Security on high alert for royals’ 3-day visit
William and Kate to arrive in Ireland
A MAJOR security operation is under way for the visit of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
Specialist gardai including armed support units are already deployed to patrol and secure areas on the royal couple’s itinerary.
Prince William and Kate Middleton arrive tomorrow for a three-day visit.
The exact itinerary has not been released over security concerns but more details, including road closures, will be announced today.
The biggest security threat comes from dissident republicans.
It is known the Duke and Duchess will visit Dublin, Galway, Meath and Kildare. Galway has been chosen to mark
European City of
Culture celebrations.
Megalithic sites in
Co Meath may also be part of the visit as well as the
National Stud in
Kildare. The couple will meet
President Michael
D Higgins and Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and are also due to visit a GAA club during a packed schedule. Kensington Palace said the programme will take in “Ireland’s rich culture, its impactful community and spectacular scenery”. It added the visit will focus on the relationship between the two countries and build on the theme of remembrance and reconciliation. Meanwhile, detectives protecting Prince Harry and wife Meghan have been staying in a €1,200-a-week Airbnb in Canada at the UK taxpayers’ expense.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s security team were housed close to the couple’s oceanfront mansion on Vancouver Island. Protection officers only moved out when Harry, 35, flew back to the UK last week for his last appearances before stepping back fully from his royal life this month.