The historic Georgian castle surrounded by 100 acres of beautiful gardens in the heart of Hillsborough village. Cared for by @HRP_Palaces.
Northern Ireland
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Last week HM King Charles III planted a ceremonial tree at Hillsborough Castle and Gardens 🌳 The tradition of planting ceremonial trees at the castle began over 150 years ago! Read our latest blog to find out more ➡️ fal.cn/3yMEc
📷 NIO/Presseye
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A crown has been added to HM The King's cypher at Hillsborough Castle and Gardens - our floral tribute to celebrate the King's Coronation 🤩
The crown has been planted with tender carpet bedding plants and will be in place until the first frosts in Autumn 🍂
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Who's booked their tickets to see Life Through A Royal Lens? 🙋♀️ Explore the Royal Family's ever-evolving relationship with the camera over the last 200 years in our new photography exhibition.
🎟 Life Through A Royal Lens opens on 1 June 👉 fal.cn/3yCrF
📸 Getty
ALT A woman holding a camera to her face
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Yesterday HRH The Princess Royal visited Hillsborough Castle for a special garden party hosted by the Secretary of State. On the visit Her Royal Highness planted an oak tree. 🌳
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Take a seat 🤩 Our coronation bench has been installed! Designed by schoolchildren from Blythefield Primary School, Belfast, the bench illustrates their hopes for the future during the reign of HM King Charles III. 👑 fal.cn/3xVGf
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It was a pleasure to welcome HRH The Princess Royal to Hillsborough Castle today. At the Castle, HRH took in our beautiful gardens and met the dedicated team who care for them. #RoyalVisitNI
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👑 HM Queen Elizabeth II's portrait 🖼 This painting by renowned Northern Ireland artist @colin_davidson is on display at Hillsborough Castle for the first time. Have you seen it yet? 🙋♀️
📍 On display in the State Drawing Room until late November
ALT a portrait of HM Queen Elizabeth II hanging on a wall with two chairs and a table in front of it
ALT a portrait of HM Queen Elizabeth II
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It was our pleasure to host guests at Hillsborough Castle earlier this week, including HRH the Princess Royal, to close the Northern Ireland Investment Summit. Dept for Business and Trade. Northern Ireland Office 📷 Press Eye
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🎉 Congratulations to artist Gareth Reid who won Sky Arts' Portrait Artist of the Decade last week 🎨 Reid's portrait of HM King Charles III hangs in the State Drawing Room at Hillsborough Castle.
📷 HM The King unveiling the portrait of himself, taken in 2019.
ALT HM King Charles III unveiling a painting of himself at Hillsborough Castle
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📸 Are you ready for our new exhibition? 📸 Life Through A Royal Lens brings together over 60 of the most iconic images ever taken of the Royal Family 👑
🎟 Life Through A Royal Lens opens on 1 June 👉 fal.cn/3ypFW
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A new cypher for a new monarch 👑 To celebrate the coronation of HM King Charles III, our gardens team have been busy installing the King's new cypher in the North forecourt at Hillsborough Castle and Gardens. 🍃
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Today’s the day! We’re officially open 🎉 and right on time for #WorldHeritageDay too! After a five-year, £24 million transformation project, we’re ready to welcome everyone to the re-presented and reimagined Castle and gardens bit.ly/MajesticHillsCastle
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Yesterday we welcomed TRH The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall to Hillsborough Castle. During their stay His Royal Highness planted a Magnolia Galaxy tree in the gardens for the @QGCanopy, as part of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations! 🌳
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Today our thoughts are with Her Majesty The Queen and the Royal Family, as His Royal Highness, The Duke of Edinburgh is laid to rest.
Here at Hillsborough, flowers have been laid beneath this tree planted by HRH in 1949, on the first of his many visits to the Castle. (1/2)
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We welcome the announcement that the village of Hillsborough, with the Castle we’re privileged to care for at its heart, has been granted Royal status. (1/2)
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Ta-da! HRH The Prince of Wales unveils a new portrait in the State Drawing Room at Hillsborough Castle by artist Gareth Reid, commissioned by Historic Royal Palaces.
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An evening to remember. It was an honour to welcome world leaders to the castle tonight, to recognise the contribution Mo Mowlam made to the Peace Process. @QUBelfast #Agreement25
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TRH The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall admire the beautiful Hillsborough Castle and Gardens sign which has been forged, painted and gilded by local craftspeople in Northern Ireland.
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Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II first visited Northern Ireland as monarch in July 1953, just a month after her coronation. HM The Queen and HRH The Duke of Edinburgh enjoyed a state banquet in the State Dining Room at the castle.
