Kate and William to Visit Ireland in 2014

Plans are afoot for Kate and William to visit Ireland in 2014.

Buckingham Palace is reportedly finalising plans for the Royals to follow in the footsteps of Queen Elizabeth, who visited Ireland, to a rapturous reception, the year before last.The trip is expected to take place in the first half of next year and has been planned since before Kate’s pregnancy.

The Irish Sun reports that Prince William’s role as a search and rescue helicopter pilot in the Irish Sea is to be a central focus of the historic visit.

An insider told the paper: “The fact that Prince William is based in Anglesey in Wales gives a good hook for the visit. There is a lot of co-operation between Britain and Ireland in that area. Very tentative steps were taken before the Duchess of Cambridge became pregnant, but obviously because of the baby that had to be put on hold."

Ireland’s Foreign Affairs Minister Eamon Gilmore has previously indicated that the young royals would be welcome in ireland, and Irish Premier Enda Kenny informally invited the royal couple to visit Ireland last August when they were introduced at a pre-Olympic reception at Buckingham Palace.