The Monarchy Today > Queen and public > Royal visits

The Queen visits a Chinese community centre
© Press Association

VISITS IN THE UK

Each year The Queen and other members of the Royal Family pay nearly 3,000 visits throughout the United Kingdom.

Official functions often feature prominently in such visits, including opening new buildings, meeting local dignitaries and visiting businesses, schools, hospitals and other public buildings as well as community schemes, military units and charities.

As patrons of over 3,200 charities, members of the Royal Family also visit a large number of charity organisations and projects each year.

But Royal visits are increasingly less formal affairs. While visits may still involve an opening ceremony, a lunch or a tree planting, many also involve a chance to meet people doing their jobs, take part in a demonstration of technology or chat to children.

Since the 1970s ‘walkabouts’ through town centres or shopping areas have allowed members of the Royal Family a chance to meet more people during their visits.

Engagements for The Queen are carefully selected from a large number of invitations by her Private Secretaries in conjunction with the Lord Lieutenants. These are The Queen’s representatives in counties throughout the United Kingdom.


	The Queen visits a Chinese community centre © Press Association VISITS IN THE UK Each year The Queen and other members of the Royal Family pay nearly 3,000 visits throughout the United Kingdom. Official functions often feature prominently in such visits, including opening new buildings, meeting local dignitaries and visiting businesses, schools, hospitals and other public buildings as well as community schemes, military units and charities. As patrons of over 3,200 charities, members of the Royal Family also visit a large number of charity organisations and projects each year. But Royal visits are increasingly less formal affairs. While visits may still involve an opening ceremony, a lunch or a tree planting, many also involve a chance to meet people doing their jobs, take part in a demonstration of technology or chat to children. Since the 1970s ‘walkabouts’ through town centres or shopping areas have allowed members of the Royal Family a chance to meet more people during their visits. Engagements for The Queen are carefully selected from a large number of invitations by her Private Secretaries in conjunction with the Lord Lieutenants. These are The Queen’s representatives in counties throughout the United Kingdom.
	The Queen has visited every part of the UK, from Shetland in the north to the Scilly Isles in the far south. The Queen’s visits have included: The sets of soap operas Coronation Street, Eastenders and Emmerdale; A council flat in Glasgow; A Welsh power station; A mosque, a Hindu temple and a Sikh temple; A London bus depot. This ensures that her programme is balanced in its geographical spread, and that The Queen meets the widest range of people in different regions in the time available to her. The Private Secretary’s Office liaises with the households of other members of the Royal Family. This helps to co-ordinate their official engagements and achieve the most effective pattern of Royal visits throughout the country. One regular fixture is ‘Holyrood week’, which normally takes place at the start of July each year. During this week, The Queen and members of the Royal Family stay at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh, where The Queen usually holds an Investiture, hosts a garden party and undertakes a number of engagements in Scotland. The Private Secretary’s Office Profile of the work of The Queen’s office The Palace of Holyroodhouse The Queen’s official Scottish residence SUGGESTED LINKS www.loremipsum.com www.loremipsum.com www.loremipsum.com