Media focus on Sinn Fein during service of remembrance for the Queen criticised by TUV leader

King Charles III attended the service at St Anne’s Cathedral in Belfast on Tuesday on his first visit to Northern Ireland since inheriting the throne.

A brief exchange involving the Assembly speaker Alex Maskey and First Minister-designate Michelle O’Neill from Sinn Fein, DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, and the King, was widely shared on social media and shown on various media platforms.

During the exchange, the King can be heard remarking on Sinn Fein becoming Northern Ireland’s largest party.

The King also thanked Michelle O’Neill for the sentiments she expressed about the passing of his mother.

Sinn Fein has been invited to attend the Queen’s funeral.

Mr Allister, speaking to the News Letter on Wednesday, said too much of the media coverage had focussed on Sinn Fein – a feeling echoed by former MLA Arlene Foster (below right).

He also confirmed that he had not received an invite to attend the funeral on Monday.

“I didn’t receive an invite, that’s correct,” he said.

“It’s a matter for the Palace and the government I suppose as to who is invited.”

He added: “I do think there has been undue attention on Sinn Fein.

“Yesterday [Tuesday], for example, for some media outlets it turned into being more about Sinn Fein than about the solemn occasion of remembering Her Majesty which it ought to have been,” he said.

“I think some of those media outlets ought to take a look at themselves. Some seem to think that the most important bit of yesterday was some handshake between Michelle O’Neill and the King.

“Whereas yesterday was – and ought to have been – about remembering Her Majesty, and the visit of His Majesty.

“The Sinn Fein part of that narrative is incidental, rather than central.

“I think some media outlets in particular lost the run of themselves in that regard.”

Sinn Fein, meanwhile, has indicated Michelle O’Neill intends to attend the funeral, as has the leader of the SDLP, Colum Eastwood.

Mr Allister said Sinn Fein’s approach to the death of the Queen has been about “maximising advantage” for the party.

Asked by the News Letter for his thoughts on the apparent change of tone by the Irish republican party, Mr Allister said: “Sinn Fein is always very adept at maximising for themselves the advantage out of any situation.

“I think where Sinn Fein snubbed proceedings was on Sunday, where they deliberately and consciously stayed away from the proclamation for their own ideological and political reasons.

“If Sinn Fein were sincere in what they were seeking to cosmetically present, they would have been present at the proclamation as a token of acknowledgement of the reality that King Charles III is the king of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

“In respect of Northern Ireland, of course, Michelle O’Neill aspires to be His Majesty’s First Minister and yet she and her party deliberately snubbed the proclamation of his position and therefore failed to recognise his position as His Majesty.”