Charles hopes Queen will visit to Ireland

Prince Charles has said he hopes his mother Queen Elizabeth will be the next British royal to visit Ireland.

The Prince was speaking at Aras an Uachtarain where he arrived to have lunch with the President, Mary McAleese.

Asked upon his arrival if the Queen would make a follow-up visit, he replied, "I hope so".

He then walked through the Aras grounds to view a tree planted by his ancestor, Queen Victoria in 1861.

It is the Prince's second visit to Aras an Uachtarain.

He first came to the State mansion when Mary Robinson held office in 1995.