Information for members of the media seeking to cover Royal engagements overseas e.g. State visits
Buckingham Palace Press Office is responsible for ensuring that countries hosting State visits (or realms hosting Royal visits by their Sovereign) provide good media facilities and appropriate administrative arrangements for the British media covering the visit.
This is done in conjunction with the relevant British Embassy or High Commission; in the case of realms, arrangements are made in consultation with the federal and provincial government media co-ordinators.
In the planning of media facilities, no distinction is made between British media resident in the host country and those who travel out to cover the State visit from the UK. When numbers have to be restricted in pool positions, British media and local media from the host country are given equal treatment.
Media arrangements
Media from realms (countries where The Queen is Sovereign) are accommodated, where possible, within the British media arrangements. Media from third countries who have obtained accreditation from the host government are usually allocated places in open fixed positions, as demand for the pool positions is high from the British and host country media.
Media arrangements for all The Queen’s official visits overseas are made and supervised by The Queen’s Press Secretary; those for The Prince of Wales are made and implemented by Clarence House Press Office.
Media arrangements for overseas visits by other members of the Royal Family are made by Buckingham Palace Press Office in conjunction with the British Embassy or High Commission or the relevant charity (if the Royal overseas visit is linked entirely with a particular charity such as Save The Children).
When a Royal visit is of sufficient British media interest, someone from Buckingham Palace Press Office will accompany the Royal party, otherwise the British Embassy/High Commission/realm media co-ordinator will supervise the media facilities.
Once the reconnaissance visit has been made some time in advance of The Queen’s visit, the Press Secretary will issue an operational note covering accreditation, accommodation, transport within the host country, provision of a media centre(s), briefing arrangements, media facilities at each venue being visited by The Queen (and The Duke of Edinburgh if he is undertaking a separate programme), useful web sites, and other information regarding visas, health requirements, local customs and dress as appropriate.
Wherever possible, the costs of accommodation and transport are given, to enable the British media to reach an informed decision on covering the State Visit.
Accreditation
Applications by the British media to cover the visit are made to the host government through the British Embassy/High Commission, in a format and deadline laid down by the host country, and copied to Buckingham Palace Press Office.
Applications by freelance journalists or photographers are only accepted if they can be vouched for by a recognised media organisation. Unaccredited media will not be able to gain access to pool positions.
Most host countries will issue media passes which are valid for the whole of the visit, with additional passes being issued for specific events/venues.
Accommodation
At the request of Buckingham Palace Press Office, the British Embassy/High Commission or the realm media co-ordinator will make a hotel block booking with a booking deadline for the British media in the capital city, and usually for other locations where the media may have to stay overnight. Individual booking confirmations and accommodation payments must be made by the media themselves.
A conference room in the media’s hotel is usually used as the media centre for the visit; if individual rooms do not have sufficient power or internet connections, then additional lines are sometimes provided in the media centre if technically possible.
Transport
Visiting British media are normally responsible for their own travel to where the State Visit begins and ends. The visit organisers usually book land transport to meet a pre-booked flight to and from the country concerned, and to move the British media around between venues during the Visit. Sometimes this transport is provided free of charge, sometimes the British media will be asked to pay on a per capita basis.
If internal flights or water/rail transport are required during the State Visit, then block bookings are made with the media being responsible for payment.
Briefing arrangements
The Press Secretary will usually issue an outline programme with a list of proposed pool sizes to accompany the operational note; both are issued on a ‘not for publication’ basis to assist the media with their planning.
The host government is responsible for releasing information about the programme and the media facilities in agreement with the Press Secretary, and the information is usually announced simultaneously in London and the host capital.
The Press Secretary for the visit will usually travel out ahead of the Royal party, in order to brief separately in advance the British media and the host country media.
These and subsequent briefings are done with the host media co-ordinator (usually a press officer from the Embassy/High Commission or realm), and cover pooling, transport and related issues.
Press packs giving details of the country being visited and its bilateral relations with the UK, the media schedule of main events, logistic details such as transport schedules and maps, brief outlines of the organisations and venues being visited, and list of useful telephone numbers, are also issued at this first briefing before the State Visit begins.
Pooling
Pools are usually arranged at most venues, for space, security or other reasons. Buckingham Palace Press Office and the host media co-ordinator will decide the sizes of the pools, and do their best to ensure that television/radio, photographers from papers and a range of agencies, and reporters can be represented on each pool.
The British media generally appoint their own pool captain or captains, to allocate the pool passes amongst themselves.
Pools are usually located in fixed positions, although moving pools are used on walkabouts. If security, or lack of The Queen’s visibility to the public from the host country, makes moving pools difficult, then a series of fixed points will be arranged for the media along The Queen’s route.
The guidelines on photography and filming during State Visits are the same as those for visits in the UK.
Speeches
Texts of speeches by The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh are issued under embargo at the venue before their arrival, to enable checking against delivery. The Queen normally delivers her speeches in English, and any written translations of her speeches are the responsibility of the Embassy/High Commission. Speeches are also available on this web site soon after they have been delivered.
Media reception
The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh like to have the opportunity early in their overseas programme to meet representatives of the media covering their visit.
This is either a reception specifically for the accredited British and host country media, or they are invited to attend a larger reception if the State Visit programme is particularly busy.
This reception is not a press conference, and no cameras are used. All conversation is regarded as entirely off-the-record and not for use in the media; however, the reception does provide an opportunity for those who will be writing about, or photographing, the Royal visitors to form a first-hand impression.
Attire for journalists covering Royal engagements
Journalists wishing to cover Royal engagements, whether in the United Kingdom or abroad, should comply with the dress code on formal occasions out of respect for the guests of The Queen, or any other member of the Royal Family.
Smart attire for men includes the wearing of a jacket and tie, and for women a trouser or skirt suit. Those wearing jeans or trainers will not be admitted and casually dressed members of the media will be turned away. This also applies to technicians.