Take a Tour of Queen Elizabeth’s Crumbling Maltese Mansion
In November 1949, Queen Elizabeth II—then, a newlywed princess—sojourned 1,800 miles from her gilded Buckingham Palace to Villa Guardamangia, a rustic seaside villa in the Maltese town of Pietà. The two years she would remain there to be near her then fiancé, Prince Philip, who was stationed there as a Royal Navy officer, were fairytale days on the sunny Mediterranean island, filled with picnics, balls, sunbathing, and water-skiing. Her Majesty would later fondly recall that those years at the villa, the only time spent living outside of the U.K., were “the happiest days” and the only time she was able to live “normally.”
This week, on the 60th anniversary of the island nation’s independence, Prince Edward returned to his parents’ former Malta residence with his wife, Sophie, where they were briefed on the restoration work currently underway. It was the first time royal family members have set foot inside Villa Guardamangia since 1951, according to Buckingham Palace.
The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh were photographed wandering the villa’s verdant gardens while bells were sounded in the distance, rung by a local priest in honor of the royals’ visit, according to the Palace. At the National Library, the couple viewed artifacts that document Malta’s changing relationship with the U.K., including a letter signed by Queen Elizabeth II inaugurating the first parliament in 1964.
And before the couple posed for a photo on the roof, recreating the iconic photo of the late queen and Philip, they met with Elizabeth Pule, the daughter of the queen’s former housekeeper in Malta. “I know that my mother spotted your mother in a crowd when she came on a visit,” Edward told Pule, according to Buckingham Palace. “She never forgot her.”
The two-story neoclassical mansion—which Prince Philip’s uncle, Louis Mountbatten, passed on to the royal couple—featured an elaborately decorated porch, six bedrooms, three bathrooms, a grand hall, servants’ quarters, and numerous balconies overlooking the town’s sprawling oceanic views and historic forts. “The villa had separate apartments for the prince and the princess, each including a bedroom, walk-in wardrobe, an anteroom, and a bathroom,” Heritage Malta curator Kenneth Gambin told Reuters on a walk-through of the property. Just beyond, the estate is accompanied by horse stables, a large garden area, and a war shelter.
Entrance
The entrance to the Villa Guardamangia features neoclassical architecture.
Exterior Entrance
At the entrance of the villa, a wreath of flowers and a photo of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip hangs on the door (September 10, 2022).
Main Hall
The main hall, previously a stately room that the late Queen Elizabeth II often likely inhabited, has tiled flooring and green wallpaper.
Dining Room
The dining room’s beveled architectural detailing and tiled flooring hint at the room’s former glory.
Outside Entrance
On the ground floor, an empty mansion bedroom stores various items of furniture.
Bedroom
A bedroom with a stone fireplace gives a peek into what the late queen’s quarters might have looked like.
Hallway
The stately hallway of Villa Guardamangia leads to several of the mansion’s six bedrooms.
Bathroom
The mansion features a mint green bathtub with hardware original to the royal couple’s days.
Street Balcony
The balcony opens up to street views.
Garden
A view of the columns in the villa’s garden.
The once-grand 18th-century residence, however, has since fallen into a state of disrepair. While some architectural details hint at its former glory—an intricately carved lion and cherub guard a staircase, regal wrought-iron stairway railings flank the balconies—the manse’s interiors are eerily empty, with peeling walls, crumbling statues, and rusty hardware. The government of Malta, the villa’s owner, is currently working on repairing the villa through a projected $13 million restoration project that aims to transform it into a fully furnished historic site that will be open to the public for tours by 2031.
You Might Also Like
