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.

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.

The State Drawing Room is one of the newly re-presented State Rooms that you can explore on your visit to Hillsborough Castle and Gardens.

Watch as our team of experts restore the room to its former glory in this short film.