King Charles Meets Irish President Catherine Connolly at Buckingham Palace

King Charles III met with Irish President Catherine Connolly at Buckingham Palace on Monday, marking the first day of her three-day official visit to England. The meeting, which lasted just under an hour, was described by the president as wonderful.

President Connolly confirmed that during the audience, she extended an official invitation for King Charles to undertake a state visit to Ireland, which he has graciously accepted. Such a visit would be only the second by a British monarch since Ireland's independence, following the late Queen Elizabeth II's landmark state visit in 2011. The president said she is sure the King will receive the warmest of welcomes, adding that the visit would represent a further deepening of the relationship between the two nations.

The trip is President Connolly's first official visit to England since her inauguration last November, where she has emphasized engagement with the Irish diaspora. Her itinerary includes engagements in London and Leeds.

Earlier on Monday, the president visited the Irish Cultural Centre in Hammersmith, west London, where she delivered an address and met with individuals participating in an Irish language class. In her...