King Charles and Queen Camilla’s Belfast visit: Royals hosted by famous Belfast publican Willie Jack during surprise trip to city’s Cathedral Quarter

The pair touched down in the early afternoon and were whisked to Belfast’s Cathedral Quarter for the first in a series of engagements here.

Then Queen Camilla visited Atlas (Adult Training Learning and Support) Women’s Centre in Lisburn.

The community centre supports local women struggling with various issues, with a particular emphasis on those living with domestic abuse.

While there she heard about the organisation’s work, as it prepares to celebrate its 14th anniversary this year.

Its services include courses, workshops, counselling, childcare and support groups.

The Queen has a long-term interest in supporting victims of domestic violence and sexual assault, and during her visit to Atlas, she will hear about the issue of domestic abuse in Northern Ireland.

Separately King Charles visited Newforge Sports Complex and Event Hub.

The complex is home to the Police Service of Northern Ireland’s (PSNI) Athletic Association and is where many PSNI sports and social clubs are based.

For their first stop, King Charles and Queen Camilla visited the Commercial Court in the Cathedral Quarter and met with members of the local community.

Watch: King and Queen meet The Causeway Shantymen during visit to famous Belfast street

Several streets in the area were closed amid a heavy police presence and the Majesties’ security.

By noon the sun was out and the narrow cobbled streets were busy with a select crowd invited to meet Charles and Camilla.

When the King and Queen arrived they were greeted by Lord Mayor Micky Murray, High Sheriff Fiona McAteer and Belfast North MP John Finucane.

The Lord Mayor said it was a special day.

“It’s always good to have visitors to Belfast,” he said.

“It’s great as Lord Mayor, getting to meet Charles and Camilla. Today is definitely something my parents and grandparents will be asking me about.”

The King and Queen were hosted by publican Willie Jack, who has worked Belfast’s hospitality industry for more than four decades.

In recent years, a collaboration involving Willie and his wife Joanne and other businesses in the area has seen the Cathedral Quarter – once a run-down area – transformed into a thriving community and nightlife hub.

Willie said: “Our vision for this area has always been one of hope. Given our difficult past, we were driven to create a beautiful, safe, inclusive and stimulating environment and a community for all to flourish, in keeping with the city’s motto ‘Pro Tanto Quid Retribuamus.’ Which means ‘what shall we give in return for so much.’

“Today, Commercial Court is the heart of a cultural hub in which artists, poets, authors, musicians, muralists, designers, creatives, architects, writers and journalists are inspired to develop, hone their crafts and build their careers.”

They were treated to an intimate tour of one of the city’s most iconic streets, which was ranked as the most “attractive street” in Northern Ireland in 2022.

The couple were pictured greeting well wishers at Belfast pub the Duke of York and standing under the neon umbrellas on display in the street.

Their majesties were given a preview of a new exhibition of portraits of local Half Bap workers in the nearby Sea Holly Gallery, before meeting some of those immortalised in the portraits in real life, and an eclectic array of characters that are part of the local creative community.

Commissioned by publicans Willie and Joanne Jack, the portraits were painted by local artist Ciaran Gallagher.

Their Majesties were serenaded by The Causeway Shantymen group. The pair were seen enjoying the music and chatting to the group’s chairman, Mark Breen.

Mark explained that they would be familiar with Willie Jack, who asked them, in complete secrecy, if they would like to be involved.

“Of course it was a surprise when Willie asked us, but it was great,” he said.

“I was chatting just about how the group came about. I was telling him how we started during Covid as a man’s group to combat isolation and promote positive mental health.

“Since then we’ve just grown and grown and have played everywhere. I even got to gift King Charles a few Causeway Shantymen hats, so who knows if you’ll spot him wearing one in the future.”

The King and Queen also visited the Friend at Hand, a unique whiskey shop and mini-museum which is also owned by Willie Jack and tried some of the rare drinks on offer.

Two people who got to meet the King and Queen were James Ellison and Mark Wylie of Dead Centre Tours, a Belfast walking tour firm.

“We just had a very brief conversation with their majesties and it’s a cliche, but they were very nice, very friendly,” said James.

“They knew a wee bit about Dead Centre Tours, so they were obviously well-briefed. King Charles said he was very happy to be here and that the place looks fantastic, which of course we agreed with.”

Mark said it wasn’t difficult to keep the secret that they would be meeting the Royals.

“We knew that we weren’t allowed to say anything, but we weren’t even told much in advance who the guest was that would be visiting, so we couldn’t have said much if we wanted to,” he explained.

“All we were told was that it was a VIP. We were brought in because we would take a lot of tourists through the Cathedral Quarter, which demonstrates the regeneration and resilience of the city.”

Valerie and Richard McMullan run the Ben Vista Garden Centre, which provided they plants and flowers lining Commerical Court.

Valerie said this was the “last place she expected to be” on a Wednesday in March.

Richard McMullan said the experience was surreal.

“It’s great promotion for the area and we’re just happy to be here,” he said.

Jessica McConkey, Courtney Brett and Michael Graham work at the nearby Short Design.

“It’s not often that something like this happens and because we work in a business here we were invited along,” said Michael.

Courtney said it was a “brilliant” experience, while Jessica described it as “surreal”.

Following their visit to Cathedral Quarter, the King and Queen went on their separate engagements.

Charles was greeted at Newforge by Stormont Justice Minister Naomi Long and PSNI Chief Constable Jon Boutcher, before taking in a showcase of sport drills, including rugby, football, hockey and Gaelic games.

He also met PSNI representatives and presented an award to the force’s peer support and wellbeing volunteers.

The King gave an impromptu speech thanking the officers for the work they do to protect the public.

He said he had “enjoyed enormously” the chance to meet with some of them, adding: “I particularly wanted to say just how greatly I admire the way in which you deal, all of you, with so many different challenges that I know you have to face.

“You are the thin green line which makes such an enormous difference to keeping so many people safe. The fact that you’re prepared to do all this, and that somehow your families understand and give you such support is the remarkable thing.

“I just wanted you to know that we owe you collectively an enormous debt of gratitude which can never really be paid enough. I certainly don’t take for granted what you all do by any means, and my admiration knows no bounds.”

King Charles and Queen Camilla last visited Northern Ireland in 2023.

They carried out a series of engagements here following the coronation in May 2023, including visits to Armagh and Fermanagh.

They also attended a garden party at Hillsborough Castle.