📷 Loder Archive, Historic Royal Palaces
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We were delighted to welcome Her Majesty the Queen to Hillsborough Castle and Gardens during a visit to Northern Ireland.
📖 To mark #WorldPoetryDay, Her Majesty attended an event hosted by The Queen's Reading Room, celebrating the poetry and literature of Northern Ireland.
ALT Her Majesty The Queen arriving at the State Entrance of Hillsborough Castle, she is met by Hillsborough Castle Staff and is wearing a blue dress.
ALT The Queen being given a posy of flowers by Head Gardener Claire Woods.
ALT The Queen photographed with the First Minister and Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland.
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Yesterday His Majesty King Charles III and the Queen Consort visited @HillsCastle. His Majesty received a message of condolence in the Throne Room, met with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, representatives from political parties and Castle staff. 📷 Press Eye @NIOgov
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Welcome to the Red Room, take a look around 👀 It was in this room that HM The Queen met President Mary McAleese of Ireland in 2005 – the first time that the two heads of state had met on the island of Ireland. Hillsborough Castle reopens 18 April bit.ly/HCGRedRoom
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To mark the death of His Royal Highness, The Duke of Edinburgh, at 12pm BST today the 105th Regiment Royal Artillery fired a gun salute at Hillsborough Castle.
In total 41 rounds were fired, with 1 round every minute, in unison with other saluting batteries across the UK.
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Today is also Their Royal Highnesses’ 14th wedding anniversary! Congratulations from all at Hillsborough Castle and Gardens.
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A new plaque is unveiled by The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall marking the reopening of Hillsborough Castle and Gardens. @ClarenceHouse
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We’re looking forward to a visit from the @TowerofLondon’s very own @ravenmaster1 next Fri 26 April! 🏰 Ravenmaster Christopher Skaife will be sharing the fascinating folklore and history of the Tower’s famous ravens, as part of @The_JHS #HBLitFest bit.ly/HCGRavenmaster
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📢 We are excited to announce a major re-hang of Irish art in the State Drawing Room at Hillsborough Castle 🖼️
🎨 See 33 new works of art on display, including local artist Emma Spence’s new and unseen painting of our gardens 🤩
🖼️ @RCT / © His Majesty King Charles III 2024
ALT a person standing in a room looking at a painting of HM King Charles III
ALT a room filled with furniture and paintings on the walls
ALT a person standing in a room looking at a painting
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You’re invited! The Hill family household have been busy preparing Hillsborough Castle for the festive season 🎄 Join us this Christmas bit.ly/hillsvictorianchristm…
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Don't miss your chance to meet @TowerOfLondon's @ravenmaster1 Chris Skaife tomorrow at Hillsborough Castle! As part of @The_JHS #HBLitFest, Chris will be sharing the folklore, history, and superstitions surrounding these fascinating birds. Book now bit.ly/HCGRavenmaster
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🏰 This week HM King Charles III and HM Queen Camilla visited Hillsborough Castle and Gardens. Their Majesties met with guests from across Northern Ireland.
📷 NIO/Presseye
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Be our guest this spring at Hillsborough Castle and Gardens. Meet characters from the castle's past, take part in a drop in singalong and fly your own handmade kite in the beautiful castle grounds in one of our workshops. Selected dates 18 April - 6 May bit.ly/beourGuest
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Hello Twitter! 👋 Hillsborough Castle is now reopen for tours of the newly re-presented State Rooms and strolls around 100 acres of beautiful grounds. Plan your visit here bit.ly/hillscastle
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“Originally the clock would have been wound once a week manually and the bronze bell struck every hour of the day...” We’re excited to announce that the courthouse clock opposite Hillsborough Castle is chiming again for the first time in 30 years. Read on: bit.ly/hillsboroughclock
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As we move through spring the colours in the gardens are changing every week, and now the flowerbeds are even more vibrant: the tulips are in bloom! 🌷🌈
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Did you know that otters have been spotted at Hillsborough Castle and Gardens? #WorldOtterDay
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We join millions of people around the world in mourning the death of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II.
Her Majesty was our longest reigning monarch and will be remembered for a remarkable lifetime of service. Our thoughts are with the Royal Family at this time.
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Finally we’re getting ready to say: welcome back inside! 🥳
After months of quiet, we can’t wait to reopen our doors for you to rediscover the Castle’s stunning interiors from Wednesday 2 June. (1/2)
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🎉 To mark the birthday of His Majesty The King, at midday today a 21-round gun salute began firing from Hillsborough Castle and Gardens. 🥳
ALT Three military guns are positioned on the south terrace outside the castle. Smoke is coming out of the middle gun, having recently been fired. Military personnel in uniform stand behind each gun.
