Royal Honour For UTV 50th Celebrations

The Queen has gone high-tech today with a regal switch-on taking place for a sophisticated television broadcast system.

Her Majesty and Prince Phillip were at Ulster Television's studios in south Belfast this afternoon to officially mark the launch of the regional broadcaster's move into High Definition (HD) television.

The royal party flew into George Best Belfast City Airport at noon as Her Majesty undertook the first of a series of engagements in her two-day visit to Northern Ireland as a very special guest at UTV's Havelock House facility, just off the Ormeau Road.

The Queen and Prince Phillip were also celebrating a major milestone for the independent TV company - by marking its 50th anniversary.

As part of the birthday celebrations, they met senior executives in UTV as well as staff in the high tech studios during the official 'switch over' to HD.

They were also introduced to some of the well known on-screen faces, such as presenters Paul Clarke and Alison Fleming.

Her Majesty then departed for Hillsborough Castle where she was due to meet the Secretary of State, Owen Paterson and the Stormont First Minister, Peter Robinson.

Her Majesty is then expected to meet charitable representatives from the local branch of a children's charity and then be the guest of honour at a dinner for 50 of NI's top business leaders.

It is widely anticipated that both the British and Irish Governments are planning the Queen's first state visit to Ireland before the end of next year.

After a meeting with Prime Minister David Cameron in London, Taoiseach Brian Cowen said in June that he wanted to see the official engagement before President Mary McAleese leaves office and insisted "there was now no obstacle in the way of Queen Elizabeth coming to Ireland".

BMcC/GK)