Duke of Edinburgh: Busy itinerary in '˜selfless service' visit

The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh pictured at the Giant's Causeway with Neville McConchie, National Trust Ranger.
Picture By: Arthur Allison. — The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh pictured at the Giant's Causeway with Neville McConchie, National Trust Ranger. Picture By: Arthur Allison.

In a busy end of June itinerary the Royal party travelled to the Giant’s Causeway as part of the Queen’s 90th birthday celebrations.

The monarch and Duke of Edinburgh, 94, braved blustery conditions to view the landmark Unesco World Heritage site.

Her Majesty and the Duke of Edinburgh were also the guests of the Mayor, Alderman Maura Hickey, at a civic lunch in Royal Portrush Golf Club - where the 2019 Open championship will be staged.

The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh pictured at Coleraine rail station for their North Coast steam train journey in 2016.
Picture By: Arthur Allison. — The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh pictured at Coleraine rail station for their North Coast steam train journey in 2016. Picture By: Arthur Allison.

The theme of the lunch, attended by local representatives of the RNLI and Community Rescue Service, was the “voluntary and selfless service of citizens”.

Her Majesty and the Duke of Edinburgh, who is stepping down from public duties this Autumn, completed four engagements in the borough, unveiling the Robert Quigg VC statue in the centre of Bushmills and also travelled on a No 85 Merlin steam train to Bellarena at the conclusion of the visit.

It was the second Royal visit to the area in two years. In 2014, the Queen and Prince Philip laid a wreath at Coleraine Cenotaph and met members of the Royal British Legion from Northern Ireland and the Republic. The event commemorated the start of the First World War.