Prince Charles Has a Plan to Shore Up the U.K.'s Post-Brexit Relationship with Ireland
The U.K.'s looming exit from the E.U. will upend many of its long-held relationships-including that with its closest neighbor, Ireland. While the politicians try to work out the details, Prince Charles is taking symbolic steps to assure that the two countries remain close.
On March 7th, the future king delivered a speech during an early St. Patrick's Day dinner at the Irish Embassy. Addressing a crowd of leading Irish figures, from Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney to actress Fiona Shaw, Charles pledged to visit all of Ireland's 32 counties.
Charles has already made decent progress towards his goal, as he's made official visits to Ireland every year since 2014. "I'm slightly amazed to find that we've managed to visit 15 counties already," he said, per the Independent. "I am quite determined before I drop dead and finally lose my marbles that I should get around to the remaining 17."
He continued, reaffirming his wish that Ireland and the U.K. remain close. "As our relationship evolves over the coming months and years, I have both the faith and the hope that the essential friendship between the people of Ireland and the people of the United Kingdom will not only endure but will renew itself for generations to come," he said.
The prince's words seemed to be well-received by those in attendance. "I think he's interested in all things Irish," director Kennth Branagh said of Charles. He added that in times of political discord, "Always better to talk than not talk."
Actress Fiona Shaw told the Independent that she speaks to Charles and his wife Camilla "regularly." She believes that the work the couple is doing, including attending dinner parties like this one, may help "save the ties between the two countries."
Unfortunately, the air of uncertainty wasn't entirely dispelled. "No idea. Nobody knows what's happening," actor Adrian Dunbar said of the impending Brexit arrangements. "Nobody knows what's going on." But then, that's a bit outside of Prince Charles's purview.
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