Introducing The Queen And Princess Margaret's Two Nurseries Inside Their Grand Childhood Home

Aug 06, 2021

Before Queen Elizabeth II was given her current reigning title, she was referred to as Princess Elizabeth. During their childhood, the queen and her sister Princess Margaret lived together with their parents in London. The queen’s first permanent residence was located at 145 Piccadilly, which is now the site of the InterContinental London Park Lane. During this time, the queen’s parents were referred to as the Duke and Duchess of York, before her father eventually took over the throne and became King George VI, with her mother later becoming the Queen Mother.

Her Majesty was born on April 21, 1926. Named Elizabeth, she was called Lilibet by her close family members, something that her grandson Prince Harry has continued to honor with the name of his own daughter, Lilibet Mountbatten-Windsor. The queen’s only sibling is her sister, Margaret, who was born in August 1930. The two princesses were homeschooled with a great focus in history, language, literature and music.

The place they grew up in was close to Buckingham Palace, and pictures of their former residency show just how absolutely marvelous their home was. Many people constantly gathered outside the family home to try to get a peek of the then-Duke and Duchess of York, along with their princess daughters. 

The former Duke and Duchess of York along with their two daughters did not live in a typical royal residence, but their home’s grace and elegance was just as royal as any other home belonging to the royal family. The queen and her sister shared two nurseries during their childhood years that were perfect for the two young princesses and filled with amazing toys and furnishings.

The queen had only been 8 months old when her family had left Britain. She returned when she was 14 months old, as per the InterContinental London Park Lane. This is when she and her parents moved into what became their permanent home at 145 Piccadilly in London. The residence was not an obvious royal residence, but everyone knew who lived there, and a large crowd frequently gathered to try and catch a glimpse of the royal family. The five-storied building was stone-fronted, located directly across Green Park and near Buckingham Palace.

In August 1930, Margaret was born, drawing an even larger crowd to the family home. According to the InterContinental London Park Lane, Prince Charles was even spotted at the family home every now and then, sparking even more interest and excitement at 145 Piccadilly. However, as InterContinental London Park Lane explained, there was no special security at the royal residence. The family did have their own personal staff comprised of 18 members.

Inside the home was a hallway decorated with flowers and pale green column, which supported a cream-colored ceiling. The family garden was not huge, but it was a great playground for the queen during her childhood to ride around on her tricycle. Beyond the garden was the enclosed Hamilton Gardens, which led to a gate to Hyde Park.

Despite their royal stance, the family was not always up-to-date with the latest fashion trends regarding their home furnishings. Inside 145 Piccadilly were chintz-covered armchairs and sofas and a Persian carpet, giving the home a more comfortable feel as opposed to the modern, angular-shaped furniture most other homes were filled with at the time.

Even though the home was not completely modern, it was filled with lavish furnishings, including an electric elevator. Inside, the home contained 25 bedrooms, a ballroom and a library, along with many other beautiful rooms.

As a young princess, Her Majesty enjoyed reading as she was taught how to read at an early age by her mother and was inspired by the many books the family kept in the morning room, as per the InterContinental London Park Lane. The home was also filled with typical children’s toys, albeit a bit more high-end, as some of the queen’s toys were kept in a large glass cabinet. She also had toy horses, which is fitting given the queen’s love and adoration for the real animal.

Being a princess during her childhood meant being treated like one. Edmond Brock’s portrait of the queen during her youth was viewable to the home’s residents and guests from their dining room, which looked out onto Piccadilly. Both the queen and Margaret shared a nursery suite with two nurseries for day and night. The rooms were bright with cherry red carpeting. 

After Margaret had been born, both she and the queen shared the night nursery until her older sister was old enough to be given her own large bedroom, as per the InterContinental London Park Lane. The day nursery was filled with toys kept together neatly in a tall cabinet with glass doors. The cabinet also contained tiny dolls, china cottages and palaces, model soldiers and ships, along with many other gifts the princesses had been given by their family members.

What do you think about the queen’s childhood place of residence? Let us know, and be sure to pass this along to your friends and family, too!