State visit by Michael D. Higgins to the United Kingdom

Michael D. Higgins in 2014
Elizabeth II in 2014

The state visit of Michael D. Higgins to the United Kingdom occurred on 7 April 2014. It was the first state visit of a President of Ireland to the United Kingdom.[1] The visit came three years after the first state visit by a reigning British monarch to what is now the Republic of Ireland following its independence.

President Michael D. Higgins and his wife Sabina Higgins were welcomed by Queen Elizabeth II on 8 April at Windsor Castle on the first day of a four-day visit. The President attended a formal meeting with UK Prime Minister David Cameron on the same day.[2]

He also met opposition party leaders at Westminster, as well as meeting then-Mayor of London Boris Johnson.[3][4][5]

Programme

Departure (7 April)

President and Mrs Higgins left Áras an Uachtaráin with full military honours at 2.30pm. A Guard of Honour was provided by the 12th Infantry Battalion, and the Army No. 1 Band played the Presidential Salute. The President was accompanied by a motorcycle Escort of Honour to Baldonnel Aerodrome where he departed at 4pm for Heathrow Airport.[6][7]

The party was greeted on arrival after 5pm by the Ambassador of Ireland to the United Kingdom, Daniel Mulhall, and his wife Greta; The 8th Viscount Hood, Lord-in-Waiting to The Queen; Sir David Brewer, Lord-Lieutenant of Greater London; and Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe, Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police. Members of the Queen's Colour Squadron of the Royal Air Force provided a guard of honour.[8]

Tánaiste and Foreign Minister Eamon Gilmore and his wife Carol Hanney also travelled with the President. The Irish delegation included the Secretary General to the President, Adrian O'Neill; Secretary General to the Government, Martin Fraser; Department of Foreign Affairs Secretary General, David Cooney; the President's chief of protocol, Orla O'Hanrahan; adviser, Liam Herrick; and the President's aide-de-camp, Colonel Brendan McAndrew. The President spent the night at the Kensington Hotel, in South Kensington.[8][9][10]

Day 1 (8 April)

The formal State Visit began the following morning when the President and Foreign Minister met Charles, Prince of Wales, and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, at the Irish Embassy.

The Irish and British parties then travelled together in royal limousines to the Royal Dais on Datchet Road, Windsor, where the town was decked with Tricolours and Union Flags and a formal ceremony of welcome was conducted by Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Afterwards, the royal party and visitors departed in horse-drawn carriages with full cavalry escort to Windsor Castle, where the President, accompanied by The Duke of Edinburgh, inspected a Guard of Honour provided by the 1st Battalion, Irish Guards. President Higgins presented a ceremonial red coat to its regimental mascot, an Irish Wolfhound called Domhnall of Shantamon.[11][12][13] The President viewed Irish-related items from The Royal Collection at Windsor Castle.

Afterwards they departed for London and visited Westminster Abbey for a tour, where the President laid a wreath at the Grave of the Unknown Warrior and paid his respects with a bow to the tomb of Admiral of the Fleet The 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma.[14] After this the President visited the Palace of Westminster, where he addressed both Houses of Parliament.[15][16]

In the evening, the President and Mrs. Higgins were guests of honour at a State Banquet hosted by the Queen at Windsor Castle along with 160 guests. The Queen made a speech before dinner and President Higgins replied, and proposed a toast to Her Majesty.[17] Higgins and his wife were honoured as guests of the Queen at Windsor Castle for the remainder of their visit.

Day 2 (9 April)

The following morning, the President and Mrs. Higgins were escorted by The Duke of York to the Grand Stairs in Windsor Castle to view the Colours of the 1922 disbanded Irish Regiments.[18][19] The President and his wife visited University College Hospital on Euston Road in Bloomsbury, and met with patients and Irish staff members, past and present.[20] Later, President Higgins met David Cameron, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, for lunch at 10 Downing Street.[21][22] Afterwards, the President and Mrs. Higgins attended a Banquet hosted by Fiona Woolf, Lord Mayor of London, and the City of London Corporation at the Guildhall. After dinner, the President addressed the 700 invited guests.[23][24][25][26]

Day 3 (10 April)

The President and Mrs. Higgins visited the Food Animal Initiative (FAI) Farms, in Oxford.[27][28] In the early evening, the President attended a Northern Ireland-themed reception hosted by the Queen at Windsor Castle.[29] A concert celebrating Irish music and culture was held in his honour at the Royal Albert Hall that night, which he attended along with One Direction's Niall Horan.[30][31][32]

Day 4 (11 April)

On the morning of the final day of the visit, the President and Mrs. Higgins said farewell to the Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh at Windsor Castle.[33] Later that morning they visited the Royal Shakespeare Company, in Stratford-upon-Avon.[34] The President and his wife also visited Coventry Cathedral and took a tour of the ruins of the old Cathedral. The final event of the visit was a reception for members of the Irish community at St. Mary's Guildhall before the President departed from Coventry for Dublin.[35][36]

