King Charles and Queen Camilla concluded their Northern Ireland visit in style with a garden party at Hillsborough Castle.
At their last engagement of the day Their Majesties met around 500 guests at a garden party at Hillsborough Castle, the official residence of the monarchy in Northern Ireland, where they also planted ‘Malus Royalty’ – purple crab apple – tree in honour of the occasion.
Camilla met with a group of officers from the 2nd Battalion The Rifles, based in Lisbon, of which she is Colonel-in-Chief.
She was over-the-moon to meet them, revealing how pleased she was to seem them back from a recent tour of Iraq safe and sound.
One of the soldiers, who cannot be named for security reasons, explained that she had secretly sent them supplies of tea and Duchy biscuits to keep their spirits up during their posting from last December to March this year.
He said afterwards: ‘She’s an amazing colonel, we all adore her. She sent us tea and Duchy biscuits to keep everyone spirits up as it got really quite hairy out there in December. So in return we sent her a picture of us holding cigarettes and her tea and biscuits in a bomb shelter. We had a bit of a correspondence after that and received several letters from her. We think she is absolutely brilliant. ‘
King Charles and Queen Camilla concluded the second day of their Northern Ireland visit in style with a lavish garden party at Hillsborough Castle
Also among the guests was Aaron Beggs, who helped carry a fellow runner over the finish line at last month’s Boston marathon, and 99-year-old RAF veteran Thomas Doherty.
Mr Doherty was in a wheelchair and discharged from hospital especially to attend the garden party and the King suggested he add some Irish whiskey to his tea.
‘Are you being well looked after?’ he asked. ‘Have they given you a cup of reviving tea?
‘I hope it’s not going to set you back, coming out of hospital. They’ll have to put some Bushmills in your tea!’
Among the first to meet the King was Mr Beggs, 40, from Bangor, who was on course for a PB in Boston when he stopped to help a struggling runner.
‘He asked me, did I win the marathon, I reassured him I didn’t,’ Mr Begg laughed afterwards. ‘We were talking about how elite the Kenyans are, a different level compared to ourselves.
‘He congratulated me for helping the other runner and asked my wife if she feeds me enough to keep running. It was lovely to meet him, he’s a good man.’
One guest congratulated the King on his ‘amazing’ skin. ‘What’s your secret?, You have such good skin, it’s not fair,’ she said.. The King simply chuckled and moved on.
He also met Liz Hamilton, 90, a volunteer with Save the Children, asking if they raised much money, and GP Valerie Grant, asking if they were coping with demand.
‘It’s the front line isn’t it?’ he told her. Meanwhile he told long-serving practice manager Nula Mulligan: ‘You must be pretty good at managing budgets. It’s a real art, that one.’
Earlier that day, Camilla pulled a perfect pint of Guinness during a visit to a village pub in Northern Ireland today, but insisted that King Charles was the real expert.
She was given a round of applause by staff as she held up the ‘superb’ pint at The Parson’s Nose in Hillsborough.
A vision in blue, Her Majesty opted for a striking Fiona Clare coat dress and stylish Philip Tracey hat, which she previously wore at the Royal Ascot in 2024
Their Majesties gathered at the historic venue to meet guests from across the nation’s voluntary and charitable sectors who have had lasting impacts on their community
Charles, 77, and Camilla, 78, dug up soil and planted a Malus Royalty tree to signify their connection to the region much to the delight of onlookers
Queen Camilla beamed as she poured a Guinness for the second day of her three-day visit to Northern Ireland with King Charles
Queen Camilla pours a pint of Guinness during a visit to the popular Three Parson’s Nose pub in the heart of the village
‘It’s a bit early to drink. I’ll leave it here until later,’ she laughed, as an aide jokingly asked her for some pork scratchings.
The King and Queen went their separate ways as they embarked on their second day of a three-day visit to Northern Ireland.
While the King visited the popular seaside town of Newcastle, County Down, the Queen enjoyed a stroll through the village of Hillsborough, just 12 miles from Belfast, and home to Hillsborough Castle.
She marvelled at the number of local businesses packed into the small village and said she was delighted to finally visit having stayed so many times ‘just up the road’ at the castle, the Royal family’s official residence in Northern Ireland..
