This article is from page 8 of the 2013-03-19 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 8 JPG
CLARE could soon have a direct connection to the British throne following the bizarre revelation that Queen-in-waiting, Kate Middleton, has ancestry in the Banner County.
Middleton’s Clare connections were revealed in the House of Commons last week when a detailed genealogy of the Duchess of Cambridge was presented at an event attended by Taoiseach Enda Kenny (FG) and British Prime Minister David Cameron.
According to the genealogy, Middleton is a blood descendant of Killaloe warrior Brian Boru. The research, which was carried out by Tourism Ireland, reveals that Middleton’s ancestors, the Lupton family from Yorkshire, are descendants of a Fitzmaurice family from Kerry, who are themselves blood descendants of Brian Boru.
This news could prompt a stop in the Banner County for Kate, who is currently five months pregnant, and Prince William during their planned trip to Ireland next year. Buckingham Palace is currently finalising plans for the royal couple to visit Ireland in early 2014 but the exact itinerary for the visit has not yet been decided.
The trip is expected to take place in the first half of next year and has been planned since before Middleton’s pregnancy. The trip had been expected to be focused on the east coast, given Prince William’s time served as a rescue pilot in the Irish Sea, but the Clare connection could prompt organisers to plan a flying visit to Killaloe.
This visit would coincide with the 1,000-year anniversary of Brian Boru’s death, with thousands already expected to descend on Killaloe to mark the man who drove the Vikings from Ireland.
Middleton was in London on Sunday, where she presented shamrocks to the Irish Guards regiment in Hampshire. Should a royal visit to Clare take place, it would mean tens of thousand of extra visitors, as well as the world media, descending on the Banner County.