The Prince of Wales was "profoundly moved by the work being done to heal the pain of the past" as he paid tribute to those involved in cross-community work in Northern Ireland.
The Prince of Wales
Prince Charles and his wife the Duchess of Cornwall visited the country on Tuesday (18.05.21) and attended Belfast City Hall, before speaking about youth services at the Education Authority’s headquarters.
The 72-year-old royal spoke about the “risk” and “cost” of “holding on to peaceful ways” in the region.
He said: "We must never underestimate the risk, and the cost, of holding to peaceful ways, and how much determination and, actually, courage is necessary. When I visit this part of the world, I never cease to be profoundly moved by the work that is being done to heal the pain of the past, to bring understanding and reconciliation in the present and to build hope for the future."
Next month will be exactly 100 years since Prince Charles’s great-grandfather, King George V, officially opened Northern Ireland's first parliament, on 22 June 1921.
Meanwhile, it was recently reported that Charles has plans to open royal homes - including Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle, Balmoral, Sandringham and Clarence House - more to the public when he becomes king.
He is said to be planning to open up more areas of current royal residents when he takes to the throne with the blessing of his mother Queen Elizabeth, as well as consulting his son The Duke of Cambridge and his wife, the Duchess of Cambridge.
Speaking to The Sunday Times newspaper, a royal source explained: "The prince wants to bring people in to connect with the institution. He recognises it needs to keep evolving, and in the modern era people want to be able to access their palaces. He embraces that and sees them as public places more than private spaces."
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