With a fair amount of royal residences around the United Kingdom, Queen Elizabeth II sure has her share of property. While some opt to see her most famous home, Buckingham Palace, there are some who may seek out to see the very place The Queen was born. You can still do that, it’s just some things have changed over the years.
Born on 21 April 1926 by a Caesarian section at home, The Queen entered the world while living at your normal, everyday address: 17 Bruton Street in Mayfair. The house once belonged to her maternal grandparents.
Fast-forward about 93 years later, and 17 Bruton Street is now home to an upscale Chinese restaurant named Hakkasan. The restaurant is featured in numerous fine-dining guides and even has a Michelin star rating. This location is actually the company’s second London location. The Bruton Street eatery opened in November 2010.
While you may be wondering what happened to Elizabeth’s birthplace, the property was bombed during the war. While the current structure is at the same address, the property does not belong to The Queen’s family.
While the site is now a restaurant, the historical importance of the building remains. On the outside is a placard that declares: “On the site stood the townhouse of the Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne where Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor, later to become Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, was born on 21 April 1926.”
Hakkasan Mayfair describes themselves as “a leading destination for modern Cantonese cuisine in London.” The restaurant even features dishes specific to that location such as steamed New Zealand mini lobster, black truffle roast duck and sliced blue abalone in Hakka sauce. To top it all off, Hakkasan has a ‘smart casual’ dress code. No fascinators needed here!
While there is no word on whether or not The Queen has eaten at the restaurant, her granddaughter Princess Eugenie has been seen at the trendy restaurant as well as pop star Rihanna.
