Prince and Princess of Wales in Northern Ireland for day-long visit

Royal couple begin visit with trip to suicide prevention charity Pips in north Belfast

Prince William says hello to a dog during a visit to Trademarket outdoor market in Belfast. Reuters

Catherine, Princess of Wales smiles and shakes hands with well-wishers after her visit to the PIPS (Public Initiative for Prevention of Suicide and Self Harm) charity in Belfast, Northern Ireland, on Thursday. EPA

The Princess of Wales is all smiles at the Trademarket. Getty Images

The Princess joins a group of volunteer counsellors packing the charity's 'Little Boxes of Hope', which are given to children to assist their ongoing recovery. EPA

Prince William and his wife Kate speak to Erin Quinn, 24, about her personal challenges and how PIPS is supporting her to overcome these. EPA

The Princess of Wales receives flowers during her visit to the PIPS. EPA

The royal couple speak to Martina McIlkenny, care team manager and Renee Quinn, PIPS executive director. Getty Images

Prince William and his wife Kate have arrived in Northern Ireland for a day-long visit to the region.

The Prince and Princess of Wales will partake in a number of engagements with cross-community organisations that provide support to people from all backgrounds.

They began with a visit to suicide prevention charity Pips in north Belfast.

Lord Mayor Tina Black and Sinn Fein MP for the local constituency John Finucane were among those who welcomed the royal couple on arrival.

Twelve-year-old Elyse Quinn, the daughter of the charity's executive director Renee Quinn, presented the princess with a bouquet.

Pips was founded in 2003 following the loss of 14 young people to suicide in Belfast over a short period of time the previous year.

Compelled to act, stakeholders from across the city came together to try to tackle the issue.

During their visit, the Prince and Princess of Wales spoke with staff about their work helping people at risk of suicide and self-harm.

The Princess of Wales smiles and shakes hands with well-wishers after her visit to Pips. EPA

The charity also arranged for them to take part in an art therapy session — painting pumpkins — with some of the children who are supported by Pips.

Since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, the organisation has reported a significant rise in people reaching out for help.

That includes an increase of more than 500 per cent among young people.

At the close of their visit, the prince and princess will be invited to join a group of volunteer counsellors in packing up the charity's Little Boxes of Hope.

The support packages are given to children following their time with Pips to assist their recovery and ensure that their parents and guardians feel better equipped.

Prince William through the years — in pictures

1982: A 6-month old Prince William with his mother Princess Diana at Kensington Palace in London. Prince William is celebrating his 40th birthday in 2022. Here 'The National' looks back at each of the years of his life. AP Photo

1983: Prince Charles and Princess Diana with their son Prince William. Getty Images

1984: Prince William leaves the Lindo Wing of St Mary's Hospital in London holding the hand of his nanny Barbara Barnes, having visiting his mother Princess Diana, after the birth of his brother Prince Harry. Getty Images

1985: Prince Charles and Prince William on the royal yacht 'Britannia' during a visit to Venice, Italy. Getty Images

1986: Prince William wearing the uniform of the Parachute Regiment of the British Army in the garden of Highgrove House in Doughton, Gloucestershire. Getty Images

1987: Prince William holding the hand of Princess Diana on his arrival for the first day at his new school, Wetherby School, in London. AP Photo

1988: Prince William with Princess Diana at Guards Polo Club. Getty Images

1989: Prince Charles and Princess Diana and their sons, Princes William and Harry begin a cycle ride around the island of Tresco, one of the Scilly Isles. AP Photo

1990: Princess Diana and Prince William during a holiday on Necker Island in the British Virgin Islands. Getty Images

1991: Prince William shakes hands with royal fans during a visit to St. James Cathedral in Toronto, Canada. AP Photo

1992: Prince William go-karting at Buckmore Park 'Playscape' in Chatham, England. Getty Images

1993: Princess Diana with Prince William and Prince Harry passing the Hotel Arlberg during an afternoon carriage ride, on a ski holiday in Lech, Austria. Getty Images

