The British Monarchy

A student explains his information technology studies to The Queen, during her visit to Kingsbury High School, London, in March 1997 when she launched the Royal Web site
© Edmond Terakopian, Harrow Observer

Afternoon

In the afternoons, The Queen frequently goes out on public engagements. Such visits require meticulous planning beforehand to meet the hosts' requirements. The Queen prepares for each visit by briefing herself on whom she will be meeting and what she will be seeing and doing. These engagements are carefully selected from a large number of invitations (around 1,000 invitations are sent to The Queen each year) by the Private Secretaries in conjunction with the Lord-Lieutenants (The Queen's representatives in counties throughout the United Kingdom) to ensure the widest possible spread and to make effective use of The Queen's time.

If the engagement is outside London, her journeys are often by air and usually in a Royal Squadron aircraft. The Queen carries out around 470 engagements (including Audiences) a year, to meet people, open events and buildings, unveil plaques and make speeches. Such engagements can include visits to schools, hospitals, factories, military units, art galleries, sheltered accommodation for elderly people, hostels for the homeless, local community schemes in inner city areas, and other organisations.

The Queen regularly goes out for the whole day to a particular region or city. If the visit is a busy one, or if it lasts more than a day, then The Queen will travel overnight on the Royal Train to ensure an early start. The Duke of Edinburgh will often accompany The Queen on such visits; when this happens, they will carry out some engagements jointly and others separately to ensure that the maximum number of people and organisations can be visited.

The Queen has a weekly meeting alone with the Prime Minister, when they are both in London (in addition to other meetings throughout the year). This usually takes place on Tuesdays at 18.30. No written record is made of such meetings; neither The Queen nor the Prime Minister talk about what is discussed between them, as communications between The Queen and the Prime Minister always remain confidential.