines the upcoming royal tours abroad 

The Earl and Countess of Wessex will visit St Lucia, Barbados, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Grenada, Trinidad and Tobago, Montserrat, St Kitts and Nevis, Anguilla and Antigua and Barbuda from the 21st of February till the 7th of March.

Prince Harry of Wales will visit Belize from the 2nd of March till the 3rd of March The Bahamas from the 3rd of March till the 5th of March Jamaica from the 5th of March till the 8th of March and Brazil from the 9th till the 11th of March.

The Duke of Gloucester will visit the British Virgin Islands on the 5th of March.

The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall will visit Norway, Sweden and Denmark from the 20th of March till the 27th of March.