Prince opens new hospital wing

The Prince met staff at a Belfast based charity for the disabled

The Prince of Wales has arrived in Northern Ireland for a series of engagements as part of a two-day visit to the province.

He was welcomed to Belfast by the Northern Ireland Secretary, Paul Murphy, and Belfast Lord Mayor Martin Morgan on Tuesday.

The Prince's first engagement was at a reception to mark European Year of People with Disability, where he met members of a local disability charity, Disability Action.

The charity's chief executive Monica Wilson said the Prince's visit had highlighted the issue of disability.

"I think his visit was very important," she said.

"Disability was given a boost, disabled people were given some value, certainly my organisation, Disability Action was well recognised by him in his words.

"I think everyone who was here today really enjoyed his visit."

The Prince also visited the Royal Victoria Hospital where he opened the hospital's new state-of-the-art wing.

Some 100 years after his great, great grandfather King Edward VII opened the first Royal Victoria Hospital, Prince Charles performed the official opening of phase one of the new 400 bed, seven storey building.

He was welcomed to the hospital by Northern Ireland Office Minister Angela Smith and the Royal's chief executive William McKee.

The Prince visited the intensive care and fracture units of the new complex where he met patients and their families.

An official plaque to commemorate the official opening of the hospital was unveiled by the Prince, who also took time to admire the artwork throughout the building and signed the visitors' book.