In Northern Ireland, the divide over the British monarchy is fierce. Amid King Charles' visit, the voices of Belfast offer a sharp reminder of the country’s complicated and, at times, bloody political past.
Not half a mile away on the Falls Road -- the nationalist stronghold that served as base for the Irish Republican Army and its decades-long guerrilla campaign against British rule -- those heading to work Tuesday brushed off any suggestion that Charles’ visit could validate the crown’s claim to Northern Ireland.
Walker and others said Queen Elizabeth II had earned a measure of respect, if never affection, for her decision in 2012 to shake hands with Martin McGuinness, the former IRA commander who went on to serve as Northern Ireland’s deputy first minister. But Charles is unwelcome.“He won’t be up here much.
It’s not clear, though, if Charles will benefit from goodwill earned by his mother. She had decades to build a reputation as a steadfast leader even in the most difficult of times; not so, her son, who some see as aloof. And nowhere else in the lands that make up this less than United Kingdom is the divide over the crown so fierce.Most of Ireland gained independence from Britain in 1921 after a guerrilla war.
The Sinn Fein bookstore onsite sells posters with a portrait of Sands over the slogan: “England Get Out of Ireland.”
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