TL;DR
The Court Circular is the official daily record of engagements undertaken by working royals. It has been published since 1803 and appears in the major UK newspapers each day. Royal.uk also carries the full text.
The Court Circular is the official daily record of engagements undertaken by working members of the royal family. It has been published every day since 1803, originally as a corrective to inaccurate newspaper reporting of royal events, and now appears in the major UK newspapers each day alongside the version on royal.uk.
How the Court Circular is compiled
Each royal household submits the previous day's engagements to the Royal Communications team. The entries follow a standard format covering the royal involved, the engagement, the location and the host organisation.
The Court Circular is published as a single document covering all working royals. Personal engagements such as private visits and holidays are not included; only official engagements feature.
Where to find the Court Circular
The Court Circular appears in the Court & Social section of the Times and the Telegraph. Royal.uk publishes the same text under the Court Circular page and updates each working day.
The Royal Communications team also makes the Court Circular available to international media through the Press Association. Historic Court Circulars are archived as a record of royal activity over time.
What counts as a royal engagement
Public engagements such as charity visits, opening new buildings, attending receptions and ceremonial events count. Audiences with the Prime Minister, ambassadors and heads of state also feature.
Private engagements such as personal social events, family gatherings and holidays do not appear. Investitures, where honours are conferred at Buckingham Palace, appear in the Court Circular as ceremonial engagements.
Engagement counts and the working royal list
The number of engagements per year is sometimes used as a measure of activity. Court Circular Watch and Tim O'Donovan's annual analysis in the Times have published yearly tallies for decades.
The list of working royals has changed in recent years. Working royals carry out official engagements; non-working royals do not appear in the Court Circular for personal events.
Diary of future engagements
Engagements undertaken by working royals are published up to eight weeks in advance through the diary page on royal.uk. The diary supports press planning, charity preparation and security arrangements.
The diary can change at short notice if engagements are amended. The Court Circular records the engagements as they happened, including any changes.
Key facts
- Published daily since 1803.
- Covers all working royals in a single document.
- Appears in the Times and Telegraph Court & Social sections.
- Future engagements published up to eight weeks ahead.
- Private events do not feature.
FAQ
What is the Court Circular?
The official daily record of engagements undertaken by working members of the royal family. Published every day since 1803.
Where can I read the Court Circular?
In the Court & Social section of the Times and the Telegraph each day, and on royal.uk under the Court Circular page.
Why are private events not included?
The Court Circular is a record of official engagements. Personal events such as family gatherings and holidays are not part of the working royal schedule and so do not feature.
Where can I see upcoming engagements?
Royal.uk publishes the diary of future engagements up to eight weeks in advance. The diary can change at short notice if engagements are amended.
