Royal couple visit Primark building during NI trip

DT/COOL FM
Author: Sasha WyliePublished 22nd May 2019
Last updated 22nd May 2019

The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall are visiting Belfast during their two day visit to Northern Ireland.

Charles and Camilla were great by hundreds of people who cheered and clapped as the royal couple arrived in the city centre.

They were also greeted by the new Sinn FĂ©in Lord Mayor of Belfast, John Finucane, as they visited the fire-damaged Primark building.

They spoke with council staff and Primark staff, as well as the first respondents to the blaze back in August.

The couple also took the time out to shake hands with hundreds of hopefuls waiting to catch a glimpse of the royals.

Earlier in the morning. the Duchess of Cornwall called in to speak with some of the city's homeless.

The Belfast Welcome Organisation is on Townsend Street, yards from metal gates which form part of the peace wall which divides the mainly unionist/loyalist lower Shankill Road from the mainly nationalist/republican Falls Road.

The charity has been providing services and support for people affected by homelessness in the city since 1997.

It started off as a community-based drop-in centre and has grown to offer a street outreach service, crisis accommodation for women, a floating support service and growing furniture project Welcome Home.

Camilla was guided around the charity's shop by chief executive Sandra Moore and met a number of staff, volunteers and clients before seeing the workshop where items of furniture are upcycled for sale.

She also spoke with a number of homeless women who come to the centre every day to use its services and learn to resurrect furniture for sale in the shop.

Meanwhile, the Prince of Wales met a woman rescued from the Nazis on the eve of the Second World War as he visited a synagogue in north Belfast.

Ruth Kohner was just two years old when she was part of the Kindertransport in 1939 which brought thousands of Jewish children to safety in the UK.

Charles was at the synagogue with UK Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis as he attended the installation of the Torn From Home Windows project, which is designed to reflect the diversity of the migrant community in Northern Ireland.