Fit for a queen! The queen’s beloved former residence, Villa Guardamangia, is up for grabs!
Villa Guardamangia, a grand townhouse in Pieta built in 1900 by Sir Augusto Bartolo, was initially a farmhouse. Its history sets a precedent for the grandeur found within the villa, and now, it’s ready for a new owner!
Re/Max
A jump back through time
In around 1929, the villa was leased to Earl Mountbatten of Burma, who was interested in it due to its proximity to Marsa, which has a horse racing track and golf course that suited his lavish lifestyle. After some hefty renovations, Mountbatten bought the villa, and visited while stationed in Malta as Commander-in-Chief of the Mediterranean Fleet back in the 1950s.
When the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh came to Malta, they first lodged at San Anton Palace, hosted by Gerald Strickland and his wife. Princess Elizabeth and her then-fiancé Philip Mountbatten first stayed at the villa in 1946, and returned numerous times between then and 1952, while the Duke was stationed on the island as a Royal Navy officer.
The Earl of Mountbatten went on to leave the property to the queen and her husband, who resided there between 1949 and 1951. The queen has described her stay on our rock as one of the best periods of her life!
The villa’s state today
The villa is in dire need of some TLC, and is currently locked up and shuttered off to the outside world. The gorgeous villa once included lavish gardens and interiors, but is now in a sadly dilapidated state. But all that may be set to change, as the privately owned townhouse is now up for grabs!
The Grade 2 monument consists of a living, dining, sitting, kitchen, 6 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, a large sala nobile, fireplaces, stone floors, balconies overlooking the garden, stables, a cellar and a 6-car garage. See? Fit for a queen!
Kenneth Gambin from Heritage Malta spoke about its historical value, saying that “apart from the fact that it was inhabited by the queen, the villa is an excellent example of baroque architecture and summer residences.” Kenneth also explained that Heritage Malta is interested in the listing. “Our idea in concept would be to use the villa as a period house museum harking back to when the queen resided there, including a display on the relations between he British royals and Malta through the centuries.” Wouldn’t that be cool?
We also reached out to the agent for an idea of the selling price, but all they'd tell us is that the impressive property's worth is "subjective" and at the owners' discretion. Ah well, it stands to reason really... we can only imagine the final going price!
We can't wait to see this beauty restored to its former glory!