Heritage Malta Starts Restoration Works at Villa Guardamangia

Press Release│ 1st October 2025

Heritage Malta has commenced rehabilitation, restoration and conservation works at Villa Guardamangia, where Princess Elizabeth, who subsequently became Queen Elizabeth II, and Prince Philip resided during periods between 1949 and 1951.

The Villa Guardamangia project is expected to require about three years to complete and is estimated to cost just over €12 million, of which more than €10 million will be provided by the European Regional Development Fund.

This new phase in the Villa Guardamangia project was marked by a visit on site by Dr Owen Bonnici, Minister for Culture, Lands and Local Government, and Dr Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi, Minister for European Funds and the Implementation of the Electoral Programme. They were shown around by members of Heritage Malta’s senior management team.

Minister Owen Bonnici pointed out that: “This is another important step for our historical heritage – which also has an international impact in light of its link with the British Royal family – to continue to be protected and enjoyed.” He said that this project is only one of more than 40 restoration projects, which confirms the commitment to give new value to our history as a
people.

Dr Bonnici remarked that the Villa Guardamangia rehabilitation project is unique, because it was thanks to the government that the villa was purchased from the private sector and the necessary applications for European funds were made, paving the way for this project, to be enyoyed by the Maltese people and the tourists who visit us.

Minister Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi said that the Villa Guardamangia project is a clear example of how European funds, when used strategically, can increase social, cultural and economic value. He explained that more than €10 million of the investment is being financed by the European Regional Development Fund and that this support will enable a historical site which was abandoned for many years to be transformed into a living and sustainable cultural attraction. Dr Zrinzo Azzopardi added that through such an investment, the government is not only preserving the past but is also creating new opportunities for education, tourism and the community as a whole.

Noel Zammit, Heritage Malta’s Chief Executive Officer, said that Villa Guardamangia’s restoration further attests to Heritage Malta’s commitment towards accessibility and towards ensuring that the public feels bonded with our cultural heritage. This patrimony not only comprises museum artefacts or historical documents but also the nation’s collective memory and old buildings which people still remember as past residences. Once Villa Guardamangia is restored, an address that for centuries was the privilege of the few will form part of our collective heritage.

Among other tasks already completed in the villa, sections of the façade that were in imminent danger of collapse were shored up, and other parts of the building were reinforced to halt ongoing damage. A detailed architectural survey of the entire property was undertaken and tonnes of debris and other materials were removed. Stone statues that once decorated the garden, as well as domestic appliances used in the villa in the 1940s and 50s were conserved by Heritage Malta after years of neglect. Decorative schemes on the walls of the villa were uncovered and will now be restored.

Additionally, data on environmental factors such as temperature and humidity was collected to guide future decisions. Extensive research was carried out into the villa’s history, its owners, and its furnishings through the years. Heritage Malta has also gathered first-hand accounts from people who lived in the villa before and after the Princess, as well as from others who worked there or provided services to the royal couple.

Villa Guardamangia consists of 18 rooms, stables, an underground shelter and a large garden. Works will involve both interior and exterior restoration and will include the installation of systems to ensure the building functions in an environmentally sustainable way. The project is expected to entail a long and challenging process due to the building’s poor state.

Once restoration is completed, the Villa Guardamangia experience will focus on the human aspect and the sense of normality that the royal couple cherished during the time they spent there. The villa’s 1950s environment will be recreated, offering visitors the experience of a historical home of the period. A small exhibition and a documentary will help the public understand the relationship between Malta and the royal family over the centuries, as well as the colonial historical context of the royal couple’s time in Malta in the mid-20th century