Prince William and Kate Middleton present Irish Guard with medals
Duchess Kate wears an Irish shamrock in her lapel
Published Saturday, June 25, 2011, 8:41 AM
Updated Sunday, June 26, 2011, 7:51 AM
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The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge honored the Irish Guards for their service in Afghanistan.
Prince William and Kate Middleton, now the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, honored the Irish Guards for their service in Afghanistan during a ceremony at Windsor Castle.
Kate wore a military style dress with an Irish shamrock pinned to her lapel.
Prince William was married in the uniform of the Irish Guards and is their Colonel in Chief.
It will be the first time the royal couple have visited the regiment since they were married.
The 1st Battalion of Irish Guards returned from a six month tour of duty in Afghanistan in April.
William presented the families of three fallen members with the Elizabeth Cross.
The guards were formed in 1900 in recognition of the actions of Irish regiments in the Boer War.
The unit is heavily involved in ceremonial duties in Britain, but it has also been prominent in the fighting in Afghanistan.
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DanOLoingsigh | Jun 28, 2011, 07:34 AM EDT
More mangling of fact and fiction by Seano…It was John MacBride, father of Sean, who was a Major, not a Major-General, in the odious Boer army, forebears to the Apartheid era Afrikaans movement. Strange bedfellows for so-called freedom fighters, although no more strange than the later hook-up with the Nazis.
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seanomelbourne | Jun 27, 2011, 08:24 PM EDT
Major-General sean Mc Bride and his Irish troops should be honoured for their fight against British imperialism in South Africa.We all have very distant relations who are a "whos who" somewhere Joycean needs to stop pondering his navel.
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DanOLoingsigh | Jun 27, 2011, 01:59 PM EDT
While we’re at it, can we have the Pope’s ‘Swiss Guards’ renamed…they could be mistaken for a unit of the Swiss army, and they’re nothing to do with Switzerland, except that they’re all Swiss?
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Ajreaper | Jun 27, 2011, 12:40 PM EDT
Some of you really need to get a life- they recognized a unit for their service overseas and paid respects to the families of those who did not return. So what! Would it be better had they just ignored them? Anything the royal family and/or the "British" do or do not do is going to get many of you whining and complaining- we get that.
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sirpeter | Jun 27, 2011, 12:26 PM EDT
Ah come on now Creaky just because I have sympathy for those who are forced to lower themselves by taking soul destroying handouts doesn't mean I would participate in such a lowly activity.They provide much more lucrative incentives for me in these troubled times.I would imagine Noonan is much more apprehensive when it comes to his noosemen then the poor welfare recipients.Creaky get the lobotomy, that condition you have must be covered under the free medical card been a golden oldie.
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Towngate | Jun 27, 2011, 11:44 AM EDT
Ankie - simple - because they are British of course! Joycean: Naaa. The reformed House of Lords is undergoing further reform as a democracy shouldn't need un-elected 'higher-ups' to pronounce on the decisions of the people - ditto the Dublin 'Senate'. Omnes: Even standing still is going backwards today. Pity the 'cur' has used his last brain cell working out how to cheat Welfare Benefits from the hardworking Irish. ~ ~ ~ Psssst! Fair warning to all: The Burton Brigade are heading your way and you and your disgusting ilk will face The Noonan-Nooseman.
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ancavker | Jun 27, 2011, 11:19 AM EDT
They can have their ceremonies and the like. But I do have a problem with them using Irish symbols for their pageantry. The Irish Guards were formed after the actions of Irish regiments during the Boer War. And so exactly why should we honor those who fought against the Boers?
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SAirish | Jun 27, 2011, 10:21 AM EDT
A knight (sir) cannot get into the House of Lords.
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sirpeter | Jun 27, 2011, 10:18 AM EDT
Creaky you swing from Nationalistic Paddy to Imperialistic Tommy with such ease it's fascinating.Are you sure there is no help you can get for that mental condition? Maybe they could lobotomize the Union Jack part of your cerebral cortex.It's running wild with "dope"-amine-sensitive neurons.
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joycean | Jun 27, 2011, 08:41 AM EDT
Another very distant relative of mine was also in the Irish Guards, Sir John de Courcy, the 35th Lord of Kinsale who died in 2005. Sir John had to resign his commission when his inheretence ran out because he couldn't afford his bar tabs. Apparently, officers in the Guards are expected to live beyond their pay grades. The DeCourcys' title dates from 1397 and is the oldest extant title in Ireland. If Ireland is reunited, maybe the current baron will again be a member of the House of Lords.
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Towngate | Jun 27, 2011, 06:58 AM EDT
Maybe this is just the thin end of the wedge! The Queen may see this bright young couple as the new hope for a New Ireland of her Dreams "... with its People Healthy and Happy and Finally at Peace" (as Patrick Pearse vowed.) Granting them Carrickfergus - where the first King Billy landed in Ireland - may be the first little bit of all Ireland she plans to give him!
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Kilsally | Jun 27, 2011, 04:34 AM EDT
joycean glad you acknowledge your grand-uncle as it is only recently many Nationalists have done so. Sinn Fein are still cagey on it, they failed to attend the National War Memorial at Islandbridge to lay a wreath when every other Irish political party North & South attended. The Irish Guards recruit from North & South and if you Google them you will see they were trainijg the afghan army and helping afghan schools amongst many other things.
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dan Breen | Jun 26, 2011, 09:14 PM EDT
Why don't they use them to take down the so-call peace walls, and keep the peace ?
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seanomelbourne | Jun 26, 2011, 07:14 PM EDT
are we to presume they are mercenaries.Another in your Irish face arrogance from the clowns in buckingham palace.
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