Amid reports that the dilapidated state of the Queen’s former residence prevented her from visiting it one last time, she may at least console herself with a water colour painting portraying the building in its full glory.

The work of art by Maltese artist Edwin Galea was donated by President Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca soon after the welcome ceremony held on Thursday afternoon at San Anton Palace.

The painting of Villa Guardamangia presented to the Queen by the President.

The crumbling mid-18th century villa is the only place outside the UK where a British monarch has ever called home.

A quick look at the history books reveals that the Queen’s last visit to her former home was during her 1992 State visit. On May 29 the royal couple had passed by the villa on their way to an official lunch at Auberge de Castille following an event at the British High Commissioner’s residence in Naxxar.

The Queen’s connection to this building dates back to the early years of her marriage, between 1949 and 1951, when the Duke of Edinburgh was a naval officer stationed in Malta on HMS Chequers.

The property has been at the heart of a controversy for years, as successive governments had tried to come to an agreement with the villa’s owners to restore it, but nothing was ever achieved.

A few weeks ago this newspaper contacted a woman, believed to be the owner of this prestigious property, to get her side of the story but the encounter was cut short after a few seconds.

The Queen’s last visit to her former home was during her 1992 State visit

“I am sorry I am not interested to speak to the media about this matter,” she told a Times of Malta reporter who caught sight of her while she was peeking out of a window on the upper floor of the villa, in Guardamangia Hill, Pietà.

Last year the government had initiated a legal process to requisition the property, by applying the provisions of the Land Acquisition Ordinance.

In a declaration published in the Government Gazette of May 27, 2014, the government had signalled its intention to inspect premises No. 49 in Guardamangia Hill, Pietà “possibly” for acquiring it for a “public purpose”.

By law such a measure would allow authorised workmen to enter and survey the land, dig or bore under the subsoil and take any other action necessary to ascertain whether the land could be adapted for such purpose.

In addition, workmen would also be allowed to set out and mark the boundaries of the land and the intended line of work proposed.

The law also states that no person shall enter the building or its garden except with the consent of the occupier, who has to be given at least seven days’ notice.

However, no replies were ever received when this newspaper repeatedly enquired with the Office of the Prime Minister if there had been any further developments.

An amendment to this law, enacted in 2009, had provided for the requisitioning of properties falling under a wider definition of “historical buildings”.

The Guardamangia property could be expropriated as “it is closely connected to events of major historical importance which have contributed to the national memory or to the national historical identity”.

The property also qualifies under a separate proviso that incorporates buildings whose historical and cultural significance could augment the tourism services provided in Malta