Her first stop was The Parson’s Nose, where she met various members of staff including managers, chefs and waitresses. Told that waitress Ellie, 19, had worked there for three years, she joked: ‘Gosh, you must have come in your pushchair.’
She appeared surprised that the restaurant could cater for 200 diners, saying: ‘Gosh, that’s huge.’
As the Queen approached the bar, she was shown three pints of Guinness that had been started by a member of staff.
‘He’s done all the work,’ she laughed as she was handed a glass. ‘I’m not quite the expert, my husband pulls a very good pint.’
Nonetheless, the Queen impressed bar staff with her effort, before leaving it on the bar, saying: ‘I hope somebody’s going to enjoy this.’
She then met representatives from various local businesses, including pubs, cafes, bakeries, clothes shops and butchers, asking how long they had been based in the village and how business was going.
The Queen told Andrea Lucas, owner of All Active Pilates and Physio: ‘I used to do some dancing but I’ve taken to doing ballet for old people. It’s called the Silver Swans.’
Chatting to Sandra Corkin, who founded Oasis Travel, she asked: ‘Are people whizzing about all over the place?’
Ms Corkin told her that it was good to get away for wellbeing, prompting the Queen to reply: ‘I couldn’t agree more. We all need a bit of vitamin D.’ She asked: ‘What’s the most go-to place?’
Told it was cruises, she said in an apparent reference to the outbreak of hantavirus on a Dutch cruise ship: ‘Some of these places seem to attract some rather strange viruses, don’t they?’
The Queen later told jeweller Jill Graham: ‘I’ve always thought that would be a lovely job to do.’
She asked a mother and daughter duo who work together if they argued, adding: ‘I think every mum and daughter has their moments.’
‘I can’t believe so much is packed into a small village,’ she told another local resident as she left. ‘I can see why people come here.’
The Queen’s next stop was grocer ER Wilson, where she said the strawberries looked ‘very tempting’ and admired the flowers.
Meanwhile, King Charles paid a solo visit to Newcastle Community Cinema, where the down-to-earth royal purchased a cinema ticket
Her Majesty arrived in Hillsborough, the royal residence of Northern Ireland, this morning where she met with staff members of the city council and owners at numerous local businesses to learn more about their innovative work
In a rather heartwarming moment, the King was seen embracing deaf actor Agnes Carberry, who stars in popular film ‘A Quiet Voice’, before meeting with volunteers
Dressed in a stylish all-black ensemble featuring the Clever Crepe Finchley Coat from The Fold, which retails for £495, Camilla wore a shamrock-shaped brooch previously owned by the late Queen Elizabeth II for the second day running
The King then visited The Pantry Foodbank held in Donard Methodist Church which provides free food parcels and hot meals for any individuals in need
To accessorise, she opted for the the Fabergé Imperial Impératrice Tassel Earrings, previously worn by Her Majesty on a visit to Middlesborough in February last year
‘Such a lovely village, I’m just up the road,’ she told one member of staff. ‘So you know everything that’s going on? That’s what’s so nice, everybody must know everybody.’
Outside, children from a local primary school serenaded the Queen with a version of A Million Dreams from the film The Greatest Showman.
‘Really lovely, thank you very much,’ she said afterwards before shaking hands with the throng of local residents who had gathered to meet her.
‘Hello Queen,’ one child told her. ‘Good morning,’ she replied with a smile.
‘It’s very nice to come and see a bit of the village,’ she told others as she shook many hands, stroked dogs and said hello to babies.
The Queen wished Amelia, who was wearing a birthday crown, a happy ninth birthday and asked if she was going to have some cake later. She also met two-year-old twin boys, saying of her own 16-year-old twin grandsons, Gus and Louis Lopes: ‘I’ve got twins, they’re a bit bigger, my grandsons.’
The last stop was Arthur’s Café, where the Queen was introduced to staff and regular customers. Patsy England told the Queen that she ran a local clothes shop for more than 20 years.
‘Now you come and sit here and enjoy yourself,’ the Queen said.
Told that some of her own staff visit the cafe, she said: ‘Oh they do, they do. They have a jolly good time.’
