Queen Elizabeth II is well known to have lived in the stately Buckingham Palace.
Though some may know that in recent years, Her Majesty has been residing at much-loved Windsor Castle.
But did you known that the 96-year-old monarch wasn’t born in either – nor any type of palace, castle, or even the Royal Family’s private hospital of choice?
Yep, the Queen came into the world in a decidedly un-royal location in the city of London. And upon birth, was not immediately destined to become monarch. Far from it.
Here’s what you need to know about The Queen’s birth and her birthplace.
Where was Queen Elizabeth II born?
The Queen was born in a house at 17 Bruton Street in Mayfair, London.
It was a normal(ish) townhouse belonging to her maternal grandparents: Claude and Cecilia, the 14th Earl and Countess of Strathmore and Kinghorne.
They were the parents of Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, aka Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, who was then known as the Duchess of York – married to the King’s son Prince Albert, The Duke of York.
The Yorks had been living in the house for just a few weeks when Elizabeth gave birth by caesarean section on Wednesday, April 21 1926 at 2.40am, reportedly a few days early.
And so the couple’s firstborn – Her Royal Highness Princess Elizabeth Alexandra Mary of York – had arrived.
The Home Secretary of the era, Sir William Joynson-Hicks, was present at the birth so the government could ensure the new arrival really was a direct descendant of the Royal Family.
And news of the birth was joyfully announced by the London Gazette, among other newspapers.
The Gazette wrote: ‘Her Royal Highness The Duchess of York was safely delivered of a Princess at 17, Bruton Street, Mayfair.
‘His Royal Highness The Duke of York and the Countess of Strathmore were present. Secretary Sir William Joynson-Hicks was also present. Her Royal Highness and the Infant Princess are doing perfectly well.’
A statement also added: ‘The happy event was made known by the firing of the Park and Tower guns.’
Firing of guns aside – it doesn’t sound particularly grand, does it? Well, keep in mind that a future Queen Elizabeth II was not yet on the cards.
Her Majesty was third in the line to the throne at birth. Her grandfather King George V ruled, and her popular uncle Edward, the Prince of Wales was next in line.
Prince Albert was second, but it was thought that Edward would marry and have children, bumping him and his young daughter Princess Elizabeth down the line of succession.
Edward did become King Edward VIII, but quickly abdicated to marry divorcee Wallis Simpson. And so Albert became King George VI, meaning Princess Elizabeth became the heir.
You’d think the site of The Queen’s birth would have been protected as historic given all this… but it wasn’t.
The original house was demolished in 1937 (a year after Edward abdicated) and fully written off by 1939.
Nowadays, the closest thing you’ll get to the original 17 Bruton Street is the office block Berkeley Square House. Nearby there is a plaque denoting the significance of the site.
The address is also the same for Hakkasan Mayfair Chinese restaurant – though, according to the BBC, it is not in the same location.
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