and i mentioned that i would love if she could come and visit, how her eyes lit up! that wish was fulfilled 18 years later. the queen s state visit to ireland was laden with historic healing gestures. when the queen went to our garden of remembrance, which honours many who fought against the british empire and britain, when she bowed her head in that particular way, and she knew exactly what she was doing, and it was very emotional, you know. because. ..it kind of symbolised that she profoundly understood that we needed to become good neighbours. the sovereign herself was touched by the tragedy of the troubles. in 1979 her cousin, lord mountbatten, was killed in an ira bomb attack on his fishing boat. but 33 years on, the queen shook the hand of a former commander in the paramilitary group. by then, martin mcguinness was northern ireland s deputy first minister.
two heads of state, two women, equal in office, standing there, it meant a huge amount. and i mentioned that i would love if she could come and visit how her eyes lit up! that wish was fulfilled 18 years later. the queen s state visit to ireland was laden with historic healing gestures. when the queen went to our garden of remembrance, which honours many who fought against the british empire and britain, when she bowed her head in that particular way, and she knew exactly what she was doing, it was very emotional, you know. ..because it comes symbolised that she profoundly understood that we needed to become good neighbours. the sovereign herself was touched by the tragedy of the troubles. her cousin lord mountbatten was killed in an ira bomb attack on his fishing boat. but 33 years on, the queen shook the hand
to create the climate for peace. it was a very big step when the queen invited me to come and have tea with her in buckingham palace. and the symbolism of that, two heads of state, two women equal in office standing there, it meant a huge amount. and i mentioned that i would love if she could come and visit, how her eyes lit up! that wish was fulfilled 18 years later. the queen s state visit to ireland was laden with historic healing gestures. when the queen went to our garden of remembrance, which honours many who fought against the british empire and britain, when she bowed her head in that particular way, and she knew exactly what she was doing, and it was very emotional, you know. because. ..it kind of symbolised that she profoundly understood that we needed to become good neighbours. the sovereign herself was touched by the tragedy of the troubles.