This assembly can demonstrate that it is possible to build trust and in doing so continue the building of a new Northern Ireland

The Queen

It was the Queen's first visit to Stormont since 1953, when she came to parliament buildings shortly after her coronation.

"Here in the assembly you have a historic opportunity to bring the administration of Northern Ireland closer to the people whom you serve," she said.

"This assembly, together with the other institutions governing relations with the rest of the United Kingdom and Ireland, can meet the aspirations both of those who are proud to be British and those who feel a strong sense of Irish identity."

'Respect'

First Minister David Trimble said he felt the nationalist politicians who had turned out to greet the Queen at Stormont had done the right thing.

"I do not think any of them in doing so were demeaning their own sense of identity," he said.

The deputy first minister, Mark Durkan, said the decision to meet the Queen had not been a difficult one to make.

"What we are here trying to show is not just due respect to a head of state but we are also trying to show genuine respect for another tradition," he said.

Shortly before the Royal couple arrived at Stormont they attended separate events at Hillsborough Castle in County Down.

The Queen began a series of engagements on Tuesday

The Queen presented charters conferring city status to Lisburn and Newry, while Prince Phillip will attended a garden party and presented 100 Duke of Edinburgh awards.

Earlier, the Queen visited the site of a terrorist bomb which killed 29 people in Northern Ireland.

In an unscheduled stop, the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh visited the scene of the atrocity and passed the memorial garden which commemorates the victims.

Earlier in the day, the Royal couple attended a garden party at Loughry Agricultural College in Cookstown, County Tyrone where they met relatives of those killed in three separate terrorist atrocities; the bombings of Enniskillen, La Mon and Omagh.

Accompanied by Dr Reid and Security Minister Jane Kennedy, the Royal couple also met some of the 1,000 invited guests involved in voluntary, community and public service, which is the theme of the Golden Jubilee.

The Queen began a series of engagements in Northern Ireland on Tuesday with a visit to County Fermanagh.

Crowds braved the strong winds to greet the Queen when she visited Ballinamallard.

The Queen arrived at Hillsborough Castle on Monday evening with the Duke for her 15th visit to the province.

New era

A special service to mark the Queen's Golden Jubilee will be held at St Anne's Cathedral in Belfast.

She last visited the province in November 2001 when she toured a number of towns during a one-day visit.

There was speculation following the visit that the Queen may be preparing to visit Dublin for the first time to signal the start of a new era in Anglo-Irish relations.

It is believed any planned visit would probably be after the Golden Jubilee year.

It would be the first visit to the Republic of Ireland by a reigning British monarch since the country achieved independence nearly 80 years ago.