The Queen offered Ireland the nearest the royal family has ever come to an apology for Britain's actions in the tortured relations between the two countries, in a speech at a state banquet Dublin.
She told guests from the northern and southern Irish communities:
"It is a sad and regrettable reality that through history our islands have experienced more than their fair share of heartache, turbulence and loss ... with the benefit of historical hindsight we can all see things which we wish had been done differently, or not at all."
...
She said: "To all those who have suffered as a consequence of our troubled past I extend my sincere thoughts and deep sympathy."
But she spoke also of increasingly strong bonds and values:
"The lessons of the peace process are clear: whatever life throws at us, our individual responsibilities will be all the stronger for working together and sharing the load ... The ties of family, friends and affection are our most precious resource ... the lifeblood of partnership across these islands, a golden thread runs through all our joint successes so far and all we will go on to achieve."
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/may/18/
queen-ireland-apology-britains-actions
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