By Cate McCurry (PA)
The Earl and Countess of Wessex are visiting Northern Ireland to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.
The Earl and Countess will first visit Belfast, where the Royal couple will join members of the public at a 1950s-themed celebration on Royal Avenue in the city.
The event is to mark the third day of festivities to mark 70 years since the Queen’s reign began.
The earl and countess are meeting groups of performers, including the Belfast Busking Band, and will hear stories of the city’s diverse communities over the last 70 years, which will be explored through fashion, photography, music and dance.
The earl will also meet older members of the local community, brought together by Age Friendly Belfast to share their memories and experiences.
Meanwhile, the countess will join in with special platinum jubilee craft activities, making crowns and corgis with school children, before viewing a showcase of fashion through the ages.
The couple will also try a local delicacy, the Belfast Bap, and will visit stalls at the Retro Jubilee Market.
Before leaving Belfast, the earl and countess will watch a community dance group perform a routine that celebrates the last seven decades.
The royal couple will then travel to their second engagement in the region on Saturday afternoon.
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