The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh to visit Warwickshire

The Queen, accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh, will officially open the Warwickshire Justice Centre, Leamington Spa, and the transformed Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon this Friday (4th March 2011)

The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh will be greeted by Mr Martin Dunne (Lord-Lieutenant of Warwickshire) at Leamington Spa Station.

The Royal Party will then drive to the Warwickshire Justice Centre, to be greeted by Mr Keith Bristow (Chief Constable, Warwickshire Police) and Mr John Burbeck (Senior Responsible Officer for the Justice Centre Programme). The Lord Chief Justice will be present.

The unique Warwickshire Justice Centre provides a 'One Stop Justice Centre' for improving the quality and timeliness of prosecutions and co-locates Warwickshire Police, Victim Support, the CPS, Her Majesty's Courts Service, Warwickshire Probation Trust and Warwickshire Youth Justice Service

The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh will meet, among others, officers responsible for Neighbourhood Policing, the Crown Prosecution Service, and the Custody Team, and view art work produced by Warwickshire students. They will also meet representatives of the design and construction teams.

The Royal Party will view an empty Custody Cell and later The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh will visit a Magistrates Court taking their seats behind the Judges' Bench in Crown Court No 1 for the formal Opening Ceremony.

The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh will then visit the recently re-opened Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, where they will be greeted by Sir Christopher Bland (Chair, Board of Governors, Royal Shakespeare Company).

The Royal Party will attend a Reception for members of the Acting Ensemble, the architect and members of the project team and others.

The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh will take a short tour of the theatre visiting the Wigs, Makeup studio and the Running Wardrobe Department before taking their seats in the new theatre for a short performance of the balcony scene from Shakespeare's ROMEO AND JULIET, played by Sam Troughton and Mariah Gale.

After this scene, the Royal Party will move on stage to meet the actors and backstage staff, and The Queen will unveil a plaque to officially open the new theatre.