[Back in May  I promised to do this but have just found it in my Drafts folder when I thought I'd sent it.  If you've seen it before, my apologies.  If not, my apologies for the delay and I hope it's helpful.  It came out of a discussion about TNS entries being an odd mix of news and "trivia".  I was responding that actually they felt exactly right to me as they read rather like The Times which is a familiar paper to most UK citizens if they don't regularly read it]

As promised, I went up to our second floor to find some old issues of The Times and dig out the Court Circulars.

Find them here as images to see what they look like, or if you just want the text, see below.

(if that doesn't work, give me a shout, there are only five photos)

My comments:

- some of these really are banal and make the TNS entries look like Pulitzer prize winning journalism

- you can perhaps imagine the tedium from some of the descriptions... who'd want to be a noble?!  (e.g. The Countess of Wessex, President, Truro Christmas Primestock and Produce Society, this afternoon attended the Annual General Meeting at Probus Village Hall, Truro. )   (Funnily enough, given my last comment below, Truro is where my eldest daughter has gone to live and work).

- these are tucked away on a page just after the business section and before the sports section on a page that also includes births, deaths and marriages.  They are NOT similar to what might be front page news stories

- however outre I think some of the NPC names I come up with are, real life always beats me.  Dr. John Naazi Oliphant  - really?!

- while individually they're pretty inconsquential, they do build up to give moderately interesting pictures of bits and pieces of the UK and the lives of royals

- how likely is this... I randomly pick up half a dozen newspapers from a couple of weeks back and one of the entries mentions Gosport - my home town.  A small place of only 80,000 people and well off the beaten track!

tc

The Times April 30 2018

Windsor Castle

24th April, 2018

The Queen held a Council at 12.40pm.

There were present: the Rt. Hon. Andrea Leadsom MP (Lord President), the Baroness Evans of Bowes Park (Lord Privy Seal and Leader of the House of Lords), the Rt. Hon. Christopher Grayling MP (Secretary of State for Transport) and the Rt. Hon. Damian Hinds MP (Secretary of State for Education).

Mr. Richard TIlbrook was in attendance as Clerk of the Council.

The Rt. Hon. Andrea Leadsom MP had an audience of Her Majesty before the Council.

By command of The Queen, Mr. Alistair Harrison (Marshal of the Diplomatic Corps) called upon His Excellency Mr. Alexander Downer at Australia House, Strand, London WC2, this morning in order to bid farewell to His Excellency upon relinquishing his appointment as High Commissioner for the Commonwealth of Australia in London.

By command of Her Majesty, the Marshal of the Diplomatic Corps called upon His Excellency Dr. John Naazi Oliphant at 7 Chesham Place, London SW1, later in order to bid farewell to His Excellency upon relinquishing his appointment as High Commissioner for the Kingdom of Lesotho in London.

Buckingham Palace

24th April, 2018

The Duke of York, Colonel-in-Chief, The Yorkshire Regiment (14th/15th, 19th and 33rd/76 Foot), this morning presented Operational Service medals to the 2nd Battalion on their return from Afghanistan, at Richmond Castle and was received by Mr. Barry Dodd (Her Majesty's Lord-Lieutenant of North Yorkshire).

His Royal Highness later visited the Green Howards Museum, 19 Church Wynd, Richmond.

The Duke of York, Patron, this afternoon presented The Duke of York's Community Initiative awards in Sheffield Cathedral and was received by Mr. Andrew Coombe (Her Majesty's Lord-Lieutenant of South Yorkshire).

His Royal Highness this evening attended the United Kingdom-Papua New Guinea Trade and Investment Forum at GIbson Hall, 13 Bishopsgate, London EC2.

The Duke of York afterwards gave a Dinner for the Hon. Allen Chastanet (Prime Minister of Saint Lucia) at Boulestin, 5 st. James's Street, London SW1.

Buckingham Palace

24th April, 2018

The Earl of Wessex, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, The Duke of Edinburgh's International Award Foundation, this morning held a Meeting.

His Royal Highness, Past Master, the Worshipful Company of Gardners, this afternoon held a Meeting.

The Earl of Wessex, Patron, the National Youth Theatre of Great Britain, subsequently attended a rehearsal of The Fall at 443-445 Holloway Road, London N7.

His Royal Highness, Patron Tennis and Rackets Association, this evening attended a Dinner on the occasion of the Real Tennis World Championships, The Queen's Club, Palliser Road, London W14.

The Countess of Wessex this morning visited Tregassow Asparagus Farm, St. Erme, Truro, and was received by Her Majesty's Lord-Lieutenant of Cornwall (Colonel Edward Bolitho).

Her Royal Highness subsequently visited the Royal Cornwall Agricultural Association Mobile Educational Unit at Tregolls school, Chellow Road, Truro.

The Countess of Wessex, President, Truro Christmas Primestock and Produce Society, this afternoon attended the Annual General Meeting at Probus Village Hall, Truro.

Kensington Palace

24th April, 2018

The Duke of Gloucester this morning opened the newly renovated Eling Tide Mill Experience, Lexby Road, Totton, Southampton, and was received by Her Majesty's Lord-Lieutenant of Hampshire (Mr. Nigel Atkinson).

His Royal Highness this afternoon opened the Advanced Technology Centre at Eastleigh College, Chestnut Avenue, Eastleigh, and was received by Professor Khalid Aziz (Deputy Lieutenant of Hampshire).

The Duke of Gloucester, Vice Royal Patron, the Almshouse Association, later opened Lucas Court, Melrose Gardens, Gosport, and was received by Rear Admiral Iain Henderson (Vice Lord-Lieutenant of Hampshire).

St. James's Palace

24th April, 2018

The Duke of Kent, President, All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, today received Mr. Philip Brook (Chairman).

His Royal Highness, President, this evening attended a Dinner at Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies, 61 Whitehall, London SW1.

Buckingham Palace

30th April, 2018

The Duke of York today received Major General Benjamin Bathurst (General Officer Commanding London District and Major General Commanding the Household Division). 

His Royal Highness, Founder, xxxxxx@Palace, this afternoon received the Lord Marland (Chairman, Commonwealth Business Council).

The Duke of York received Mr Matthew Ryecroft (Permanent Secretary, Department for International Development).

Buckingham Palace

30th April, 2018

The Earl of Wessex, Chairman of the Trustees, The Prince Philip Trust Fund for the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, this afternoon chaired a Meeting at St George's House and this evening attended a Dinner in the Norman Tower, Windsor Castle.

Buckingham Palace

30th April, 2018

The Princess Royal this afternoon visited Thales United Kingdom, 1 Linthouse Road, Glasgow, to mark their Twenty Fifth Anniversary, and was received by Her Majesty's Lord-Lieutenant of the City of Glasgow (Councillor Eva Bolander, the Rt Hon the Lord Provost).

Her Royal Highness, Patron, the Royal College of Midwives, later opened Alongside Midwifery Unit at Wishaw General Hospital Maternity Unit, 50 Netherton Street, Wishaw, and was received by Her Majesty's Lord-Lieutenant of Lanarkshire (the Lady Haughey).

The Princess Royal afterwards opened Healthcare ENvironmental Group Limited' Waste to Energy Facility, Hassockrigg Eco Park, Shotts Road, Shotts, adn was received by Mr Gavin Whitefield (Vice Lord-Lieutenant of Lanarkshire).

St James's Palace

29th April, 2018

The Duke of Kent, Colonel, Scots Guards, this morning laid up the Old Colours of 2nd Battalion in the Guards' Chapel, Wellington Barracks, Birdcage Walk, London SW1