The King showcased his musical talents by playing the ukulele alongside the Loughries Men’s Shed Ukulele Ensemble in Newtownards, County Down. He held the instrument in the style of George Formby and appeared to enjoy the impromptu performance during a visit to an allotment.
Meanwhile, the Queen indulged in an Italian ice cream cone from Michael Cafolla’s family business, which was founded over a century ago by his Italian grandfather. She joked about staying to eat her “lunch” and later handed the cone to her equerry before finishing it.
The royal couple concluded their three-day tour of Northern Ireland in Conway Square, where they met Olympic gymnast Rhys McClenaghan, who showed them his gold medal. Charles also helped mix a gluten-free chocolate cake at the Warehouse centre, a volunteer-run facility providing food supplies to those in need.
Camilla praised survivors of domestic abuse and representatives from organisations including Women’s Aid and the Police Service of Northern Ireland. She said their work is “more important than ever” and noted that domestic abuse is “coming to the fore more and more, it’s not hidden any longer”.
The Queen also admired a “blind date with a book” initiative at the Warehouse centre, which encourages people to try new genres by wrapping books in plain paper.
