And the Queen is invited to visit too

THE process has begun for Queen Elizabeth II to pay a historic first formal visit to Ireland next year.

And the Queen is invited  to visit too

Taoiseach Brian Cowen said there were no longer obstacles to such a visit and he hoped the Queen would come to Ireland before President Mary McAleese’s tenure finished in November, 2011.

It would be the first such visit by a British monarch since George V in 1911.

Mr Cowen was speaking following his first formal meeting with new British prime minister David Cameron in Downing Street yesterday.

The two men agreed to hold an “annual summit” to review the relationship between Ireland and Britain “in all of its facets and deepen it and work for mutual benefit,” Mr Cowen said.

Their meeting clashed with the England-Slovenia World Cup match.

Asked if he had wished Mr Cameron luck in the match, which England won 1-0, Mr Cowen quipped: “Well, the goal by Mr Defoe was communicated to the meeting as soon as it happened.”

More in this section

Lunchtime News

Newsletter

Keep up with stories of the day with our lunchtime news wrap and important breaking news alerts.

Cookie Policy Privacy Policy Brand Safety FAQ Help Contact Us Terms and Conditions

© Examiner Echo Group Limited