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King Charles III

Charles and Camilla begin two day visit to Northern Ireland

By
18th May 2021

The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall have arrived in Northern Ireland for a two day visit.

The royals landed in Belfast at lunchtime on May 18th 2021 and headed straight to Belfast City Hall where they heard about events marking the centenary of Northern Ireland.

Their trip comes just days after The Queen sent a message to the people of Northern Ireland on the 100th anniversary of its creation. It came into existence in May 1921 following the partition of Ireland.

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During their time at the City Hall, the couple spoke to historians about the centenary and the way it is being marked. Belfast City Hall was the setting for Northern Ireland’s first parliament, opened almost exactly 100 years ago by the prince’s great grandfather, King George V. The Decades of Centenaries programme currently running in Belfast includes work to conserve the chairs used by George and his wife, Queen Mary, at the opening of the parliament. On the anniversary itself, June 22nd, a drama and re-enactment will see the King’s Speech performed in the City Council chamber to mark the historic moment.

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The Duchess of Cornwall also heard about ambitions for Belfast to become a UNESCO City of Music by 2023. The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall also spoke to staff at the City Hall to discuss the past, present and future of Belfast and learn of the new vision for the city

The stop in the heart of Belfast was the first of their engagements in a packed two day programme.

The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall last visited Northern Ireland in September 2020.

Royal Central will bring you full coverage of the visit over the coming days.

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About author

Lydia Starbuck is Jubilee and Associate Editor at Royal Central and the main producer and presenter of the Royal Central Podcast and Royal Central Extra. Lydia is also a pen name of June Woolerton who is a journalist and writer with over twenty years experience in TV, radio, print and online. Her latest book, A History of British Royal Jubilees, is out now. Her new book, The Mysterious Death of Katherine Parr, will be published in March 2024. June is an award winning reporter, producer and editor. She's appeared on outlets including BBC 5 Live, BBC Radio Ulster and BBC Local Radio and has also helped set up a commercial radio station. June is also an accomplished writer with a wide range of material published online and in print. She is the author of two novels, published as e-books. She is also a marriage registrar and ceremony celebrant.