The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will arrive in Ireland today for a historic three-day trip, with the couple enjoying a personal lesson on how to pour the perfect pint of Guinness as part of a post-Brexit charm offensive.
William and Kate will celebrate the UK’s ties with one of its closest EU neighbours, learning about its culture and initiatives to protect the environment in visits to Dublin, Meath, Kildare and lastly Galway, the 2020 European Capital of Culture.
They will return to the UK on Friday, meaning they will miss Prince Harry’s Endeavour Fund Awards in London, which the Duke of Sussex will be attending with Meghan Markle.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will enjoy a personal lesson in pouring a pint of Guinness during their visit to Ireland. They are pictured drinking a Guinness when meeting the Irish Guards in Hounslow on March 17 last year
The couple will return to the UK on Friday, meaning they will miss Prince Harry’s Endeavour Fund Awards in London. Both William and Harry attended the event in 2017 (pictured)
Harry has attended every ceremony since the inaugural one in 2017, which William also attended. He went to the event in 2018 and 2019 with Meghan.
The two couples will then be reunited for the first time since Megxit for the Commonwealth Day service in London on March 9, which will be broadcast live on BBC One and across the BBC World Service.
The Cambridges’ trip, which unusually was announced in advance, is likely to be seen as a diplomacy visit in the wake of Brexit.
During the three-day trip the couple will meet Ireland’s President Michael D Higgins, political leaders and spend time in Dublin, and the counties of Meath, Kildare and Galway.
They will include the Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, who recently announced he would resign from the role after a crushing defeat in the general election, which saw a surge of support for Sinn Fein. He is staying on as caretaker until a new leader is appointed.
In the Irish capital, William and Kate will visit the famous Guinness Brewery and meet Master Brewer Fergal Murray, who will take them through the process of making the stout and how to pour the perfect pint.
Harry and Meghan (pictured during their visit to Tonga in 2018) will both appear at the Endeavour Fund Awards
The Duke of Sussex attending the Endeavour Fund Awards in London on February 7, 2019
The visit will highlight the strong links between the UK and Ireland, and the couple’s programme will take in community initiatives and spectacular scenery, the palace said in a statement.
The statement added: ‘Following Her Majesty the Queen’s historic visit in 2011, the visit will also focus on the relationship between the two countries, and build on the theme of remembrance and reconciliation.’
It also said: ‘The UK’s links with Ireland are extensive, and the duke and duchess are looking forward to building a lasting friendship with the Irish people.’
The Queen’s historic visit to the Irish Republic was made amid unprecedented security, as she became the first British monarch to travel there in 100 years and the first since the nation gained independence from Britain.
She bowed her head in Dublin’s Garden of Remembrance to pay tribute to the rebels who rose up against British rule in 1916, spoke Irish in an address to a state banquet and visited Croke Park Stadium, where British forces shot dead 14 spectators at a Gaelic football match in 1920.
The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall have made five visits to Ireland over the past five years, including in 2019 when he planted a tree at the Powerscourt House and Gardens
The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall have made five visits to Ireland over the past five years, a sign of the closer Anglo-Irish relations ushered in by the Queen’s tour.
The statement added: ‘During the three-day tour, the duke and duchess will learn about local organisations working to support and empower young people and projects which provide opportunities to help them develop important life skills.
‘Their Royal Highnesses will also hear more about Ireland’s conservation initiatives and efforts to protect its environment, with a particular focus on sustainable farming and marine conservation.
‘2020 will see Galway host the European Capital of Culture on behalf of Ireland, a showcase of events highlighting the richness and diversity of Irish culture, art and sport.
‘During their time in Galway, the duke and duchess will have the opportunity to experience a taste of modern and traditional Irish culture for themselves.’