Safety fears over the Queen’s go to to Northern Eire might have been the true purpose behind her Majesty’s last-minute resolution to not go, consultants mentioned at the moment.
The official purpose for the Monarch’s eleventh-hour change of plans was that she had caught a seasonal chilly and had been informed to relaxation for the ‘subsequent few days’.
However Royal sources at the moment suspected that the well being scare might have been one thing of a ‘smokescreen’ and a number one safety professional identified that particulars of the journey had been extensively reported in Belfast, revealing the place the Queen could be ‘was as harmful because it will get’.
The journey additionally got here in opposition to a backdrop of heightened safety coming simply 5 days after MP Sir David Amess was stabbed to loss of life in a suspected terror assault.
And the ecumenical service in Armagh her Majesty was because of attend to mark the centenary of Irish partition and the formation of Northern Eire had grow to be mired in political controversy after Irish President Higgins turned down an invite to the occasion, sparking fury from Unionists.
The Queen at a reception for the International Funding Convention at Windsor Fort on Tuesday
Shortly after the announcement that Her Majesty had a chilly, she was noticed driving round her Windsor property and strolling her Corgis.
Right this moment a Buckingham Palace spokesperson insisted: ‘We would not touch upon safety issues. Nevertheless, you will note from the advisory launched yesterday that Her Majesty reluctantly accepted medical recommendation to relaxation for the subsequent few days.’
Previously, particulars of Royal visits to Northern Eire have been saved below wraps till the final second. Off-record briefings could be given to the media provided that the information could be embargoed till the go to was underway.
Particulars of her go to have been reported within the Belfast Telegraph and the Sunday Unbiased over the weekend. This got here after the go to was previed within the Irish Occasions 4 weeks in the past.
Although safety protocols have been considerably relaxed in recent times, the extent of reporting over the Queen’s deliberate go to was unusually excessive, highlighting a perceived snub by the Irish President Michael D Higgins who introduced he was not going to attend the ceremony.
Queen Elizabeth II greets Prime Minister Boris Johnson on the Windsor Fort occasion on Tuesday
That sparked a political row as DUP chief Sir Jeffrey Donaldson mentioned President Higgins’ resolution had ‘set again north-south relations’ in Eire.
‘The rejection of this occasion by the Irish head of state indicators to unionists that the presidential workplace doesn’t respect Northern Eire as an entity and has little or no real interest in a shared future with unionism,’ Sir Jeffrey mentioned final month.
One royal professional informed MailOnline that London-based reporters have been in place for the Queen’s arrival in Belfast yesterday when her journey was abruptly cancelled.
‘Even earlier than the journey, royal sources have been citing the Northern Eire safety protocols and refusing to substantiate the main points,’ mentioned the supply.
‘However on the identical time, her itinerary was recognized by everybody in Eire. It’s totally odd that on the very day the Queen is claimed to be informed to relaxation below physician’s orders that she’s seen out and about driving and along with her canine.
The Lord-Lieutenant of County Down inspects a guard of honour by the Hillsborough Fort Guard earlier than a ceremony at Hillsborough Fort in Northern Eire yesterday
‘Possibly she did get up with a head chilly, however given the safety issues and the political sizzling potato the Armagh service had grow to be, maybe that chilly was very nicely timed?’
Terrorism professional Chris Phillips, ex-head of the federal government’s Nationwide Counter Terrorism Safety Workplace, mentioned it was by no means useful to have the Royals’ plans broadcast prematurely in Northern Eire. ‘In fact, the scenario there’s not prefer it was 20 years in the past, however whenever you see it reported that the Queen’s going to be at a sure place on a sure day, that is as harmful because it will get.
‘Usually the media would impose a information blackout on the occasion till the Royal in query was truly in place.
‘Now the information leaking out won’t be a purpose in itself to name off a go to, however it could actually think about. Plenty of different issues should be taken into consideration as nicely, however it’s by no means useful. ‘
One of many Northern Eire dignitaries attending at the moment’s service at St Patrick’s Church of Eire Cathedral informed MailOnline: ‘The safety across the Cathedral and on the roads from Belfast at the moment is about as tight as I’ve ever seen.’