Canadian Prime Minister to meet Queen in Edinburgh

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is to meet the Queen in Edinburgh next week.

He will have a private meeting with the monarch at the Palace of Holyroodhouse on Wednesday to honour her importance to Canada's history and to thank her for her continued dedication to Canada'', his office said.

Mr Trudeau will visit Scotland after meeting Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar for the first time the previous day and will then go on to the G20 Summit in Hamburg, Germany, on July 7 and 8.

The Canadian Prime Minister's office said his visit to Ireland and the UK will serve to recognise the strong family ties, history and common purpose our countries share''.

Mr Trudeau, leader of the Liberal Party of Canada, was elected as Canada's prime minister in 2015 and said he is looking forward to his meeting with the Queen.

He said: Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II's commitment to public service has long inspired me and many other Canadians.

With this year marking the 150th anniversary of Confederation, I look forward to thanking her personally for her dedication to our country and for carrying out her duties with such grace and strength.'