Queen Elizabeth once described Northern Ireland’s Orange marches as ‘silly business’, newly unsealed government papers have revealed. The annual Orange marches of Protestants in Northern Ireland are highly contentious – mainly with their Catholic counterparts.
![[Bandsmen and Orange Order members of No 3 District Loyal Orange Lodge parade pass the nationalist area around Ardoyne shops in Belfast, as part of the annual Twelfth of July celebrations, marking the victory of King William III's victory over James II at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690. Picture date: Monday July 12, 2021. PA Photo. This year's Twelfth of July parades will be smaller than usual and locally based due to Covid-19 restrictions. The normal 18 main events have been replaced by more than 100 local parades. The Order said organising smaller parades was the best way to ensure the demonstrations went ahead. See PA story ULSTER Twelfth. Photo credit should read: Liam McBurney/PA Wire]](https://metro.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/SEI_87203304-a50c.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=646)
The parades, which take place on July 12, are a Protestant celebration of King William’s victory over Catholic King James II at the Battle of the Boyne some 329 years ago. Celebrations begin on July 11 every year with bonfires and fireworks before thousands of members of the Orange Order take to the streets of Northern Ireland the following day.
![[Orange Order members join the unionist Twelfth celebrations in Belfast, Northern Ireland, July 12, 2021. REUTERS/Jason Cairnduff]](https://metro.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/SEI_87203078-91cf.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=646)
On the 12th, up to 500,000 ‘Orangemen’ don instinctive bowler hats, white gloves and orange collarettes to parade through 18 areas of Northern Ireland with marching bands playing drums and pipes. Though most parades remain peaceful, to many Catholics the marches are seen as provocative, disrespectful and triumphalist – given they are celebrating a historic Protestant victory over the Catholics.
![[Orange Order members take part in unionist Twelfth celebrations in Belfast, Northern Ireland, July 12, 2021. REUTERS/Jason Cairnduff]](https://metro.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/SEI_87205736-fa06.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=646)
The planned celebration has even caused riots in the past – with the Orange Order making attempts in recent years to rebrand the inherently Protestant marches. It has this week been revealed though, that on a visit to Northern Ireland in 2000 Queen Elizabeth called the annual march ‘silly.’.
![[BELFAST, UNITED KINGDOM:Excited children watch HRH Elizabeth II during the opening ceremony for the Lagan Bridge in Belfast, Northern Ireland, 09 March. This is the first visit by the queen since the IRA ceasefire was announced six months ago. (COLOR KEY: Queen in red). AFP PHOTO (Photo credit should read STR/AFP via Getty Images)]](https://metro.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/SEI_234344325-22d6.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=646)
State papers released by the Dublin government unveiled that the late Monarch referred to the celebrations as a ‘silly marching season.’. Shockingly, Ambassador Ted Barrington, who had met the Queen at a Buckingham Palace garden party said that it was not the first time he had heard her ‘dismissive views of the Orange marches.’.
