THE UK’S CHARLES and Camilla marked the second day of their tour of the island of Ireland with a visit to a Belfast park honouring CS Lewis.
Wellwishers welcomed the UK queen’s son and his wife to CS Lewis Square, which is named after the author who was born in the city.
The popular community park in the east of the city is dotted with statues inspired by the fantasy world created by Lewis in his famous Chronicles of Narnia, the most striking of which is a towering metal sculpture of Aslan the lion.
People dressed as central characters in Lewis’s The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe – Mr Tumnus and the White Witch – helped guide the Royal couple around the square.
Charles and Camilla were on the second day of a visit to Northern Ireland.
They will continue their tour of the island with engagements in Waterford and at the Rock of Cashel in Co Tipperary.
“Throughout the visit, Their Royal Highnesses will meet local community groups, businesses and first responders who worked to support others through the pandemic,” the British Embassy in Dublin said in a statement.
Charles, who is the queen’s eldest son and heir, will also meet Taoiseach Micheál Martin, as well as farmers and community organisers involved in tackling climate change and members of Ireland’s Ukrainian community.
The couple have visited Ireland five times in the past, most recently in 2019 when they met President Michael D Higgins in Co Wicklow.
In Belfast, the couple concluded the visit to the literary-themed square by the posing for a photo alongside a statue of Lewis and the wardrobe.
They then went their separate ways for several other engagements in Belfast.
Camilla walked a short distance to the adjacent Holywood Arches Library where she met old and young regulars.
The visit was part of her longstanding commitment to encouraging literacy and reading.
She then travelled to BBC Broadcasting House in the city centre where she met presenters and staff at BBC Radio Ulster and toured the television news studio.
Elsewhere in the city, Charles officially reopened the Grand Opera House following its recent restoration. He met architects, conservators and interior designers involved in the project.
Charles then watched a short performance in the main auditorium by young people before unveiling a plaque.
Additional reporting from AFP
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