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At 1pm today a gun salute was fired from the Castle to mark the anniversary of Her Majesty The Queen’s coronation, 68 years ago today 👑
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We're delighted to announce that @HRP_palaces will be taking over the management of Hillsborough Fort and Courthouse 🏰 Conservation work is already underway as part of works to transform Hillsborough Castle and grounds ready for April 2019 bit.ly/hillsCastle
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Watch as the Throne Room is transformed. This magnificent space is the ceremonial heart of Hillsborough Castle and has been used for receptions and events for nearly 200 years. Explore the Throne Room on your visit bit.ly/hillscastle
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Happy #WorldBookDay from Hillsborough Castle! 📚 It may not count as a great work of literature, but one of our favourites here is our visitors book. It’s had a fair few well-known contributors over the years, including HM The Queen, Diana, Princess of Wales, and the Dalai Lama.
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HRH The Princess Royal was welcomed yesterday afternoon to a gloriously sunny Hillsborough Castle for the annual Secretary of State’s Garden Party, as part of her visit to Northern Ireland. @RoyalFamily @NIOgov
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The magnificent royal coat of arms hanging in the Throne Room was made by local women for the coronation of Edward VIII in 1936 – the large ‘E R’ stands for ‘Edwardus Rex’ (1/2) #HeritageTreasures
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Welcome to the State Dining Room! In 1953, HM The Queen was guest of honour at a dinner here in celebration of her coronation. Her Majesty wore the Queen Mary Girls of Britain and Ireland tiara, a copy of which is on display in this room bit.ly/hillsCastle
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We’re celebrating 5 years since Hillsborough Castle and Gardens reopened to the public 🎉 After a major transformation, we reopened our doors in 2019 and have made many memories since then. Here’s a look back at the past 5 years👇
Thanks to @HeritageFundUK for their support.
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Crisp autumn air and tranquil reflections at Lady Alice’s Temple 🌲
📷 Thanks to @BernardLonergan for this peaceful #PalacePhoto.
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Today is #PalaceDay and we’re celebrating by launching Hillsborough Castle and Gardens on Instagram! 👋 Head over to our new account to discover more about Hillsborough Castle’s beautiful grounds spanning over 100 acres 👉 bit.ly/HillsInsta @Palace_Day
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We’re delighted to welcome Laura McCorry as Head of Hillsborough Castle & Gardens. Laura will lead the team as we continue to transform the Castle into a welcoming space for everyone. Hillsborough Castle & Gardens reopens daily from 10 April bit.ly/MajesticHillsCastle @mccorry_laura
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The Castle is open again! 🏰
This morning we’re delighted to reopen the doors of Hillsborough Castle for daily tours. We can’t wait to welcome you back to rediscover centuries of history in Northern Ireland’s royal residence 👑
hrp.org.uk/hillsborough-cast…
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To mark the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, at 1pm BST today a 96-round gun salute began firing from Hillsborough Castle and Gardens. One round fired for each year of The Queen's life.
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📸 Life Through A Royal Lens 📸 Come and see Hillsborough Castle’s first ever exhibition featuring a unique collection of Royal photography 📆 Opens 1 June 👉 fal.cn/3yfip
📷 Queen Victoria and Princess Beatrice in the Queen's Sitting Room, Windsor Castle 1895 © @RCT
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At 12pm today a 42-round gun salute was fired from Hillsborough Castle and Gardens in celebration of HM The Queen's Platinum Jubilee 🔥 #PlatinumJubilee
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Explore the magnificent Throne Room, the ceremonial heart of Hillsborough Castle. HM The Queen received guests at a ball to celebrate her coronation here in 1953, and today this grand room still hosts citizenship ceremonies and other special occasions 🥂 bit.ly/HCGThroneRoom
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We are DELIGHTED that our 5-year restoration and representation of the Castle and Gardens has been awarded Project of the Year in the NI #RICSSocialImpactAwards! 🥳
Project of the Year | An exemplary display of traditional skills & workmanship working alongside modern surveying & delivery techniques, @HillsCastle wins! 🍾
A huge congratulations to the teams for winning our Project of the Year!
#RICSSocialImpactAwards, NI
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Today Hillsborough Castle and Gardens will be closed. Our flag is being flown at half-mast to mark the passing of Her Majesty The Queen.
