LONDON, England – In a historic milestone for Anglo-Irish relations, King Charles III has officially accepted an invitation to undertake a state visit to Ireland following a warm and productive meeting with Irish President Catherine Connolly at Buckingham Palace.
Okay News reports that the announcement was made on Monday afternoon, May 18, 2026, marking President Connolly’s first official visit to Great Britain since her election to Aras an Uachtaráin in November 2025. The high-profile audience between the two heads of state lasted just under an hour, with both leaders discussing deep cultural ties, shared histories, and diplomatic continuity.
Speaking from her west London hotel shortly after the Buckingham Palace convoy departed, President Connolly described the bilateral talks as immensely positive. However, the diplomatic triumph was visibly overshadowed by her profound personal anxiety regarding international events. The President confirmed she was “upset and worried” about her sister, Dr. Margaret Connolly—a general practitioner based in Sligo—who was on board a Gaza humanitarian flotilla ship that was aggressively intercepted by Israeli naval forces in international waters earlier on Monday.
“I’ve been very busy today… I haven’t really had a chance to get details in relation to my sister and indeed, equally importantly, her colleagues on the boat,” Connolly stated, switching between Irish and English to express her concern while noting her immense pride in her sister’s humanitarian conviction.
The President was also asked to weigh in on domestic political controversies back home, specifically addressing leaked recordings of former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern making disparaging comments about African immigration trends. Refusing to be drawn into a partisan shouting match, Connolly firmly noted, “I think we all have to mind our own words. And we… have to take responsibility for what we say.”
The Buckingham Palace meeting forms the centerpiece of a busy three-day UK itinerary for the Irish President and her husband, Brian McEnery. Earlier on Monday, Connolly visited the Irish Cultural Centre in Hammersmith, delivering a keynote speech on the vast historical contributions of the Irish diaspora to British infrastructure, healthcare, and art. Following an evening reception hosted in her honor by Irish Ambassador Martin Fraser, the President’s tour will continue with a visit to the Chelsea Flower Show before concluding on Wednesday with academic and diaspora engagements at Leeds University and the Leeds Irish Centre.