1994: Prince William and Princess Diana applaud the Wimbledon Ladies' Tennis Championship presentations after the final. AP Photo

1995: Prince William attends his first day at Eton College, with Princess Diana, Prince Harry, and Prince Charles. Getty Images

1996: Prince William smiling outside Clarence House on his great grandmother's birthday. Getty Images

1997: Prince William walks with head bowed behind the coffin of his mother Princess Diana, on its way to London's Westminster Abbey for her funeral ceremony. AP Photo

1998: Prince William and Prince Charles meet the public after the Christmas Day church service at Sandringham. Getty Images

1999: Prince William gets out of his new Ford Focus car while learning to drive at Highgrove, Gloucestershire. Getty Images

2000: Prince William carries a log used to construct walkways to link buildings during his Raleigh International expedition in the village of Tortel, Southern Chile. Getty Images

2001: Prince William, Prince Harry and Prince Charles appear with the Queen Mother during celebrations to mark her 101st birthday in London. Getty Images

2002: Prince Charles and his sons William and Harry in the Swiss village of Klosters at the start of his annual skiing holiday in the Alps. Getty Images

2003: Prince William poses on the pier at St Andrews, where he attended university, in Scotland. Getty Images

2004: Prince William participates in the annual Army v Navy match for the Rundle Cup at Tidworth Polo Club in Wiltshire. Getty Images

2005: Prince William, second left back row, poses with the royal family at Windsor Castle after Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall's wedding ceremony. Getty Images

2006: Prince William smiles at the passing-out Sovereign's Parade at Sandhurst Military Academy. Getty Images

2007: Prince William and Prince Harry celebrate a try that was to be disallowed during the 2007 Rugby World Cup Final between England and South Africa in Saint-Denis, France. Getty Images

2008: Prince William walks across the airfield at RAF Cranwell, Lincolnshire. AP Photo

2009: Prince William is shown how to extract DNA from a mosquito by Dr Yvonne Linton, on a visit to open the Darwin Centre at the Natural History Museum, London. Getty Images

2010: Prince William and his fiancee Kate Middleton pose for the media at St. James's Palace in London after they announced their engagement. AP Photo

2011: Prince William exchanges rings with his bride Kate Middleton at their wedding in Westminster Abbey, London. Getty Images

2012: Prince William and his wife Kate celebrate at the Velodrome during the London 2012 Olympic Games. Getty Images

2013: The Duchess of Cambridge and Prince William depart the Lindo Wing with their newborn son Prince George at St Mary's Hospital in London. Getty Images

2014: Prince William and Kate meet a koala at Taronga Zoo in Sydney. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were on a three-week tour of Australia and New Zealand. Getty Images

2015: Prince William and Kate arrive with their son Prince George for the christening of their daughter Princess Charlotte at the Church of St Mary Magdalene on the Sandringham estate. Getty Images

2016: Prince William alongside Queen Elizabeth on the balcony of Buckingham Palace during the Trooping the Colour, this year marking the Queen's 90th birthday. Getty Images

2017: Prince William and Prince Harry during a visit to The Sunken Garden at Kensington Palace. The garden had been transformed into a White Garden dedicated to the memory of Princess Diana. Getty Images

2018: Prince William looks on as Meghan Markle sits in George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, for her wedding to Prince Harry. Getty Images

2019: Prince William and Kate visit a settlement of the Kalash people, to learn more about their culture and unique heritage, in Chitral, Pakistan. Getty Images

2020: Prince William and his wife Kate at the Shire Hall Care Home in Wales, where they spoke to some of the home's staff, residents and their family members during the coronavirus pandemic. Getty Images

2021: Prince William and Prince Harry unveil a statue they commissioned of their mother Princess Diana, in the Sunken Garden at Kensington Palace, on what would have been her 60th birthday. Getty Images

2022: Prince William onstage during the Platinum Party at the Palace in front of Buckingham Palace, during the jubilee celebrations for Queen Elizabeth II. Getty Images