Princess Catherine heckled during tense encounter in Northern Ireland

The Princess of Wales appeared to be yanked forward in a forceful handshake by an anti-Monarchist. Watch video.

A tour of Northern Ireland turned political for the Prince and Princess of Wales when a member of the public heckled the royals during a walkabout in Belfast.

Shaking the hand of Catherine, Princess of Wales, an Irish nationalist appeared to visibly yank her arm inward before declaring “Ireland belongs to the Irish”.

The woman dressed in Irish green aimed her phone at the Princess as Kate maintained a smile through the unexpected encounter.

“Nice to meet you but it would be better if it was when you were in your own country,” the woman said as Princess Catherine laughed it off.

Catherine, Princess of Wales and Prince William meet with people during a visit of Belfast, Picture: Getty Images

Britain's Catherine, Princess of Wales meets with people during a visit of the Trademarket outdoor market, in Belfast. Picture: AFP

As another person in the crowd welcomes the Princess of Wales to Ireland, the heckler continued: “Ireland belongs to the Irish”.

Kate looks back briefly before continuing to meet and greet people lined along Northern Ireland’s Marine Highway, in Carrickfergus.

Prince William and Princess Kate are also Baron and Baroness of Carrickfergus, titles they received from the late Queen on their wedding day in 2011.

Catherine, Princess of Wales and Prince William meet with people during a visit of Belfast, Picture: AFP

Catherine, Princess of Wales and Prince William meet with people during a visit of Belfast, Picture: Getty Images

Prince William meets with people during a visit of Belfast, Picture: Getty Images

The couple chose not to linger on the confrontation, instead mixing cocktails at Trademarket and highlighting the volunteers at Carrick Connect that support the community’s children and young people who have social or emotional difficulties.

“Keep up the amazing work!” they said in a tweet shortly after being heckled.

Who did it better? pic.twitter.com/t24ifPmrI9

— The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) October 6, 2022

The heckling came amid a resurgence in anti-British sentiment in Ireland following the country’s exit from the European Union.

King Charles travelled to Northern Ireland following the Queen’s death in a highly-symbolic bid to keep the country within the United Kingdom.

British Prime Minister Liz Truss this week joins the inaugural summit of the “European Political Community”, where French President Emmanuel Macron paid tribute to the last Queen.

Britain and France have over trade across the Northern Ireland ever since Brexit its impact on “Northern Ireland Protocol”, which avoids a hard border with the Republic of Ireland.

Originally published as Princess Catherine heckled during tense encounter in Northern Ireland