The King was invited to help pack a food box that will go to a single person this week. He carefully and tidily placed in bread, fresh fruit and vegetables, a toothbrush and toothpaste
To conclude his visit to Newcastle, the King met with representatives from local organisations that serve a key role in the community – including the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI)
Pictured: Queen Camilla greets a local business owner in Hillsborough
Pictured: King Charles waves as he leaves Newcastle Community Cinema
Meanwhile, the King laughed off an unfortunate incident when a seagull let a little something slip on his jacket during a visit to the seaside.
Charles, 77, was leaving a food bank project in Newcastle, County Down, in Northern Ireland when the bird defecated from the sky, leaving a noticeable white smear on the back of his suit.
A royal aide discreetly pointed it out and offered him his overcoat to put on, but His Majesty smilingly waved the offer off and insisted plunging into the huge, cheering crowds for an impromptu walkabout as they had been waiting for so long.
When one member of the public politely asked him whether he knew he had bird poo on his jacket, the King laughed and said: ‘No, it’s fine. At least it didn’t land on my head!’
The King was in the picturesque town at the foot of Slieve Donard, the highest peak in Northern Ireland, to highlight crucial local community projects.
His first stop was the Newcastle Community Cinema, founded in 2008 by a group of local film enthusiasts which now sits at the heart of community life.
As he arrived at the Box Office he was given a special ‘VIP’ ticket by Vera Edelstein, who was manning the booth.
‘Is that for me?’ he beamed. ‘That’s very generous of you.’ He also asked about the recent films shown and how popular different films were.
He was then invited into the screening box to help start the playing of a short trailer for a recent film A Quiet Love about a real life deaf couple and their lives through the Troubles.
Meeting John and Agnes Carberry afterwards, he told them : ‘You were very courageous. When did you meet? At school? Oh childhood sweethearts. Lovely. ‘
He also met Northern Irish actor Ian Mclhinney, who has starred in Derry Girls and Game of Thrones.
Pictured: King Charles greets well-wishers outside of Newcastle Community Cinema
The Queen arrives at the village’s oldest shop as part of her focus on local businesses
King Charles III and Queen Camilla arrive at Thompson Dock in Belfast yesterday afternoon
Afterwards he headed to the Donard Methodist Church where he met volunteers from The Pantry Food Bank, giving them the giggles as he he examined the contents of their boxes.
He seized on a toilet roll and declared: ‘Very important.’
The group provides food for around 52 families a month and fear demand growing with rising heating oil prices this winter.
‘You are managing?’ he enquired.
‘Do they mention who they think will need help? You’ve got some good eggs. Terrific. And do you get good feedback. Do people come and collect or do you visit? There are lots of delicious pastas and things. Things that families need. ‘
He was then invited to help pack a box that will go to a single person this week.
He carefully and tidily placed in bread, fresh fruit and vegetables, a toothbrush and toothpaste.
‘I’m sure there is a special order they go in,’ the King mused.
‘Oh that needs to lie down properly.’
‘Very, very important,’ he added placing more toilet roll in.
‘You are all very, very special people. What you do is so important. ‘
After meeting community groups including the local RNLI and Mountain Rescue, he embarked on a walkabout, people shouting his name and saying ‘God Save The King’.
Among them was Rosemary Allan, who is about to celebrate her 102nd birthday, and schoolboy George Murdoch, 11, who had brought a box of freshly-laid eggs to give to the monarch.
One member of the crowd said: ‘Welcome to Northern Ireland, Your Majesty, thank you for coming to see us.’
Another member of the crowd shouted: ‘We love you Charles.’
A third told him: ‘This is so special. I will never forget it. The last monarch to visit was King George V, so it’s long overdue. We are hugely grateful.’
Dressed in the Clever Crepe Finchley Coat from The Fold, which retails for £495, and feather-print dress by Fiona Clare, Camilla paired her stylish look with a turquoise and diamond shamrock-shaped brooch previously owned by the late Queen Elizabeth II.
Camilla’s dress is believed to be bespoke, made with the Amherst Blue Silk Satin by Liberty Fabrics. The luxury design was inspired by a feather collection and drawn from a Liberty scarf designed in 1967.
To accessorise, Her Majesty opted for the Fabergé Imperial Impératrice Tassel Earrings, which she previously wore on a visit to Middlesborough in February last year.
For her second jam-packed day of engagements to several local businesses, Camilla selected a pair of trusty black heels to provide some much-needed support and comfort.
