Hillsborough Castle

 house  Add category

Hillsborough Castle is the official residence of Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom in Northern Ireland. It is resided in by her official representative, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. It is also used by other members of the British Royal Family when they visit the country, and by prominent international visitors. It has been an official royal residence since the 1920s. From 1922 to 1972 it was the residence of Governor of Northern Ireland, the then official representative of the sovereign That post was abolished in 1973.

Hillsborough Castle, which is located in County Down, is not a true castle. It is a Georgian mansion built in the 18th century for the Hill family, Marquesses of Downshire, who owned it until 1922 when the sixth marquis sold the mansion and its grounds to the British government.

Hillsborough Castle became the controversial location of the signing of the Anglo-Irish Agreement in 1985. Irish Taoiseach (prime minister) Garret FitzGerald believed that signing the Agreement in Hillsborough Castle would mollify unionist opposition the Agreement somewhat. However many unionists took offence at the signing of the Agreement in the Throne Room of the Castle, it igniting their opposition further.