THE BRIDGE-BUILDING’s been continuing across the water this evening — with the Queen and Northern Ireland Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness shaking hands at Windsor as part of an event to celebrate the peace process.
Of course, it’s not the first time the two have met formally — there was also this historic meeting back in Belfast back in 2012…
That meeting — at the city’s lyric theatre — was seen as a symbolic moment in the peace process.
And while a second handshake between the former IRA leader and Britain’s reigning monarch clearly represents a further normalisation of relations — arguably the most historic event involving McGuinness on President Higgins’ State visit took place on the first day of the trip.
The Sinn Féin politician stood for a toast proposed by Higgins, as an orchestra played God Save The Queen, at a banquet being held in honour of the President.
Ahead of the event, McGuinness had said he would observe all “protocols and civilities”.
The politician’s presence on the trip has been met with some criticism. Relatives of IRA victims mounted protests outside Windsor Castle on Tuesday night as the banquet took place inside.
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