Hillsborough Castle and Gardens in Northern Ireland has unveiled a new display shining a light on its little-known but significant role in the story of American independence, as the United States marks the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence this summer.

Bust of Benjamin Franklin

Franklin, Hillsborough and the Seeds of Independence is an extraordinary collection of objects connected to Benjamin Franklin and his historic visit to the Castle in 1771. The display runs until February 2027.

At its heart is the complex relationship between Franklin and Wills Hill (Lord Hillsborough), who commissioned the building of Hillsborough Castle and who was Britain’s first Secretary of State for the Colonies. In January 1771, the two men clashed in London during a heated exchange over Franklin’s appointment as agent for Massachusetts. Yet later that year, in a striking twist of history, Lord Hillsborough extended warm hospitality to Franklin during a four-day stay at Hillsborough Castle - a visit set against rapidly escalating tensions between Britain and its American colonies.

Portrait of Benjamin Franklin by Jean-Baptiste Greuze (1777)

Visitors will encounter this story in Hillsborough Castle’s historic State Dining Room – where Franklin dined during his stay – which has been renamed The Franklin Dining Room for the duration of the display. Here, in the very space where conversations once unfolded, the display explores how dialogue, diplomacy and disagreement contributed to events that would soon reshape the world.

Hillsborough Castle and Gardens is a grand Georgian estate and royal residence just 20 minutes from Belfast. It is the official residence in Northern Ireland of King Charles III, as well as the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, and other members of the British royal family when they visit the region. It boasts 100 acres of ornamental gardens, peaceful woodland, meandering waterways and picturesque glens, where pivotal moments in British and Irish history took place.

Hillsborough Castle and Gardens

Caroline Walker, Head of Hillsborough Castle and Gardens, said: “As America marks 250 years since the Declaration of Independence, this display shines a light on Hillsborough Castle’s remarkable connection to that defining moment in world history.

“When Benjamin Franklin visited in 1771, he brought the currents of change sweeping across the Atlantic directly to these walls. Franklin, Hillsborough and the Seeds of Independence brings together internationally significant loans alongside treasures from our own collection, enabling us to tell this story in the very room where these conversations are believed to have taken place. It underscores the Castle’s enduring role as a place where diplomacy is practised, relationships are forged and tested, and history quietly takes shape.”

Three letters from the Franklin papers

At the centre of the display is a rare July 1776 New York printing of the Declaration of Independence by Ulster-born printer Hugh Gaine, on loan from The National Archives, London. One of the earliest printed copies to cross the Atlantic, it represents the revolutionary outcome of arguments in which both Franklin and Hillsborough played opposing roles. The document will be displayed at Hillsborough from late March to late June, and again from early September to mid-November 2026.

On loan from the American Philosophical Society - the institution founded by Franklin in 1743 to promote “useful knowledge” - are three original letters from the Franklin Papers. These include Franklin’s meticulous account of his fiery London confrontation with Hillsborough, and his later reflections on the unexpectedly gracious reception he received at the Castle. Together, they chart the deterioration of a political relationship that would soon lead to Lord Hillsborough’s downfall. Franklin would later summarise this with the cutting remark: “we have got rid of Hillsborough.”

Franklin's 18th-century chess pieces

The letters are displayed alongside Franklin’s personal 18th-century chess pieces and an iconic 1777 portrait of him by French artist Jean-Baptiste Greuze, painted six years after his visit to Hillsborough while serving as American ambassador to France. Objects from Historic Royal Palaces’ own collection, including a Wedgwood portrait medallion and a portrait by Allan Ramsay of Lord Hillsborough, complete the narrative.

The display forms part of the wider USA–NI 250 commemorations, highlighting the role that people and places in Northern Ireland played in the US independence story and recognising Northern Ireland’s historic connections to the United States.

Hillsborough Castle has long played a role in US–Northern Ireland relations, hosting figures including Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush. This landmark display reveals that its American connections stretch back much further - to a moment when private conversations and public confrontation helped shape the future of a nation. The popular American History tour of the castle will also return to bring these stories to life for visitors.

If you or your group would like to enjoy the Franklin, Hillsborough and the Seeds of Independence display at Hillsborough Castle and Gardens as part of a tailor-made tour of Northern Ireland in 2026, please do contact our friendly team today. Or why not explore the UK's history with a tour of royal castles and palaces?

All photos courtesy of Historic Royal Palaces.