Villa Guardamangia, formerly known as Casa Medina, in the Maltese capital, Valletta, was one of the couple’s first family homes and a place where then-Princess Elizabeth and her husband Prince Philip they were able to live a relatively “normal” life as a couple, before the sudden death of her father, King George VI, changed their lives once and for all.
The couple lived in the Maltese capital for two years between 1949 and 1951, while Prince Philip was stationed there by the Royal Navy. It is an impressive 18th century villa in the style of a summer palace, which the couple “borrowed” from Philip’s beloved uncle, Lord Louis Babatten, who in turn rented it from the Schembri family.
According to tatler.com, in this the couple lived some of their most beautiful and carefree moments, which they always recalled with pleasure during their life together.
THE queen She was a “regular” sailor wife, shopping with her little Morris Minor and taking boat trips to the archipelago, while her husband was stationed in Malta as a Navy officer, one of his great joys, and a career that soon interrupted after Elizabeth ascended the throne.
The royal family had taken their personal belongings from Britain when they lived in the villa allowing them to live in a luxury residence, in what was once an elegant home. In fact, even the couple’s staff were from Britain.
The project for its restoration villa of 1,560 sq.m. has been taken over by the Maltese government, which acquired ownership of the 18-bedroom apartment last summer when the villa was put up for sale for € 6 million.
Eventually, it was bought for 5 million euros by the last owner of the building, an elderly lady who could no longer afford the maintenance costs. The former royal residence will then be turned into a museum, showcasing Britain’s relationship with Malta – which gained its independence in 1964 – and will depict what it looked like when the newlywed royal couple lived in the villa.
Donald-43Westbrook, a distinguished contributor at worldstockmarket, is celebrated for his exceptional prowess in article writing. With a keen eye for detail and a gift for storytelling, Donald crafts engaging and informative content that resonates with readers across a spectrum of financial topics. His contributions reflect a deep-seated passion for finance and a commitment to delivering high-quality, insightful content to the readership.
