A photo shared by the Department of Information, shows what the Grandmaster’s Palace in Valletta was once like during the time of the British colonisation here in Malta.

Part of the Grandmaster’s Palace forms part of Piazza Regina and this is from where this photo was taken but back then it was known as Piazza dei Cavalieri.

Piazza Regina was not always as how we remember it today. The space in Poazza Regina was not always open to the public as Governor Gaspard Le Marchant, who became Governor of Malta in 1858, decided to close the space.

As can be seen from the black and white shot, he turned it into an orchard which could only be accessed by the British and no Maltese were allowed.  

The statue of Grand Master Manoel de Vilhena once graced the square after it was moved from Fort Manoel. It was moved once again to Floriana as they had to make way for the statue of Queen Victoria in 1891. It still stands there to this day.