Northern Ireland Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness has confirmed he will meet Queen Elizabeth when she visits Northern Ireland between 23 and 25 June next.
It will be the third time they will have met in the past two years.
They first met and shook hands in 2012 and again in April last when the senior Sinn Fein presented toasted the Queen during a banquet at Windsor Castle as part of the state visit of Irish president Michael D Higgins.
Martin McGuinness said he would be meeting the Queen in his apacity as Deputy First Minister and as a “representative of all our people.”
He added: “The visit by Queen Elizabeth is an opportunity to demonstrate mutual respect and to further build on the process of reconciliation.”
Mr McGuinness concluded: “Despite the current difficulties I am determined to provide positive forward thinking political leadership.”
