Name: State Drawing Room
Start: 2019-02-13T10:00
End: 2025-12-31T10:00
Location: Hillsborough Castle

When

Open

Ticketing information

Explore the State Drawing Room as part of a guided tour of Hillsborough Castle and Gardens.

Included in combined castle tour and gardens tickets (members go free)

Buy Hillsborough Castle and Gardens tickets

The State Drawing Room dates from around 1810, but was rebuilt in 1936 after a devastating fire in 1934 that destroyed many parts of the original building.

British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and Irish Taoiseach Garret FitzGerald signed the Anglo-Irish Agreement here in 1985.

The present decorative scheme is based on the inter-war feminine ideal of a country house drawing room, in colours favoured by Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother. Contemporary works by Irish artists have been chosen for the walls, including paintings belonging to HRH The Prince of Wales.

The French windows offer a wonderful view over the Jubilee Parterre in the gardens.

Highlights of the State Drawing Room

Bust of Princess Elizabeth (1946)

This bust of Her Majesty The Queen as Princess Elizabeth, Duchess of Edinburgh, is one of at least 14 royal portraits made by Sir William Reid Dick.

Reid Dick was a Scottish sculptor, known for his public monuments, notably the statue of Franklin D Roosevelt in Grosvenor Square, London, the tombs of George V and Queen Mary in St George’s chapel at Windsor, and the statue of Lady Godiva in Coventry.

Princess Elizabeth, who was aged 20 at the time, is presented wearing a v-neck collar dress and pearl necklace. A patina (a thin film of green) has formed on the bust as the bronze has reacted with oxygen.

Visitors enjoying the State Drawing Room in Hillsborough Castle. A young couple are in the foreground sat on a 2-seater sofa, seemingly enjoying the views around them. The rest of the group are spread around the room; a HRP Explainer stands in the background. The room is a soft yellow, with marble-like columns, floral fabrics and wooden floor. Various rugs of different colours and patterns cover the floor. A chandelier hangs above.

State Drawing Room with wooden floor and a variety of persian rugs and furniture from the Royal Collection. A variety of Irish art hangs on the sunny yellow walls. Marble-like pillars frame the room.

Hydrangeas by Gareth Reid

Gareth Reid was born in Belfast and studied at Glasgow School of Art, where he still works. He was the winner of Sky Arts Portrait Artist of the Year Competition and was consequently commissioned to paint Graham Norton for the National Gallery of Ireland.

This series of hydrangeas continues his interest in evoking the mysterious atmosphere of gardens and woodlands.

Landscape I by HRH the Prince of Wales

The Prince of Wales is a keen landscape watercolourist. Lithographs of his paintings are sold to raise money for the Prince of Wales Charity Foundation. His paintings are displayed in the State Drawing Room alongside contemporary works by Irish artists, including pieces from his own collection.

Ceremonial key

This key was used by King George V to open the Royal College of Science in Dublin on 8th July 1911. It is cast with a York rose for the King’s former royal title, the Duke of York, alongside the Royal Crest and a GVR monogram.