THE Queen and Prince Philip spent years living in glittering palaces – but her “happiest” time was when they lived a relatively “normal” life in a villa in Malta.
Before she ascended the throne, the couple spent three years in the 18th-century Villa Guardamangia when Philip was stationed in the country as a Royal Navy officer.
The palatial home was built in 1900, with six bedrooms, six bathrooms and a grand 'sala nobile' living room.
The 1,560 square foot property also has two garages, stables, cellars and a quarters for servants who work there.
It was one of their first marital homes together and had such an effect on the late Queen that she carried a picture of her there with Philip in her handbag at his funeral in 2022.
The limestone villa is now set to become a museum, after falling into a state of disrepair over the years – and the royal family will reportedly be invited for the grand opening.
After their wedding in 1947, the then-Princess Elizabeth and Philip spent months at a time at Villa Guardamangia between 1949 and 1951.
In 2015, on a trip to Malta, the Queen was presented with a painting of her former home.
She said: "Visiting Malta is always very special for me.
"I remember happy days here with Prince Philip when we were first married."
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Their time in Malta was featured in the first episode of The Crown and the couple were depicted as blissfully-happy newlyweds.
The villa was loaned to the couple by Philip’s uncle, Lord Louis Mountbatten, who rented it from the Schembri family.
It enabled Elizabeth and Philip to have a few carefree years together, with the future Queen living a “regular” naval wife life, taking boat trips around the area and shopping.
She even enjoyed her first visit to the hairdressers during her island stay.
Together, they enjoyed sun-soaked picnics and parties in their beautiful home.
The couple, who had welcomed son Charles in 1948, were said to have left him with his grandma, the later Queen Mother, during their visits to Malta.
Their time on the island came to an end after the Queen’s dad, King George VI passed away, with Elizabeth ascending the throne on February 6, 1952.
At the time of death, the Queen had been in Kenya on a tour of the Commonwealth, but cut the trip short to head back to England.
Villa Guardamangia has become dilapidated over the years, but is set to be turned into a museum in honour of the late Prince Philip.
The first floor of the home will be recreated to how it looked when the young Elizabeth and Philip lived there, in the five-year renovation project.
It will also explore Britain’s relationship with Malta, who gained independence in 1964.
The restoration project is being done by the Maltese government after they acquired the building.
Maltese prime minister Joseph Muscat did not say how much the government paid for it when they purchased it, but it had been advertised for £5.6million (€6.5 million), The Telegraph reported.
The website described the property as "an amazing grand palazzo-style property located just outside the outskirts and suburbs of Valletta, set just at the crest in the residential area of Guardamangia.
Heritage Malta's chief operating officer, Kenneth Gambin, said "He [Prince Philip] was remembered fondly, because everyone knew that Malta had a special place in his heart.
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"People remain somewhat attached to him because they know that he remembered Malta fondly.
“He took every opportunity to come here again when he could."
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