On Wednesday, June 27, 2012, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh continued their visit to Northern Ireland.
The day began with a “historic handshake” with former Irish Republican Army (IRA) commander, Sinn Féin party member and the Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland, Mr. Martin McGuinness, at the Lyric theatre in Belfast. According to Time magazine, due to the:
Underlying the sensitivity of the occasion, no live footage or sound was permitted to be broadcast. Outside, flak-jacketed police shut down all roads surrounding the theater and told residents to stay inside their homes.
The first soundless TV footage showed a serious-faced McGuinness walking, hands behind his back, behind the queen as she met poet Michael Longley and pianist Barry Douglas in front of newly painted portraits of them and other Belfast artists. Also in the group was McGuinness’ Protestant colleague atop Northern Ireland’s unity government, Peter Robinson; the head of state of the Republic of Ireland, President Michael D. Higgins; and the queen’s husband, Prince Philip.
Also on today’s agenda was a visit to a “… Diamond Jubilee event in the grounds of the Stormont Estate…” in Belfast.
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Sources: Royal.gov.uk, Time, and Daylife
royalcorrespondent.com 