From her teenage years and into her 90s, the Queen's visits to Northern Ireland created a frisson unmatched by any other Royal down the years.
From her teenage years and into her 90s, the Queen's visits to Northern Ireland created a frisson unmatched by any other Royal down the years.
It remains to be seen how he will mould his position as King with the faithful in Northern Ireland for in this land of giants, he knows all too well that he has huge shoes to fill knowing Queen's relationship here was deep set. Today for those who feel an affinity with the queen, her 25 trips to Northern Ireland over eight decades will remain moments of pride, all of them now relegated to the annals of history as her son takes up the mantle.
Her coronation tour brought her back to Belfast a grown woman, and this time accompanied by her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh. They stayed at Hillsborough Castle and were treated to a performance by two Lambeg drummers. And one of those drums, long-preserved, was played again outside the castle in tribute to Prince Philip on the day of his funeral on April 17, 2021.
She officially opened the Queen Elizabeth II Belfast in July 1966 but the move kicked up controversy amongst republicans and her car came under attack as it was driven through the city centre. The missile, believed to be a brick, bounced off the armoured bonnet of the vehicle leaving a dent but no injuries to the passengers or driver.
With 32,000 RUC and British soldiers deployed to counter the terrorist threat, the IRA still managed to plant a bomb in the grounds of the new University of Ulster at Coleraine during her visit, but queen showed the sort of resolve that marked so much of her reign, and fulfilled all of her engagements.
As the peace process limped along in fits and starts throughout the 1990s and royal visits took on even greater significance, with the queen becoming a key figurehead in Anglo-Irish relations. She said: “I want to take this opportunity to pay tribute to all members of the RUC, the regular officers of all ranks, the members of the full time and the part time reserve and former members who have served so loyally over the years.
During that decade, she visited Northern Ireland on nine different occasions while personally developing diplomatic relations with the then Irish head of state, President Mary McAleese. In a speech at Dublin Castle, she began in Irish saying: ‘A Uachtaráin agus a chairde’ - President and friends - and continued: “No-one who looked to the future over the past centuries could have imagined the strength of the bonds that are now in place between the governments and the people of our two nations.”
During that trip she visited Belfast’s Crumlin Road Jail which held hundreds of republican and loyalist prisoners during The Troubles, and is now a museum and she also met cast and crew on the set of Game of Thrones, famously filmed in Northern Ireland.
South Africa Latest News, South Africa Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
The Queen's relationship with the people and places of Northern IrelandSome wonderful memories TheQueen HerMajesty
Read more »
Death of the Queen: King Charles to visit Northern IrelandIt is almost 80 years since a British King stepped foot on Northern Irish soil
Read more »
All Of The Hilarious Pranks Prince Harry Pulled On The Queen While Growing UpQueen Elizabeth and Prince Harry had a special relationship, including lots of pranks! Read more on Grazia.
Read more »
Queen’s ‘special relationship’ with Harry who she ‘adored’ despite royal riftQueen Elizabeth II has left behind a large family who will be mourning her loss as they look to a future without her, including Prince Harry with whom she shared a close bond
Read more »
Northern Ireland fully prepared for the Queen's state funeralNorthern Ireland, while not at the centre of logistics, has been included from the outset, with local briefings being referred to as Operation Shamrock in a nod to the royal heraldic shamrock symbol
Read more »