THE President, Mrs Robinson, will make history this morning when she arrives in London at the start of a four day official visit to Britain.
Mrs Robinson's visit, as the guest of the British government, comes at a critical moment in Anglo Irish relations. As she flies to Heathrow, the Tanaiste, Mr Spring, and the Secretary of State, Sir Patrick Mayhew, will seek to reach an agreement to enable inclusive all party negotiations in the North to proceed on June 10th.
While the President will steer clear of the political complexities, there is no doubt that the search for a "sustainable peace" in Northern Ireland will be the focus of her public and private engagements.
Mrs Robinson will take afternoon tea with Prince Charles at St James's Palace today, and have lunch with the Prime Minister, Mr Major, and some 60 guests at Downing Street tomorrow.
She will be back at Buckingham Palace on Thursday for a formal welcome and guard of honour and lunch with Queen Elizabeth.
Between a series of other engagements, including an ecumenical service at York Minister, the President will have separate meetings with Sir Patrick and Lady Mayhew, Mr Tony Blair, and Mr Paddy Ashdown.
This will, in fact, be Mrs Robinson's 14th visit to Britain since coming President. That it is the first "official" visit by an Irish head of state is seen as recognition of her extraordinary personal commitment to the deepening and maturing of the Anglo Irish relationship.
While her words will be steeped in the protocol of her office, President Robinson's speech at the Guildhall tomorrow night will be eagerly awaited for its application of the Irish diaspora as a concept of "two mindedness" more concerned with "Irishness" than with "territory".
For all the maturing of the relationship, of course the `territorial dispute' between the United Kingdom and Ireland attends preparations for a visit such as this.
After lengthy discussions between British and Irish officials, it was agreed that the President will be referred to throughout the week simply as "Her Excellency, President Mary Robinson".
Government sources last night angrily dismissed press reports that a dispute about title had endangered the President's visit. "To the contrary," insisted one source, "the determination on both sides was that the title would not be an obstacle."