For Windsor Royal Watchers: The Irish State Visit Agenda!

On Monday 7th April President Higgins, his wife Sabrina accompanied by Ta¡naiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Eamon Gilmore, will leave Dublin for the start of their 4 day visit to Britain.

It's the first state visit by an Irish head of state to Britain and the President and his wife will be guests of The Queen at Windsor.

The highlights of the visit will be the state banquet at Windsor Castle on Tuesday 8th April hosted by The Queen and a banquet hosted by the Lord Mayor of the City of London later on in the week.

The State Visit Programme in Summary:

Monday 7 April

President and Mrs Higgins will be met at Heathrow by Dam Mulhall, the Ambassador of Ireland and Viscount Hood who is The Queen's Lord-in-Waiting.

Tuesday 8th April

President Higgins will meet the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall at the Irish Embassy in London, and will then travel together to Windsor.

The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh will then formally welcome their Irish guests to Windsor (this will be at the Royal Dais, Datchet Road, Windsor) before being taken to the official ceremony at The Castle by horse-drawn carriage. Hope the weather stays fine!

The President, alongside the Duke of Edinburgh, will then inspect a Guard of Honour in the Castle's Quadrangle which will give the royal salute, followed by the band which will play the Irish and British national anthems

The Queen will then invite her guests to see Irish related contents from her Royal Collection after enjoying a private lunch with them at the castle.

After this they leave for London to lay a wreath at the grave of the Unknown Warrior before a tour of Westminster Abbey, with Dr John Hall, the Dean of Westminster.

Later President Higgins will visit the Palace of Westminster to deliver an address to both Houses and meet members of parliament accompanied by John Bercrow, Speaker of the House of Commons and The Baroness D'Souza, Lord Speaker.

Returning to Windsor, President Higgins will take a courtesy call from Ed Miliband, the leader of the opposition before being Guest of Honour at the State Banquet that evening Wednesday

Wednesday 9th April

President Higgins, his wife and Prince Andrew, the Duke of York will view the colours of disbanded Irish regiments - which have been at the castle since 1922 - from the grand stairs in Windsor Castle. The rest of the day consists of:

- A visit to the University College London Hospital on Euston Road to meet patients and some Irish staff members of the NHS.

- A visit the Royal Society including an address on the importance of scientific and technological cooperation between Ireland and Britain.

- Lunch at 10 Downing Street with Prime Minister David Cameron.

- Sabina Higgins has a separate programme which includes a visit to RADA and a lunch at the Irish Embassy

In the afternoon, President Higgins and Sabina will attend a Youth Workshop at City Hall with Boris Johnson involving young people from Ireland and the UK who participate in Gaisce, The President's Award/The Duke of Edinburgh's Awards

- Later in the evening at Buckingham Palace, Mr Higgins will receive a courtesy call by Nick Clegg, Deputy Prime Minister followed by a Banquet hosted by the Lord Mayor of the City of London and attended by HRH the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester.

Thursday 10th April

- A visit to the Food Animal Initiative (FAI) Farms, Oxford with Aidan Cotter, Chief Executive, Bord Bia (Irish Food Board)

- A visit to Park House Stables, Kingsclere where they will meet trainers, jockeys and other staff at the stables

- A Northern Ireland themed early evening reception hosted by The Queen at Windsor Castle.

- A night at The Albert Hall to see Ceiliaoadh accompanied by Prince and Princess Michael of Kent Friday 11th April

- President Higgins and Sabina leave Windsor Castle to visit the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford-upon-Avon and to visit Shakespeareâs birthplace.

- In the afternoon, the President will visit the ruins of old Coventry Cathedral which was destroyed in World War II.

- An evening reception at St Mary's Guildhall, greeted by Lord Mayor of Coventry Cllr Gary Crookes, for a reception for members of the Irish community

- President Higgins and his wife then depart from Coventry for Dublin.

A pretty full agenda!!