Villa Guardamangia, once home to Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, has acquired a €10.2 million grant by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) for its restoration.

Culture Minister Owen Bonnici said he had received news of the funding the day before yesterday’s visit to the villa by the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, who are in Malta on an official visit.

Giancarlo Azzopardi, assistant curator of the Villa Guardamangia project, said the funds will be used primarily to restore the building. “We are looking at a timeline of four to six years.”

The Duke of Edinburgh arriving at Villa Guardamangia. Culture Minister Owen Bonnici is behind him. Photo: Chris Sant FournierThe Duke of Edinburgh arriving at Villa Guardamangia. Culture Minister Owen Bonnici is behind him. Photo: Chris Sant Fournier

The Maltese government acquired the villa from private owners five years ago, with plans for Heritage Malta to convert it into a museum.

The project will follow a ‘historic house’ approach, focusing on its mid-20th-century period while preserving various historical layers of the building’s past.

The villa served as the residence of then Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip from 1949 to 1951 while Philip was posted to Malta with the Royal Navy.

 

 

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