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Queen Elizabeth has opened up about her fond memories with Prince Philip from their trip to Ireland over a decade ago.

The royal recalled the 2011 tour that they had set on to pay tribute to the 100-year anniversary of the creation of Northern Ireland.

The monarch said the milestone was “a significant centenary for both the United Kingdom and Ireland”.

“This anniversary reminds us of our complex history,” she said in a statement.

She added that it provided “an opportunity to reflect on our togetherness and our diversity”.

The monarch also mentioned how the trip to Northern Ireland was special for her husband and herself.

“I look back with fondness on the visit Prince Philip and I paid to Ireland, ten years ago this month,” she said.

“I treasure my many memories, and the spirit of goodwill I saw at first hand.”

Northern Ireland was officially founded on May 3, 1921.

The Queen’s visit to Ireland in 2011 was the first by a British monarch since 1911.

The Queen said that political progress and processes of peace were “rightly credited to a generation of leaders who had the vision and courage to put reconciliation before division”.

“Above all, the continued peace is a credit to its people, upon whose shoulders the future rests,” she added.

“Across generations, the people of Northern Ireland are choosing to build an inclusive, prosperous, and hopeful society, strengthened by the gains of the peace process.

“May this be our guiding thread in the coming years.”

This article originally appeared on Over60.