Royal visit to Northern Ireland

Follow #RoyalVisitNI on social media to stay up to date with The Prince and The Duchess's visit to Northern Ireland

Day Two

The Prince of Wales began day two of the Royal visit to Northern Ireland with a tour of Omagh Hospital and Primary Care Complex, which opened a year ago.

West Tyrone MP Orfhlaith Begley and DUP leader Arlene Foster were among those who welcomed The Prince to the hospital.

The new site includes four GP Practices, community mental health services as well as a 24 hour Urgent Care and Treatment centre, which provides cardiac assessment, a treatment room, x-ray and scans.

The Prince met patients and medical staff, some of whom cared for casualties of the Omagh Bomb in 1998.

Twenty years ago His Royal Highness visited the old hospital, which was at the centre of the emergency response following the bombing.

Joann McCullagh was a staff nurse in the intensive care ward the day of the attack and said “we worked tirelessly throughout the day and night, dealing with the very traumatically injured patients.

"We as a group of people worked very closely together to support each other in the dark days that followed."

The Prince of Wales unveiled a plaque marking the official hospital opening and expressed admiration for all the staff, telling them “I have nothing but the greatest admiration for everything that you do here.”

The Prince of Wales was then joined by The Duchess of Cornwall for a visit to the Gortin Community Centre and Garden, which is used by local residents of all ages.

The Prince watched children taking part in Gaelic Games and heard how younger children learn more about the environment at the centre by participating in pond dipping and insect hunts, while The Duchess spoke to local business owners.

The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall then visited the Omagh Memorial Garden on the 20th anniversary year of the Omagh Bomb.

Their Royal Highnesses laid a wreath of white roses and herbs of remembrance, rosemary, lavender and thyme from the gardens at Hillsborough Castle. 

Day One

The Prince of Wales arrived in Belfast today for a two-day visit to Northern Ireland.

His Royal Highness arrived at the Carlisle Memorial Church and was met by Belfast Lord Mayor Deirdre Hargey. Inside the church, The Prince watched a musical performance and learned how the building is to become the permanent home for Ulster Orchestra before meeting local people from a range of organisations who run activities for the community. 

The Prince then visited Ulster University's Coleraine Campus to help celebrate its 50th anniversary. At Northern Ireland's largest university His Royal Highness viewed community sport activities taking place including disability football, disability tennis, fencing and judo.

Students also spoke to The Prince about WWI marine heritage projects they are undertaking and His Royal Highness heard about the university's new Institute of Mental Health.

The Prince met a number of staff and was entertained by the university's choir, who sang Here Comes The Sun among other 1960s classics, before going on to plant a tree in the grounds of the campus.

Ulster University Coleraine provost, Dr Karise Hutchinson, described the day as an historic one for the institution, its staff and students.

"What Prince Charles saw today is how as a campus we reach out to the community," she said.

"I think he got a flavour of how we have a local impact."

Dr Hutchinson went on to describe welcoming The Prince to the university which she herself attended as a teenager, a "dream come true".

"It was a day that will go down in history, not just for me, but for the university, its staff and it's students," she added.