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HRH The Prince of Wales and HRH The Duchess of Cornwall arrive for their visit of Hillsborough Castle ahead of its official opening on 18 April. Flowers are presented by pupil Emily McCrea from Downshire Primary School 💐@ClarenceHouse
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It’s been a wonderful first day welcoming visitors back to the gardens at Hillsborough Castle. Thank you to everyone who joined us for your support, and we hope you had a lovely time! 🌺
Find out more about visiting and book your tickets here: hrp.org.uk/hillsborough-cast…
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Yesterday at 12pm a 21-round gun salute was fired at Hillsborough Castle and Gardens to mark one year since the coronation of HM King Charles III and HM Queen Camilla 👑
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Happy Easter from Hillsborough Castle! 🐰 Share your spring #PalacePhotos in the comments 🌸👇
ALT Daffodils in front of Hillsborough Castle
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Step into the State Entrance Hall at Hillsborough Castle, the grand room that has welcomed guests to the Castle for over 200 years. Find out more about the fascinating objects on display, and see the space for yourself when we re-open from 18 April: bit.ly/HCGStateEntrance
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The sun has been out at Hillsborough, and the gardens are looking absolutely beautiful in the early summer sunshine ☀️
Thanks to everyone who has visited and shared a #PalacePhoto! Here are some of our favourites, from seanogd, dr.snappyy and lashes_belfast on Instagram 📷
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Over the past five years, Hillsborough Castle and Gardens has been transformed. From the stunningly represented State Rooms to the beautifully reimagined gardens, there’s something for everyone. Watch the full film and plan your visit here bit.ly/Hillsboroughcastle
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Our Throne Room chairs have recently undergone restoration, and are back to their full glory! ✨
Though they give the room its name, these fancy gilt seats aren’t actually thrones at all but ‘Chairs of Homage’, symbolically representing the monarch when they are not present 👑
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👑 Today a gun salute was fired at Hillsborough Castle and Gardens to mark the coronation of Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla.
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Today, we welcomed 100 secondary school pupils to the Castle for a Good Friday Agreement panel discussion chaired by @SuzyJourno.
It was brilliant hosting @campbellclaret, @markdurkan, @MonicaBelfast, @davidwkerr and Tim O’Connor in the Throne Room to answer their questions.
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Take a look around Lady Grey’s Study, one of Hillsborough Castle’s hidden gems. Can you spot the bust of American Founding Father Benjamin Franklin, who visited the Castle in 1770? 🕵️ Find out more about this room’s fascinating history: bit.ly/HCGStudy
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Today the Accession Proclamation for the new Sovereign, His Majesty King Charles III, was read at Hillsborough Castle and Gardens by the Norroy and Ulster King of Arms.
📷 Press Eye. Northern Ireland Office
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It’s Twelfth Night and time to start taking down the decorations 😢
Historically, Twelfth Night was for feasting and entertainment. It was traditional to eat Twelfth Cake which had a dried bean and pea baked into it, appointing whoever found them as King and Queen of Misrule 👑
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We’ve got exciting news. On 18 June we’ll be reopening our beautiful gardens! 🥳
We assembled a top team from across @HRP_palaces to run you through our new safety measures 👇
hrp.org.uk/hillsborough-cast…
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🎄 Wishing you a very Merry Christmas from everyone at Hillsborough Castle and Gardens 🎄
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On Fri 9 Sep a 96-round gun salute was fired to mark the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. On Sat 10 Sep a 21-round gun salute was fired to mark the proclamation of His Majesty King Charles III.
📷 Press Eye. @NIOgov
Image 1-2: Fri 9 Sep
Image 3: Sat 10 Sep
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Welcome to Hillsborough Castle’s magnificent State Drawing Room. The Anglo-Irish Agreement was signed here in 1985, but this is also a comfortable private space where generations of resident families have entertained and relaxed 🥂 bit.ly/HCGDrawingRoom
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Thanks to everyone who’s tagged a #PalacePhoto this week! 📸 Here are some of our favourites – thank you @Gina_Doherty and @rowsays on Twitter and peter_clarke19 on Instagram for these gorgeous gardens highlights ☀️
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Big news: our beloved Big Oak has been shortlisted for @WoodlandTrust #TreeOfTheYear! 🌳 At over 28m high this mighty ‘Quercus cerris’ has been an enduring presence at the Castle since the late 1700s. Voting is open until 27 Sept – root for the Big Oak! bit.ly/bigoak-vote
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Step into Hillsborough Castle and into the magnificent State Entrance Hall. Newly re-presented, the State Entrance is adorned with artworks including a portrait of Wills Hill, first Marquess of Downshire, who built Hillsborough Castle in the 1770s bit.ly/hillscastle
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Welcome back, Your Royal Highnesses!
