The Ulster Unionist Party’s Lagan Valley MLA and Deputy Leader, Robbie Butler, has welcomed the news that Hillsborough village is to be granted Royal status and be known as ‘Royal Hillsborough.’

Robbie Butler MLA said:

“The granting of Royal status to Hillsborough village is a great honour and a source of pride to everyone in Lagan Valley.

“As a lifelong Lagan Valley resident I am personally thrilled that this honour been awarded today.

“Hillsborough has a long association with the Royal family and has close connections due to the presence of their residence at Hillsborough Castle.

“It is particularly fitting that this title should be awarded in Northern Ireland’s Centenary year and Lisburn & City Council are to be congratulated on the success of their application.”

The Mayor of Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council, Councillor Hon Nicholas Trimble said;

“This is a historic day for Hillsborough, for Northern Ireland and for the UK. Hillsborough is a jewel in our local crown. As a council, we work closely with the community and businesses in the village.

“This exceptional honour comes at an important milestone, the Centenary year of Northern Ireland. I have no doubt that as we emerge from the pandemic, this will contribute greatly to economic growth, tourism and recovery stretching far beyond Hillsborough Village.

“As a council, we have invested significantly in Hillsborough, developing a new state of the art adventure play park, implementing upgrades to the forest with new paths and additional parking as well as a range of infrastructure improvements.

“Royal Status will undoubtedly contribute to our ambition for Hillsborough to become one of the key tourist destinations on the Island of Ireland through the ambitious plans as part of the wider £1bn Belfast Region City Deal.”