Prince Charles's Ireland visit to set new milestone

When the Queen shook hands with Martin McGuinness it was an historic moment for the relationship between Britain and Ireland.

The two countries' deep, once troubled history, will pass another striking milestone when the Queen's eldest son - who is colonel-in-chief of the Parachute Regiment - meets Gerry Adams, the president of Sinn Féin, who has always denied being a member of the IRA.

Republicans, now, are talking about reconciliation and healing.

Thirty years ago, when Prince Charles first came to Ireland, they were demanding he apologise for the killing by paratroopers of 14 civilians on Bloody Sunday.

This week's visit to the Republic of Ireland will have political resonance and personal significance for Prince Charles. He'll travel to where Lord Mountbatten was killed by the IRA in 1979.

At the time of his great uncle's murder the prince wrote that he had lost someone "infinitely special" in his life.