The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall spend a second day in Northern Ireland

 

The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall spend a second day in Northern Ireland before arriving in Dublin for #RoyalVisitIreland

The second day of Their Royal Highnesses The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall's tour to Northern Ireland and Ireland began in Belfast with a visit to the headquarters of the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI). 

The Prince and The Duchess were invited to the centre by PSNI Chief Constable George Hamilton to attend a short service of remembrance and open a new memorial garden dedicated to police officers killed in the line of duty. 

Commenting on the event, the Chief Constable said, "This is a very special, but also sad day, for the families and PSNI as we remember those who have died."

Kate Carroll was one of the family members who spoke to Her Royal Highness ahead of the service, and described the day as a "fitting tribute," adding, "It is a nice feeling to know you can go somewhere and that they are appreciated." 

The Duchess was also presented with a bouquet of flowers by seven-year-old Victoria Grieves, who lost her father to a road accident in 2010.

A minute's silence was observed before Their Royal Highnesses laid wreaths and unveiled a commemorative plaque while a piper's lament accompanied the ceremony.

The next stop of the day was Dromore town centre where The Prince and The Duchess sampled local ice cream and met members of the public.

Her Royal Highness then moved on to officially open Dromore Primary School. During her visit The Duchess saw children learning about technology through building mini roller coasters and interacting with robots. Her Royal Highness also visited the school's library to hear about how the school's Year 7 pupils are working to create books for the younger students. 

"She took a particular interest in our library, in our children's writing and that was great to see," said the school's principal, Linda Allen. The Duchess of Cornwall has a keen interest in literacy, acting as Patron of the National Literacy Trust, BookTrust, First Story and Beanstalk, all of which help to promote literacy in young people.

Having concluded the Northern Ireland leg of the tour, Their Royal Highnesses crossed the border into the Republic of Ireland for a meeting with the President of Ireland,  Mr. Michael D. Higgins, and his wife, Mrs. Sabina Higgins at their home, Áras an Uachtaráin.

After the meeting, Their Royal Highnesses attended a reception at the Aras for young people from across Ireland. Radio presenter Seàn Rocks hosted the evening, with music from members of the National Youth Orchestra.