Published 06:39 IST, November 2nd 2019
Malta: Villa where Queen Elizabeth used to live, bought by Government
The malta government has purchased Villa Guardamangia and is the only property outside Britain which Queen Elizabeth II once called home,to be made a attraction
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The malta government has purchased Villa Guardamangia and is the only property outside Britain which Queen Elizabeth II once called home. There are plans to make it a tourist attraction. Queen Elizabeth last visited Malta in 2015 where she was presented with a painting of the villa.
About the villa
Vila Guardamangia was reportedly Queen Elizabeth's home for the first few years after her marriage before she was declared a queen when her husband the Duke of Edinburgh served as a Royal Navy officer in Malta between the years 1949 to 1951. The official media of Malta has reported the purchase-
Government has purchased Villa Guardamangia, where the Queen used to live - https://t.co/r7Fs1hWkdg pic.twitter.com/cNV7FXilVz
— Television Malta (@TelevisionMalta) October 23, 2019
Prime Minister Joseph Muscat announced the purchase of property which 3 kilometres or 2 miles from Malta's capital in parliament on October 22, stating that it will be restored and will be turned into a tourist attraction. The villa is in requirement of repairs and most of its belongings have been sold. Its owners who are a private family had offered it for sale earlier this year for over 6.5 million euros. Muscat Government has not made the final price of the villa public.
History of the villa with the Queen
Queen Elizabeth II has reportedly said that the time she has spent on living in the villa was the amongst the happiest times of her life. The queen had driven past the villa during a visit to Malta in 1992 and was gifted with a painting of building when she was in Malta in 2015. Villa Guardamangia has a large terrace and garden was built in 1900 atop a hill overlooking Malta's second harbour of Marsamxett.
06:38 IST, November 2nd 2019