By Claire Corrigan
Queen Elizabeth II and the late Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Philip, visited Ireland in May 2011, when local politician Willie Pensose was an Irish government minister.
It’s a meeting he remembers clearly, just as news of the monarch’s passing is settling with people around the world.
“When the Queen and Prince Philip were in Ireland, we met them in the Sycamore Room in Burlington House, Ballsbridge. She was very stoic and also very convivial and enjoyed the banter,” Mr Penrose said.
“She met with several ministers and ministers of state on the day and we only had about 30 seconds to speak with her each. She asked me about the name Penrose, which originated in Cornwall in the 1700s.”
