The Prince and Princess of Wales have paid tribute to the people of Northern Ireland despite princess Catherine being heckled on their visit to the province.
They shared a post on their official social media pages after the one-day trip on Thursday (06.10.22), which saw them meet well-wishers, visit a suicide prevention charity and mix cocktails.
The couple, both 40, who share children Prince George, nine, Princess Charlotte, seven, and four-year-old Prince Louis – said: “Thank you for having us, Northern Ireland!”
They also posted a highlights video of their trip that included Catherine mixing a drink and Prince William playing with two dogs.
Their tribute came hours after Catherine was praised by fans for maintaining her composure when she was heckled on a visit to Northern Ireland.
The royal carried on smiling after a woman clad in an emerald green cardigan yelled: “You’re not in your own country”.
Her heckler also screamed “Ireland belongs to the Irish” during Catherine and her husband the Prince of Wales’ meet-and-greet session in north Belfast on Thursday afternoon.
The woman appeared to be videoing the confrontation on her mobile phone, which happened while she shook hands with the princess, and told her: “Nice to meet you but it would be better if it was when you were in your own country” – prompting Catherine to let go of her hand but continuing to smile and greet other members of the crowd.
Royal fans flooded social media with remarks the mum-of-three handled the situation “perfectly”.
It was the only incident to blight Catherine and William, Prince of Wales’ visit to Northern Ireland.
Hundreds of well-wishers lined the Marine Highway in Carrickfergus, a town to the north of Belfast, as the pair visited the town in County Antrim.
The pair’s visit included meeting local businesspeople and they were greeted by the Mayor of Mid and East Antrim Noel Williams.
They also visited suicide prevention charity PIPS in north Belfast, before the couple laughed during a cocktail-making lesson, during the couple’s drop in on Trademarket.
The trip to Northern Ireland is part of their fulfilment of several engagements with cross-community organisations that provide support to people from all backgrounds in the wake of Queen Elizabeth’s death aged 96 on September 8 at her home in Balmoral.