Today we’ve been thrilled to welcome TRH The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall (@ClarenceHouse) on a return visit to Hillsborough Castle. How time has flown since they joined us for our official opening last April!
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Happy Hillsborough Castle anniversary! 🎉 A year ago today we welcomed TRH The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall to officially reopen the Castle and Gardens, the culmination of a 5 year transformation project by @HRP_Palaces. (1/4)
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What a sunrise! Happy Friday from Hillsborough Castle ☀️ Why not plan your visit this weekend? bit.ly/hillscastle #FridayFeeling
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With our gardens open to explore 5 days a week, we love seeing photos of your adventures out and about in the Castle grounds 😍
📷 Thanks to eliteartphotography, peteradams1 and reke.lens on Instagram for sharing these wonderful springtime snaps!
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We love getting lost in The Glen 😍
📷 Thanks to whileonourtravels on Instagram for sharing this beautiful #PalacePhoto with us! Be sure to tag us in your photos of adventures in the Castle gardens for your chance to be featured.
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We’re delighted to still be welcoming walkers into our hundred acres of great outdoors, Thursday to Sunday. And with our perimeter path through Coronation Meadow now open, we’ve got even more space to offer for autumn adventures 🍂
👉 hrp.org.uk/hillsborough-cast…
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This atmospheric autumnal scene is our favourite #PalacePhoto this week. 🍂 Shared from Hillsborough Castle’s gardens by @w.r.gibson on Instagram. Share your photos with us to join in next time.
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The start of summer has brought an explosion of colour to the gardens here at Hillsborough Castle 😍
Gardens Manager Claire Woods guides us through the grounds to all of this month's must-see blooms in our latest gardens blog 👉 bit.ly/hcggardens-june21
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Have you had a project to get you through lockdown? Garden volunteer Norman has put his extra time to good use building this incredible ‘bug hotel’ for our Walled Garden! 😍
We can’t wait to install the hotel next week, and look forward to sharing news of its first guests 🐜🐛🐝
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We’re nearly ready to welcome you back into the Castle! 🎉
We’re delighted to confirm that our beautiful State Rooms will reopen for tours from Thursday 30 July, with social distancing and extra safety measures in place.
hrp.org.uk/hillsborough-cast…
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The bluebells are out at Hillsborough Castle! We love spotting vibrant patches of blue around the gardens at this time of year 💙
Wherever you are, keep a lookout for these beautiful flowers, but do remember that they’re a protected species, so no picking!
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Set in the beautiful grounds of Hillsborough Castle, Lady Alice Temple was given as a wedding gift to Lady Alice Hill in 1867. A must-see on your visit! bit.ly/hillscastle
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The season has definitely turned, and the gardens are showing off their gorgeous autumn colours 😍🍂
We love this #PalacePhoto of Hillsborough’s pinetum, shared by @EllieKa66133452 📸
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In August 1837, Arthur Wills Blundell Hill, Lord Hillsborough, married the Hon. Caroline Frances Stapleton Cotton. The celebrations at the Fort were attended by 4000 guests, lasted 5 days and resulted in the deaths of 13 people from alcohol poisoning! bit.ly/HillsHistory
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11 weeks on from closing, we are now progressing our plans for gradually reopening the Castle and Gardens.
In June our wonderful gardens will reopen to the public, with a wide range of extra safety measures in place.
We look forward to sharing more details soon!
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The flag at Hillsborough Castle and Gardens has been raised until 13.00 tomorrow (Sunday 11 September) to mark the proclamation of His Majesty King Charles III.
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Moss gardens are relatively common in other parts of the world, but luckily for us one of the best examples to be found in the UK and Ireland is right here at Hillsborough Castle! 🌍🌱 Gardens Manager Claire Woods celebrates Hillsborough’s Moss Walk: bit.ly/mosswalk-blog
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Huge congrats to @yellowdoordeli for winning the best visitor attraction café award for Hillsborough Castle and Gardens in the @irish_news Great Places to Eat Awards! 🏆🍴
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📣 Life Through A Royal Lens is now open! 📷 We're this happy that we can now welcome you to our new exhibition 👇
🎟 Book tickets 👉 fal.cn/3yNVy
📸 Royal Collection Trust
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Summer may be coming to an end, but thankfully our sunny sunflowers are still in bloom! ☀️ With harvest season now just around the corner we’re gearing up for a busy few weeks in the Walled Garden 💪
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Day 2 of our Jubilee Garden Party is in full swing! 💃 Celebrate at Hillsborough this weekend, 🗓 2-5 June 👉 fal.cn/3p9Rk
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