Her Majesty visited Northern Ireland 25 times as both Princess and as Sovereign, but perhaps no visit was more significant for this island than her first–ever State visit to the Republic in May 2011.
A year later, Her Majesty demonstrated the power a simple handshake can play in reconciliation when she and former IRA commander, the late Martin McGuinness, exchanged just such a handshake at a charity event in Belfast.
Reflecting on Her Majesty’s visit to the Republic, the Church of Ireland Gazette editorial on May 27 2011 stated: “With the Queen’s visit, people across all of this…
