Prince William and Kate Middleton have sent their best wishes to Ireland in celebration of St Patrick’s Day, marking the occasion in a particularly special way.
- Prince William and Kate Middleton have wished Ireland a Happy St. Patrick's Day with a touching gesture.
- The Duke and Duchess of Sussex completed a tour of Ireland last year, just weeks before the pandemic began.
- In other royal news, Prince Charles has spoken to Prince Philip ‘several times’ and is ‘thrilled’ his father is home from hospital.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge made a surprise appearance in a short film to commemorate Ireland’s national holiday, in which they paid tribute to their neighboring country in its native language.
Prince William opened the message with 'Beannachtai na Feile Padraig oraibh,' the Irish way of saying ‘Happy St. Patrick’s Day.”
It directly translates to ‘St. Patrick’s Day Blessings’ and is pronounced “Ban-ukh-tee nah Fay-leh Paw-drig ur-iv.” The duke seemed slightly nervous during his delivery of the unfamiliar phrase, but managed to pull it off without any glitches.
We have a saying in the Irish language: 'Ar scáth a chéile a mhaireann na daoine'Meaning we live in each other's shadows. It speaks to the interdependence of our world Thank you to friends around the🌍 for these special #StPatricksDay greetings #GRMA #GlobalIreland 🇮🇪 pic.twitter.com/XHlB7sAxkpMarch 17, 2021
Kate then joined in, offering the English equivalent for non-Irish speakers.
"We're delighted to wish you all a very Happy St Patrick's Day,” she said.
“How come you got that easy bit?” Prince William joked in response to her seamless line.
The couple was styled accordingly for the day, with Kate wearing an emerald green jacket and William dressed in a forest green sweater. The duchess also accented her outfit with a shamrock necklace designed by Daniella Draper.
They shared their memories of their tour around Ireland in March of last year, which included a visit to the Guinness Storehouse as well as the Garden of Remembrance in Dublin.
"We were so thrilled to be able to visit Ireland just over a year ago, a few short weeks before all of our lives were turned upside down by the pandemic," William said.
Prince William and Kate Middleton on their tour of Ireland in March 2020
"The warm welcome that we received everywhere was a testament to the friendship between our two countries and the strength of the relationship between the UK and Ireland," Kate recalled. Relations between the two nations have changed drastically in recent decades, with the Queen's visit to Ireland in 2011 marking a historic shift towards a more amicable dynamic.
"We know that for Irish people all around the world today won't be the same as normal, but we hope that you can celebrate safely in any case," William said, in reference to the cancellation of the widespread festivities that normally take place on St. Patrick's Day in Ireland and the rest of the world.
"Happy St Patrick's Day," the couple said in unison before signing off.
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