Mary McAleese was President of Ireland during the Queen and Prince Philip’s historic state visit to the country in 2011. The occasion has been recognized as marking a key juncture in Ango-Irish relations, being the first time a British monarch had set foot in the Republic of Ireland for a century. Ms McAleese revealed to BBC presenter Andrew Marr the important role performed by Duke of Edinburgh during the visit
The former President of Ireland said: “He, of course, accompanied her on the four days of that visit one of the longest state visits we have ever had in Ireland.
“But undoubtedly also the most historic visit since no British Monarch had set foot in the Republic of Ireland in 100 years.
“There was all that baggage of history to be dealt with.”
Ms McAleese: “He was there has she has previously described as her rock but he was also there as a character in his own right, a man who had come on a mission.”
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