Top Irish legal honour for PM's wife

Cherie Booth today followed in the footsteps of her husband, British Prime Minister Tony Blair, by accepting a top legal honour during a visit to Dublin.

The QC was made an honorary bencher of the King’s Inns at a private ceremony, three years after Mr Blair was presented with the same honour.

She travelled to the King’s Inns, where barristers are trained, after a day of meetings with charity groups from across Ireland.

Miss Booth, who is involved in many charities in the UK, had lunch with representatives from a number of cancer support groups before visiting University College Dublin.

A spokeswoman for the King’s Inn said: ‘‘The ceremony is a private affair and is being held strictly in camera.

‘‘We often have dignitaries here which nobody knows about because of the privacy of the ceremony.’’

The honour is the equivalent of a university fellowship and brings the privilege of access to facilities such as its library.

There are about 100 benchers, including senior members of the judiciary. In addition there are more than 40 honorary benchers.

Miss Booth joined a select group when the honour was conferred - the only other women benchers in the past 30 years are President Mary McAleese and her predecessor Mary Robinson.

The visit to Ireland was a personal one with none of the publicity which followed Mr Blair when he was made made an honorary bencher three years ago.

At the high profile ceremony, Mr Blair made a speech, as did his Bertie Ahern.

Miss Booth did, however, break into her schedule during the afternoon for a brief photocall.