President Michael D. Higgins' state visit to the United Kingdom

The State visit of the President of Ireland to the United Kingdom occurred on 7 April 2014. It was the first state visit of a President of Ireland to the United Kingdom. The visit came three years after the first state visit by a British monarch to Ireland following its independence.

President Michael D. Higgins and First Lady Sabina Higgins were welcomed by Queen Elizabeth II on 8 April at Windsor Castle on the first day of a four-day visit. The President attended a formal meeting with British Prime Minister David Cameron on the same day.

He also met opposition party leaders at Westminster, and Mayor of London Boris Johnson.

President and Mrs Higgins left Áras an Uachtaráin with full military honours at 2.30pm. A Guard of Honour was provided by the 12th Infantry Battalion, and the Army No. 1 Band played the Presidential Salute. The President was accompanied by a motorcycle Escort of Honour to Baldonnel Aerodrome where he departed at 4pm for Heathrow Airport.

The party was greeted on arrival after 5pm by the Ambassador of Ireland to the United Kingdom, Daniel Mulhall, and his wife Greta; the Viscount Hood, Lord-in-Waiting to Her Majesty the Queen; Sir David Brewer, Lord-Lieutenant of Greater London; and Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe, head of the London Metropolitan Police. Members of the Queen's Colour Squadron of the Royal Air Force provided a guard of honour.

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Wikipedia