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Brexit backdrop for Harry and Meghan's Ireland visit Harry and Meghan visit Ireland against Brexit backdrop
(about 2 hours later)
The newlywed Duke and Duchess of Sussex are to introduce themselves to the neighbours, visiting the Irish Republic to pour on diplomatic balm against the backdrop of Brexit. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are to introduce themselves to the neighbours, visiting the Irish Republic to pour on diplomatic balm against the backdrop of Brexit.
A red-carpet welcome awaits the couple as they fly into Dublin on Tuesday afternoon on their first official overseas trip as a married couple. Prince Harry and Meghan will receive a red-carpet welcome when they fly into Dublin on Tuesday afternoon on their first official overseas trip as a married couple. The visit follows that of the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall, who toured Kerry and Cork last month.
The visit is part of an embarrassment of royals for Ireland, with the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall touring Kerry and Cork only last month. The whistle-stop visit to Dublin, at the request of the British government, is not the first for Meghan, although she faces a contrasting itinerary to that she enjoyed in the city five years ago in her pre-royal days.
The newlyweds’ whistle-stop visit to Dublin, at the request of the British government, is not the first for the duchess, although she faces a contrasting itinerary to that she enjoyed in the city five years ago in her pre-royal days. In 2013, as an actor picking up an award for her role in the US legal drama Suits, she sampled the city’s nightlife, participated in a Guinness pint-pulling competition and reportedly hung out with Ali Hewson, the wife of the U2 singer Bono.
Then, as an actor picking up an entertainment award in 2013 for her part in US legal drama Suits, she sampled the city’s nightlife, participated in a Guinness pint-pulling competition and reportedly hung out with Ali Hewson, wife of U2 singer Bono. As with many US celebrities, she also managed to trace distant Irish roots. “My dad’s side of the family is Irish,” she told reporters at the time.
In keeping with many US celebrities, she also managed to find distant Irish roots to embrace. “My dad’s side of the family is Irish,” she told reporters at the time, explaining her excitement at seeing the city.
This time she is meeting the Irish president, Michael Higgins, and the taoiseach, Leo Varadkar. She will also attend a traditional summer garden party hosted by the British ambassador rather than the nightclubs Dicey’s Garden and Krystle.This time she is meeting the Irish president, Michael Higgins, and the taoiseach, Leo Varadkar. She will also attend a traditional summer garden party hosted by the British ambassador rather than the nightclubs Dicey’s Garden and Krystle.
The couple’s itinerary, over their day-and-a-half visit, includes Croke Park for a Gaelic sports festival, the famous Books of Kells and the Irish Famine Memorial. The couple’s day-and-a-half visit includes attending Croke Park for a Gaelic sports festival, and seeing the famous Books of Kells and the Irish famine memorial.
The diplomatic resonance of their visit should not be underestimated and Irish leaders have been swift to highlight its importance against the backdrop of Brexit. The diplomatic resonance of their visit should not be underestimated and Irish leaders have been swift to highlight its importance within the context of Brexit.
Varadkar last week said the Irish would “roll out the red carpet” for the couple and stressed the importance of ties between the two countries. Varadkar told the Irish Independent last week: “I think with the United Kingdom leaving Europe, we are really going to need to focus a lot more on bilateral relationships, and visits of the president to the UK or members of the royal family to Ireland to help cement that very close relationship between Britain and Ireland.
“I think with the United Kingdom leaving Europe, we are really going to need to focus a lot more on bilateral relationships, and visits of the president to the UK or members of the royal family to Ireland to help cement that very close relationship between Britain and Ireland,” he told the Irish Independent.
“So we will be rolling out the red carpet and I think they will be extremely welcome.”“So we will be rolling out the red carpet and I think they will be extremely welcome.”
Niall Gibbons, chief executive of Tourism Ireland, said the visit was a “wonderful opportunity” to showcase Dublin and Ireland to a huge audience and deliver a major boost to Irish tourism. Niall Gibbons, the chief executive of Tourism Ireland, said the visit was a “wonderful opportunity” to showcase Dublin and Ireland to a huge audience and deliver a boost to tourism.
Kensington Palace has said the couple were “looking forward to learning more about Ireland’s history and experiencing its rich culture, as well as meeting the people who are shaping the country’s future”. Kensington Palace said the couple were “looking forward to learning more about Ireland’s history and experiencing its rich culture, as well as meeting the people who are shaping the country’s future”.
In 2011, the Queen became the first British monarch to visit Ireland since the visit by her grandfather, George V, in 1911.In 2011, the Queen became the first British monarch to visit Ireland since the visit by her grandfather, George V, in 1911.
Duchess of SussexDuchess of Sussex
Ireland
Prince HarryPrince Harry
Ireland
EuropeEurope
BrexitBrexit
Foreign policyForeign policy
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