Queen Elizabeth’s Luxurious Childhood Playhouse Had Electricity and Indoor Plumbing
As many people are probably aware, Queen Elizabeth II had a different childhood than most folks around the world. She grew up in castles and palaces, and it’s expected that her childhood toys would be on a different level as well. Her Majesty had a playhouse as a kid, and of course, it was far more luxurious than most playhouses out there.
Queen Elizabeth’s childhood playhouse was a small cottage
Queen Elizabeth’s playhouse was a small cottage on the grounds of Windsor’s Royal Lodge. It was given to her and her younger sister, Princess Margaret, in 1932 by the people of Wales. As such, its official name is “Y Bwthyn Bach” (or “The Little Cottage”).
According to the Daily Mail, the playhouse, which is still standing today, is 24 feet in length and 8 feet wide with 5-foot ceilings. It has a living room, a kitchen, and a bathroom. Unlike most playhouses, it comes with electricity, indoor plumbing, and even a working gas stove.
“The princesses spent many hours cleaning and tidying their tiny home, with Elizabeth in particular developing a reputation for being exceptionally neat,” the Daily Mail wrote. “This was the children’s domain, and adults, who had to crounch to fit through the door, were admitted only by invitation.”
Other royal children also played in the cottage
Her Majesty and Princess Margaret were not the only royals who got to enjoy this playhouse. It has actually been used by many royal children, including the queen’s children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.
In 2012, Princess Beatrice gave a tour of the playhouse for the documentary Our Diamond Queen. She had enjoyed time in there as a kid and ended up overseeing renovations for it as an adult.
“‘It’s beautiful. I’ve been lucky enough to play here and now Granny’s a great-granny, so now Savannah [Peter and Autumn Phillips’s daughter] can enjoy it too,” Beatrice said, according to the Daily Mail.
Queen Elizabeth’s current house is more luxurious than the cottage
Queen Elizabeth’s official residence as a monarch is Buckingham Palace. It serves as her workplace and actual home. She has lived there ever since her father, King George VI, ascended the throne in 1936.
Buckingham Palace dwarfs Her Majesty’s little playhouse. It measures 828,000 square feet and has 775 rooms.
However, Buckingham Palace is an old building at its heart, and this is why not every royal enjoys living or staying there. The Telegraph reported that masonry has fallen in some parts of the palace, and areas of the roof would leak. The place also allegedly has a problem with mice and asbestos.
Because of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Queen Elizabeth has also moved out of Buckingham Palace to self-isolate at Windsor Castle. Onlookers originally thought she would soon return to London, but some people now speculate that she may stay at Windsor indefinitely.
“It is sad that the queen cannot go back to Buckingham Palace,” The Sun’s editor Dan Wootton said, according to Express. “It is particularly devastating for the queen, in the twilight years of her life when she wants to keep working… It is highly likely that the queen will not live at Buckingham Palace again.”
