👑Hillsborough becomes first place in NI to get royal status
The Co Down village will soon be known as 'Royal Hillsborough'
Hillsborough has become the first town or village in Northern Ireland to receive royal status and will soon be known as “Royal Hillsborough”.
The County Down village is home to Hillsborough Castle, the residence of The Queen and other members of the Royal family when visiting Northern Ireland.
The decision follows a recommendation from the UK Government in support of an application from Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council.
Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Brandon Lewis said:
“This is fantastic news for the village of Hillsborough, a truly wonderful place that deserves this special honour.”
“The village’s Royal status reflects the beauty of Hillsborough as well as its unique history and close connections to the Royal family through Hillsborough Castle.”
“I have been privileged to enjoy Hillsborough Castle and the village of Hillsborough over the past year with my family, as have many other Secretaries of State for Northern Ireland before me.”
“I hope this news will attract many more visitors to the area and the whole of Northern Ireland, as well as boosting further investment and local jobs as we level up right across the United Kingdom.”
The Mayor of Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council, Councillor Nicholas Trimble, said: “This is a historic day for Hillsborough, for Northern Ireland and for the UK. Hillsborough has for a long time been a jewel in our local crown. We work closely with the community and local businesses and have invested significantly in the area in recent years, upgrading the Forest and installing new play facilities among other improvements."
“As a Council, we are delighted that our application has been successful. We are excited to support the continued development of Hillsborough as our number one project in the Belfast Region City Deal and the economic and tourism benefits this will bring to Northern Ireland.”
Laura McCorry, Head of Hillsborough Castle and Gardens, said:
“This very welcome news will provide a much-needed boost for tourism in Hillsborough, after a challenging year for the entire industry. Hillsborough is a truly remarkable place, with so much to offer visitors – rich history, stunning surroundings and brilliant spots to eat, drink and shop. Sitting at the heart of all of this is the castle we’re privileged to care for, which has been the backdrop for many milestones in the history of Northern Ireland."
“This week, we’re thrilled to be welcoming visitors back inside Hillsborough Castle again. We’re hopeful that this announcement will help us to really put Hillsborough on the map as a tourism destination, inspiring visitors from across Northern Ireland and beyond to come and see everything we have to offer.”
"Following the granting of Letters Patent, the town will officially be entitled ‘Royal Hillsborough"