Kate Princess of Wales praised for keeping composure after being heckled in Ireland

Catherine, Princess of Wales has been praised by fans for maintaining her composure when she was heckled on a visit to Northern Ireland.

The royal, 40, carried on smiling after a woman clad in an emerald green cardigan yelled: “You’re not in your own country”.

Her heckler also screamed “Ireland belongs to the Irish” during Catherine and her husband the Prince of Wales’ meet-and-greet session in north Belfast.

The as yet unknown woman appeared to be videoing the confrontation on her mobile phone, which happened while she shook hands with the princess, and told her: “Nice to meet you but it would be better if it was when you were in your own country” – prompting Catherine to let go of her hand but continuing to smile and greet other members of the crowd.

Royal fans flooded social media with remarks the mum-of-three handled the situation “perfectly”.

It was the only incident to blight Catherine and William, Prince of Wales’ visit to Northern Ireland.

Hundreds of well-wishers lined the Marine Highway in Carrickfergus, a town to the north of Belfast, as the pair visited the town in County Antrim.

The pair’s one-day visit included meeting local businesspeople and they were greeted by the Mayor of Mid and East Antrim Noel Williams.

They also visited suicide prevention charity PIPS in north Belfast, before the couple – who share children Prince George, nine, Princess Charlotte, seven, and four-year-old Prince Louis – laughed during a cocktail-making lesson, during their drop-in on Trademarket.

The trip to Northern Ireland is part of their fulfilment of several engagements with cross-community organisations that provide support to people from diverse backgrounds in the wake of Queen Elizabeth’s death aged 96 on September 8 at her home in Balmoral.

- Bang! Showbiz