HOW TO REQUEST A ROYAL VISIT

The Lord-Lieutenant is responsible for making all the arrangements for a visit to Hampshire by a member of the Royal Family. The Clerk to the Lieutenancy, will make the arrangements direct with the Royal Household, the host organisation and the Police.

A Royal visit is a very special occasion and it often marks an event with which a City, town, school, business or voluntary organisation or community has been or is still involved in. It is an opportunity to celebrate the different ways in which people have been involved in a special piece of work or occasion.

Invitations to members of the Royal Family may be made in a number of ways:

  • Invitations may be extended through the Lord-Lieutenant and may be submitted to specific members of the Royal Family. If in doubt the Lord-Lieutenant will advise as to who may be the most appropriate member of the Royal Family to approach and it is advisable to consult the Lord-Lieutenant at the earliest opportunity. Submissions should be made on headed paper and include a short statement about the project or event and the reason for the visit.
  • Invitations extended by national bodies e.g. headquarters of charities of which a member of the Royal Family is a Patron, headquarters of organisations of which a member of the Royal Family is President.
  • Invitations extended by individuals, organisations and companies to open buildings, launch projects, commemorate anniversaries etc.

All invitations received are very carefully considered. If you wish to invite a member of the Royal Family to an event taking place in Hampshire you should invite them at least six months in advance. However, if you want a Royal visit for a special occasion on a particular day then you will need to extend your invitation about a year beforehand. If in doubt please contact the Clerk to the Lieutenancy who will be happy to advise.

The Queen and other member of the Royal Family make at least 3,000 visits a year. With around 1,000 invitations sent to Her Majesty alone each year; it is not possible for them all to be accepted.

Planning for a Royal Visit will involve a lot of detailed planning and if your bid is successful, the Clerk to the Lieutenancy will give guidance and support throughout the planning process and on the day of the visit.

For further information about Members of the Royal Family and the charities or organisations they support please go to the British Monarchy website.