Irish President On Historic Visit To Britain

Irish President Michael D Higgins and his wife Sabina have met the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh at Windsor Castle.

The Queen wore sky blue cashmere and green feather flowers in her hat

The couple travelled to Windsor with Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall who earlier greeted the visitors at the Irish Embassy in London.

The two heads of state have already met informally but President Higgins' official welcome includes all the traditional pomp and circumstance.

He took part in a ceremonial carriage procession through the streets of Windsor  which were decked out in Union flags and Irish tricolours.

After the guests were honoured with two separate gun salutes, the Queen and president entered the castle in the Australian State Coach, before Mr Higgins and Prince Philip inspected troops.

Major Andrew Seddon, captain of the Queen's Company Grenadier Guards, invited Mr Higgins to inspect the guard of honour, speaking to him in Irish.

The Irish Guards was represented by the regimental band as the troops are currently on peacekeeping duties in Cyprus.

Mr Higgins presented a new ceremonial red coat to its regimental mascot, an Irish wolfhound called Domhnall of Shantamon.

Later today he is due to address members of both Houses of Parliament and attend a state banquet.

The guest list includes the British and Irish Prime Ministers and the First and Deputy First Ministers of Northern Ireland.

Watched over by Queen Victoria, the Irish tricolour and the Union flag

It will be the second time Her Majesty has shaken hands with Sinn Fein's Martin McGuinness, a former IRA leader.

The historic visit comes three years after the Queen became the first British monarch to visit the Republic of Ireland.

Irish Foreign Minister Eamon Gilmore said: "It is becoming a model relationship between two neighbouring countries. We are very close, respectful neighbours and I think the relationship we are building and working on is one that, given our very complex history, many people throughout the world will be able to draw some inspiration from."

The Queen spoke in Irish and commemorated those who had fought for freedom during her ground-breaking tour.

President Higgins will reciprocate by honouring Britain's war dead at the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior in Westminster Abbey.

The Queen and Prince Philip escort their visitors from Ireland

The head of state, a former arts and culture minister, will attend an Irish concert in the Royal Albert Hall.

Professor Deirdre Heenan, who serves on the president's Council of State, said: "It's about promoting good relations but it's also about saying to the world that we're actually more interested in our commonality, our common love of culture, politics and our common economic interests rather than the focus which would generally have been what divides us."

Michael D Higgins is Ireland's ninth president, having succeeded President Mary McAleese when she left office in November 2011.

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