President Catherine Connolly has invited King Charles III for an official State visit to Ireland during her three-day diplomatic trip to the United Kingdom. The president, who had a couple of words with media outlets, confirmed that the Monarch of the United Kingdom has accepted the invitation.
The Monarch of the United Kingdom and the President had a substantial meeting at Buckingham Palace, which lasted around an hour and marked the first official encounter between the two leaders since Conolly became President of Ireland in November 2025.
This afternoon at Buckingham Palace, The President of Ireland visited The King. 🇮🇪 pic.twitter.com/33VJsWtKxr
— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) May 18, 2026
The encounter was described as “very positive,” as Conolly said it was a privilege to meet King Charles III and highlighted the importance of strengthening the relationships between Britain and Ireland.
The Irish president continued with appearances at the Chelsea Flower Show, the Irish Centre in Camden, and several engagements in Leeds focused on the Irish community and health initiatives. It is expected that the upcoming State visit will position King Charles III as one of the hardest-working royals in history.
