LONDON, July 14 (RIA Novosti, Alexander Smotrov) - Russia's new Ambassador to Britain, Yury Fedotov, handed his Letters of Credence to Her Majesty The Queen during a ceremony at Buckingham Palace Thursday afternoon.
Fedotov arrived in London on June 13. He was previously a deputy foreign minister with responsibility for overseeing Russia's role in international organizations, international legal issues, international economic, humanitarian and human rights.
The Ambassadorial Audience is a formal ceremony during which an ambassador hands The Queen his Letters of Credence. The Marshal of the Diplomatic Corps from St. James's Palace escorts the ambassador to the palace in a 19th century landau. St. James's Palace is the main royal palace and the monarch's residence, and the heads of the foreign diplomatic missions are known in Britain as Ambassadors to the Court of St. James.
The ambassador's suite follow in separate landaus.
During the 20 minute ceremony the ambassador hands The Queen his Letters of Credence and introduces his suite. Then the ambassador returns to his residence.
Eight landaus dating from the 19th century are still used for public ceremonies. They are kept in the State Mews behind Buckingham Palace. A pair of horses is harnessed to the landau which is driven by a coachman who either sits or stands depending on whether the roof of the carriage is up or down.