References

  1. ^ State Visit to the United Kingdom – Programme Archived 6 April 2014 at the Wayback Machine Áras an Uachtaráin, 2014-03-26.
  2. ^ "President Higgins to address Houses of Parliament". Irish Independent. 26 March 2014. Retrieved 3 April 2014.
  3. ^ "President Higgins to make historic first UK visit". Sunday Independent. 17 November 2013.
  4. ^ "Irish president begins British state visit". Guardian. 8 April 2014. Retrieved 9 April 2014.
  5. ^ "Irish President Michael D Higgins hails UK friendship". BBC News. 8 April 2014. Retrieved 9 April 2014.
  6. ^ President Higgins Departs on First State Visit to The United Kingdom Archived 13 April 2014 at the Wayback Machine Áras an Uachtaráin, 2014-04-07.
  7. ^ "Engagement: Week beginning Monday, 7th April 2014" Archived 13 April 2014 at the Wayback Machine Áras an Uachtaráin, 2014-04-04.
  8. ^ a b Higgins arrives in London for four-day State visit Irish Times, 2014-04-07.
  9. ^ "President Michael D Higgins arrives in London for State visit to UK". RTÉ News. 7 April 2014. Retrieved 9 April 2014.
  10. ^ President's historic State visit begins with full welcome party Irish Independent, 2014-04-08.
  11. ^ "275 horses and an Irish Wolfhound named Domhnall welcome President to Windsor". The Journal. 7 April 2014. Retrieved 9 April 2014.
  12. ^ "President Higgins meets Queen Elizabeth at Windsor Castle". Irish Independent. 8 April 2014. Retrieved 9 April 2014.
  13. ^ Queen welcomes Irish President Michael D Higgins on first state visit to Britain Daily Telegraph, 2014-04-08.
  14. ^ "Quiet moment helps lay ghost of our difficult shared history". Irish Independent. 9 April 2014. Retrieved 9 April 2014.
  15. ^ "'A closeness and warmth that once seemed unachieveble': Higgins' address to Westminster". The Journal. 8 April 2014. Retrieved 9 April 2014.
  16. ^ "We've all come such a long way – now it's Sinn Fein's duty to apologise for the hurt". Irish Independent. 9 April 2014. Retrieved 9 April 2014.
  17. ^ "Queen tells state banquet attended by Martin McGuinness that goal of peaceful British-Irish relations 'within reach'". Daily Telegraph. 8 April 2014. Retrieved 9 April 2014.
  18. ^ "Taoiseach describes Higgins' UK State visit as 'momentous'". RTÉ News. 9 April 2014. Retrieved 9 April 2014.
  19. ^ "Live Updates: State Visit". RTÉ News. 9 April 2014. Retrieved 9 April 2014.
  20. ^ "President meets with Irish nurses and doctors". Irish Examiner. 9 April 2014. Retrieved 9 April 2014.
  21. ^ "Irish President Michael D Higgins at Downing Street". BBC News. 9 April 2014. Retrieved 9 April 2014.
  22. ^ "President Higgins meets British PM David Cameron at Downing St". RTÉ News. 9 April 2014. Retrieved 9 April 2014.
  23. ^ "President Higgins: Human cost of financial crisis in Ireland has been enormous". Irish Independent. 10 March 2014. Retrieved 10 April 2014.
  24. ^ "President Higgins thanks Britain for support during crisis". RTÉ News. 9 March 2014. Retrieved 10 April 2014.
  25. ^ "Irish President Michael D Higgins hails UK trade links at Guildhall banquet". BBC News. 9 March 2014. Retrieved 10 April 2014.
  26. ^ "Here's what's on the menu at tonight's gala dinner for President Higgins". The Journal. 9 March 2014. Retrieved 10 April 2014.
  27. ^ "It's day four of President Higgins' trip to the UK and today he's heading to a farm". The Journal. 10 March 2014. Retrieved 10 April 2014.
  28. ^ "President Higgins travels to Oxford on day three of UK State visit". RTÉ News. 10 March 2014. Retrieved 10 April 2014.
  29. ^ "Queen and Michael D Higgins celebrate Northern Ireland contribution". BBC News. 10 April 2014. Retrieved 11 April 2014.
  30. ^ "President Higgins hails 'memorable' State visit". RTÉ News. 10 April 2014. Retrieved 11 April 2014.
  31. ^ "Niall Horan leads the Irish talent in Albert Hall for Presidential gala...in royal box". Irish Independent. 10 April 2014. Retrieved 11 April 2014.
  32. ^ "Ceiliúradh: Royal Albert Hall celebrates Irish culture". BBC News. 10 April 2014. Retrieved 11 April 2014.
  33. ^ "Queen to say farewell to President Higgins after historic visit". Irish Examiner. 10 April 2014. Retrieved 11 April 2014.
  34. ^ "Irish president ends historic visit". Irish Independent. 10 April 2014. Retrieved 11 April 2014.
  35. ^ "Queen Elizabeth 'wants to make return visit to Ireland'". Irish Independent. 10 April 2014. Retrieved 11 April 2014.
  36. ^ "President Higgins returns after State visit to Britain". RTÉ News. 11 April 2014. Retrieved 17 April 2014.