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Prince Harry & Meghan Markle’s Whirlwind Visit to Belfast

March 28, 2018
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3 min read
Royal visit to Northern Ireland
Prince Harry & Meghan Markle’s Whirlwind Visit to Belfast
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So you think you can travel like the royals?

Here’s what you have to do: Meet-and-greet the public, inspire the peacekeeping youth of tomorrow, drink at the oldest pub in the city, drop in on the Silicon Valley of Northern Ireland, and tour the Titanic. All in one day.

Sounds exhausting? Well, clearly you’re not Prince Harry or Meghan Markle, who (somehow, some way) navigated all that — while still smiling— during their first official joint visit to Northern Ireland last week. Oh, and they looked impeccable too, of course.

First, they stopped by an event for the program Amazing the Space, which Prince Harry founded in September 2017 to “encourage young people to become ambassadors for peace within their communities” in Northern Ireland, which ended 30 years of conflict in 1998 with the Good Friday agreement.

After chatting with the young folks and giving peace a chance, they headed to The Crown Liquor Saloon, one of Belfast’s oldest buildings, owned by the National Trust. The official @KensingtonPalace Twitter account says their stop-off was to learn about its history, but gossipy folks claim the couple "enjoyed half pints of Guinness and half pints of Mourne Mountain Brewery golden ale.” And what to eat? “Harry ordered sausage and potatoes, while his fiancée dined on the pub's signature Irish stew.”

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle visit the Crown pub on March 23, 2018 in Belfast, Northern Ireland. (Photo by Pool/Samir Hussein/WireImage)

Let us briefly pause to comment on Meghan Markle’s charming brown purse by young British designer, Charlotte Elizabeth — if only to point out that it’s already sold out. In every color. If Meghan co-opted Oprah’s Favorite Things idea, she could singlehandedly save the retail industry. Just a thought.

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Then it was off to the Silicon Valley of Northern Ireland — the “next generation science park” Catalyst created on the city’s regenerated docklands. The headquarters supports 600 entrepreneurs and innovators every year. Fifteen entrepreneurs showcased their future Shark Tank products to the couple, including “high performance surfboards” and “an innovative approach to cemetery management.” (Bet that provided some interesting pillow talk.)

Finally, they headed to Titanic Belfast, a tourist attraction centering around that infamous ship which actually launched out of Belfast. They experienced a 3-D virtual tour and cabin recreations of the ship’s interior. No actual artifacts from the Titanic are present due to “ethical reasons,” but perhaps that’s best to avoid talk of icebergs and doomed voyages, as Meghan and Harry are, of course, set to be married ppn May 19 in front of 600 guests. Did you receive your invite yet?

Featured image by PA Images via Getty Images

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Why We Chose It

There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)

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  • 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
  • Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
  • Solid welcome bonus

Cons

  • Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
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  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
  • $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
  • Terms Apply.