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The miniature playhouse known as Y Bwthyn Bach, often referred to as the “most glamorous Wendy house ever,” has played a special role in the childhoods of many royals over the years. This charming two-storey, thatched cottage was gifted in 1932 by the people of Wales to a young Princess Elizabeth. It was placed within the grounds of Royal Lodge in Windsor, the family’s residence at the time, where it has remained ever since. Most recently, it was under the care of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, who has lived at Royal Lodge from 2004 until his removal from the residence and stripping of his titles.
Constructed in Cardiff by Welsh craftsmen, Y Bwthyn Bach was designed by architect Edmund Willmott and was made from leftover materials from the building of Llandough Hospital. The cottage features four 5ft-high rooms arranged across two floors and is equipped with amenities such as a working telephone, electric cooker, fridge, and running water—luxuries that were not common in actual homes during the 1930s. Historian Dr Elin Jones explains that although called a cottage, it functioned like a detailed replica of a comfortable real house, making it an enchanting place for royal children to play.
The playhouse was originally gifted to Elizabeth’s parents, then the Duke and Duchess of York, to celebrate their daughter’s sixth birthday. Over time, custody of the house passed on to Andrew, former Duke of York, who maintained it and whose daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, also enjoyed the cottage. Princess Beatrice personally supervised a refurbishment and praised it in a BBC documentary commemorating Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee, calling it the “most glamorous Wendy house ever.” She recalled that their grandmother and aunt, Queen Elizabeth and Princess Margaret, also played there during their youth.
Following Andrew’s loss of his royal titles, the future of Y Bwthyn Bach has become uncertain. Buckingham Palace confirmed that ownership currently lies with King Charles III. Dr Jones commented that the Royal Family and government have more pressing matters than deciding the fate of what is essentially a child’s playhouse. Nonetheless, she suggested that the best home for this miniature cottage might be back in Wales, perhaps at St Fagans Museum, turning it into a part of Welsh history. She noted that the cottage is a symbol of longstanding Welsh loyalty to the monarchy, although this connection is weakening amid modern political and societal changes. Other royal watchers, such as Cardiff resident Anne Daley, hope the playhouse remains in active use by royal children, warning that otherwise it risks neglect and decay. If that does not happen, she too advocates for its return to Wales, proposing that it could even be dismantled and reassembled at St Fagans so the public might finally view its interior
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