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Orlaith Clinton

The Queen: Eamonn Holmes reflects on first moments he had with Queen Elizabeth

Eamonn Holmes has paid tribute to The Queen after her death, reflecting on the moments he shared with her.

The Northern Ireland man's relationship with the Queen goes back decades, from first seeing her in Belfast in 1966, to receiving an OBE from Queen Elizabeth in June 2018.

Speaking to the BBC on Tuesday afternoon as King Charles began duties in Northern Ireland, Eamonn said: "I was six years old when I first saw the Queen. I would have grown up in North Belfast, a Nationalist/Republican area and listening to her talks of reconciliation, I think this Queen should be known as, you know Diana was known as the people's Princess, I think Queen Elizabeth was the Queen of peace.

Follow live: Updates as King Charles III and Camilla visit NI

"I think that's what she could be remembered for. In 1966 when I first saw her, I lived on the New Lodge Road and that would have been a Catholic/Nationalist area.

"We went to the Antrim Road and I remember seeing her come down the road and waving out.

"To a lot of people, Charles coming today, it is celebrity-hood. It is important to a lot of people in Northern Ireland.

"I think there has been great strides, and Charles will continue that. I think he is a very accessible man. It is very strange for me, being a North Belfast Catholic, thinking when I was a kid 'this was not my Queen' and yet, when I went to England in 1986 and I went to mass, we prayed for the Queen on Sunday.

"I remember I found this really strange because you realise she was a Queen for all people and for all faiths. She did stretch herself."

Reflecting on when he received the OBE, Eamonn laughed as he remembered fondly doing something out of the ordinary when meeting Queen Elizabeth.

"You are told that you have about a minute and a half with her, she holds your hand, and when she is finished with you, she pushes your hand back," Eamonn said.

"When it got to my chance with her she said 'you must have interviewed a lot of people in your time' and I said 'yes ma'am, I have interviewed everyone in your family with one exception'. She said 'really who is that?' and I said 'you ma'am but we could fix that today because we are near the end of the line, there's a space over there, I have got my phone, we could do a quick chat'.

"She laughed. She had a sense of humour and I would find that about all of them. They know about you and want to be interested in you too."

King Charles III arrived in Northern Ireland on Tuesday morning as part of a wider programme of visits across the UK.

Accompanied by the Queen Consort, Charles landed at Belfast City Airport before embarking on a day of activities, including a service in Belfast.

In detailed plans of the visit, the public was invited to attend both Royal Hillsborough and Belfast city centre to line the route that Charles and Camilla will be travelling.

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