Northern Ireland Office

Her Royal Highness, The Princess Royal, in the second engagement of the day, attended the FIA World Rally Championship, Irish Round, at a Super Special Stage held in the Stormont Estate.

On arrival at Parliament Buildings, Her Royal Highness was welcomed to the event, the first ever round to be held on the island of Ireland, by Mr Edwin Poots MLA, Minister for The Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure.

Her Royal Highness also met drivers and co-drivers Kris Meeke, Paul Nagle, Marcus Gronholm, Timo Rautiainen, Sebastian Loeb and Daniel Elena.

Her Royal Highness watched the Opening Ceremony where young people from across the community, with flags representing each competing nation, performed music and dance to the sound of samba and side drums, harp, pipes, traditional and carnival dance music.

The Princess Royal accompanied by The Rt Hon Dr Ian Paisley MP MLA, First Minister, Northern Ireland Assembly, and Mr Seamus Brennan TD, Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism, Dáil Éireann accepted an invitation to flag-off the first two cars taking part in the special stage.

Following the official start, to what is seen to be the most prestigious occasion in the Northern Ireland sporting calendar this year, Her Royal Highness met some of the young people involved in the Opening Ceremony all members of the Beat Initiative carnival arts company. The company formed in 1993 provides projects that beneficially engage the imagination of a broad range of audience from all sections of the community.

Before departing for her next engagement, Her Royal Highness met some veteran rally stars, including Belfast driver Paddy Hopkirk, outright winner of 1964 Monte-Carlo Rally, Finland’s Ari Vatanen who was World Champion in 1981, and French rally driver Michèle Mouton who was the first and to date only woman to win a round of the World Rally Championship.

Notes to Editors

On arrival at Stormont Her Royal Highness was greeted by

Mr Edwin Poots MLA, Minister Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure

and went on to meet:

The Rt Hon Dr Ian Paisley MP MLA, First Minister Northern Ireland Assembly,

Mr William Hay MLA, Speaker Northern Ireland Assembly,

Mr Seamus Brennan TD, Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism Dáil Éireann,

Mr Max Mosley, President FIA,

Mr Sean O’Connor, Promoter Rally Ireland,

and Mr Ronan Morgan, Promoter Rally Ireland