King and Queen tour parts of Titanic Quarter during Northern Ireland visit

By Press Association Reporters

The King and Queen have arrived in Northern Ireland for a visit beginning with a celebration of culture, music and creativity.

Charles and Camilla are making an unannounced trip to Belfast and started by touring parts of the Titanic Quarter, a major tourist attraction area in the city.

A stone’s throw from where the famous Titanic was built, they met organisers and performers who will entertain thousands of people this August.

Belfast will host for the first time the all-Ireland Fleadh – the world’s largest festival of traditional Irish music, song and dance – and the King and Queen chatted to those aiming to make the spectacle a highlight of the summer.

Some of the artists involved in the 2026 event include musician Sharon Shannon and her Big Band, who will headline the main stage outside Belfast City Hall on the opening day.

Other acts performing on the famous Gig Rig stage for the opening ceremony will be award-winning group Goitse, the Blackwater Ceili Band and Belfast ensemble McPeake.

The line-up will also include a range of school choirs, as well as cross-community and multicultural performances, creating a day of free entertainment and setting the tone for a week of multi-generational shared celebration across the city.

The showcase of traditional music, song, dance and language, which will take place from August 2 to 9, is expected to attract more than 800,000 people.

Charles made numerous trips to Northern Ireland when he was the Prince of Wales and has made a handful now as King.

King Charles III and Queen Camilla play traditional Irish bodhran drums as they watch dancers at an event to mark Fleadh Cheoil na hEireann coming to Belfast in August, at Thompson Dock, Belfast, on day one of the royal visit to Northern Ireland (Photo by Toby Melville/PA Wire)