The visit marked Kate and Prince William's first to the country since gaining their new titles.
Kate Middleton kept her composure in an uncomfortable situation during a visit to Northern Ireland. Kate was joined by Prince William for a walkabout outside Carrickfergus Castle on Thursday, where the Princess of Wales was greeting well-wishers. Dressed in coordinating blue outfits, William wore a smart blue suit, while Kate wore a light blue coat over a silky pussy-bow blouse and dark blue slacks, as they addressed the crowd.
In a video shared on Twitter, Kate is seen reaching out to shake the hand of a woman who was recording the encounter on her phone, but when the woman took her hand, she had a few choice words for the royal, telling Kate, "Nice to meet you, but it would be better if it was when you were in your own country."
The princess did not let it phase her, continuing to smile as she moved on to shake the hands of others in the crowd. The woman did not stop there, however, adding, "Ireland belongs to the Irish."
There has long been a spot of contention between England and Northern Ireland, which dates as far back as the 1600s. The late Queen Elizabeth II addressed the rift between the two countries during a state banquet in Dublin in 2011.
"It is a sad and regrettable reality that through history our islands have experienced more than their fair share of heartache, turbulence and loss ... with the benefit of historical hindsight we can all see things which we wish had been done differently, or not at all," Her Majesty said, per The Guardian.
She added, "To all those who have suffered as a consequence of our troubled past, I extend my sincere thoughts and deep sympathy."
The one-day visit Thursday marked the first trip to Northern Ireland for the Prince and Princess of Wales since assuming their new titles following the Queen's death on Sept. 8.
Earlier in the day, the couple was seen having a bit of fun as they engaged in a little friendly competition at Trademarket, an outdoor space that hosts local food and drink vendors from across the region. During their visit, William, 40, and Kate, 41, tried their hand at mixology.
The prince and princess got behind the bar for a competition to see who could make the best and fastest cocktail. A clip of the competition was shared to their official Twitter account, which saw William and Kate, each accompanied by bartenders as they pour drinks into a cocktail shaker. Kate is seen shaking her mixed drink up before pouring it into a glass.
At the end of the video, the duo cheers their drinks, before taking a sip. The pair’s visit to Trademarket allowed them to speak with Will Neill, who founded the space to encourage more foot traffic in the area and allow people from various backgrounds to highlight their businesses.
Will and Kate’s visit to the country came after their first stop at the PIPS Suicide Prevention in Ireland. PIPS is a crisis support charity that works across the community to offer resources, help and other tools for people who are experiencing mental health crises.
The royals, who have been mental health advocates, spoke with staff at PIPS about the way they are working in the community to lower the suicide rates among young people.
See more on the prince and princess in the video below.
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