Princess Beatrice gave the Duke and Duchess of Sussex permission to film at the Queen’s oversized Wendy House at Windsor Castle for their Harry & Meghan Netflix series.
Called Y Bwthyn Bach, it was a sixth birthday present from the people of Wales to Princess Elizabeth in 1932.
In 2010, HM passed guardianship of the home to her granddaughter Princess Beatrice, who oversaw a year-long refurbishment before inviting journalist Andrew Marr in 2012 for his three-part BBC series The Diamond Queen, the first time television cameras were allowed in.
The 34-year-old is one of the few royals still in touch with the Sussexes and is said to have agreed to bringing cameras into the house.
Princess Beatrice gave the Duke and Duchess of Sussex permission to bring cameras into the Queen’s oversized Wendy home at Windsor Castle for their Harry & Meghan Netflix series. Above: An image from the series showing the couple in the cabin
The cottage, named Y Bwthyn Bach, was a sixth birthday present from the Welsh people to Princess Elizabeth in 1932. Above: Princess Elizabeth seen outside the cottage in June 1936 at the age of ten
However, it’s unclear if she was aware of the exact nature of what was being filmed.
An image from the Netflix series, apparently professionally shot, shows the Duke and Duchess of Sussex laughing as they sit in high chairs and sip from a tea set.
The two-storey thatched cottage – dubbed Y Bwthyn Bach or The Little House – was given to Princess Elizabeth by the Welsh people in 1932 for her sixth birthday.
It came with electric lights and running water, as well as furniture and even a working phone.
Elizabeth and her sister Margaret loved the house and looked after it themselves. It has never been open to the public.
Tucked away on the south side of the gardens at Windsor’s Royal Lodge, the whitewashed cottage is described by Beatrice as “the most glamorous Wendy House ever”.
The building, which measures 24 feet long, 8 feet deep and has rooms 5 feet high, was designed by architect Edmund Willmott, who had previously built a less lavish little house for his own daughter to play in.
It was intended to be a symbol of the Welsh people’s love and fascination for the little princess, who at the time was never expected to become queen. Her uncle, King Edward VIII, abdicated four years later in 1936, passing the crown to Elizabeth’s father, George VI.
The mining communities of the Welsh glens had suffered more unemployment during the Depression than any other part of Britain and the house, built entirely by Welsh labor and from Welsh materials left over from Llandough Hospital, was a poignant reminder of a distressed workforce .
It was also designed as a link between the two privileged princesses and those who lived in typical Welsh cottages.
It gave the sisters the opportunity to keep an ordinary home – although it was far more luxurious than the vast majority of family homes at the time.
The floor plan of a typical Welsh country house was adopted for the interior design. The front door opens into a small hallway with a kitchen on the right and the “Siamber Compartment” or small chamber on the left.
Stairs lead to a bedroom and bathroom which was very modern when built with hot and cold running water, a heated towel rail and electricity.
The cottage was described by the Queen’s granddaughter Beatrice as “the most glamorous Wendy House ever”. Above: Beatrice at the cottage with journalist Andrew Marr in his 2012 series The Diamond Queen
The contents included a tiny radio, a small oak chest of drawers, and miniature blue and gold dinnerware. Above the dining room mantel hung linen with the initial ‘E’ and a portrait of the Queen’s mother, the Duchess of York.
A bookshelf full of Beatrix Potter little books, including Jemima Puddleduck, ensured the girls never got bored.
Glazed windows, blue and white checked curtains, blue carpets, and white walls completed the decor.
The house also contained pots and pans, tin cans, brooms, a packet of Epsom salts and a radio license, all made to order and to scale. The kitchen had a gas stove and fridge, both of which worked.
There was even a working miniature phone. The house also had its own front garden with small hedges and flower borders.
Over the years the Queen’s children played in the house and most recently her grandchildren.
It holds a special place in the hearts of all royal children, but Beatrice was particularly captivated when, as a child, she placed a selection of her own teddy bears on the living room sofa.
She oversaw the full refurbishment over the course of a year, which is believed to have been paid for by her father, the Duke of York, who has resided at the Royal Lodge since 2004.
In the first episode of The Diamond Queen, the princess was seen showing the results to Marr.
Under Beatrice’s guidance, new curtains and upholstery were installed, the paint refreshed, the roof re-tiled and the cabin rewired.
The original blue color scheme has been replaced with pale green sofa covers and cream curtains with tiny deep pink flowers.
It comes as Jacinda Ardern yesterday made a statement about another Netflix documentary being presented by Meghan and Harry, with the New Zealand Prime Minister insisting she was unaware of the couple’s involvement when she agreed to take part in it to participate.
Live To Lead celebrates “inspirational leaders” throughout history. That includes Mrs Ardern – who starred in a trailer released yesterday, leading a country where Charles III lives. is head of state.
Jacinda Ardern yesterday made a statement about another Netflix docuseries being presented by Meghan and Harry, with the New Zealand Prime Minister insisting she was unaware of the couple’s involvement when she agreed to take part. Above, Mrs Ardern and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex in 2018
The seven-part documentary was made by New Zealand production company Blackwell & Ruth in association with the Nelson Mandela Foundation and the Sussexes’ production company Archewell.
While the pair are listed as executive producers, Miss Ardern’s office released a statement in response to questions from journalists, which made it clear that their involvement had nothing to do with the Duke and Duchess.
The statement reads: “In early March 2019, the Prime Minister was asked by the Mandela Foundation to participate in a project to develop accessible resources on key characteristics of leadership, aimed at aspiring young leaders around the world, based on an hour-long interview.
“Originally we were advised to produce printed and digital books, short films and audio books.
“The interview was conducted on November 8, 2019. A short book titled Jacinda Ardern (I Know This to be True) was released in March 2020 based on the interview. Other participants whose contributions were also published based on their interviews were the late US Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, feminist activist Gloria Steinem, climate activist Greta Thunberg and American basketball player Stephen Curry.
“In March 2021, the Nelson Mandela Foundation informed the Prime Minister’s Office that they had reached an agreement with Netflix to broadcast the interview series, including the 2019 interview with the Prime Minister.
The couple with Ms Ardern attending a mentorship program during their 2018 tour
“In May of this year, the Prime Minister’s Office was informed that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex would present the series; It is worth noting that this was almost two and a half years after the interview was recorded and already granted permission for use by the Mandela Foundation.
“All communication has been with the Foundation (there has been no communication with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex regarding the project).”
The Duchess of Sussex and Ms Arden rekindled a friendship during Harry and Meghan’s New Zealand Royal Tour in 2018. Meghan was pregnant at the time and Ms Ardern later spoke about how impressed she was with her staying power.
She said: “Pregnancy is an often trying time, but the way she gave it her all was incredible. She is an amazing woman and I am so glad to have met her.’
Meanwhile, Finding Freedom – a 2020 biography of the couple – claimed Ms Ardern sent Meghan a flower arrangement following the birth of their son Archie.
The Chron reported on then-Princess Elizabeth’s cottage when it appeared at the Ideal Home Exhibition