7 Famous International Personalities You Probably Didn't Know Had Connections To Malta!

From a British queen who once called Malta home to a Hollywood star who died in a Valletta pub, our little island has some fascinating connections to world history!

Here are seven famous personalities linked to Malta.

1. Queen Elizabeth II

Before becoming Queen, Princess Elizabeth lived in Malta with Prince Philip between 1949 and 1951, while he served in the Royal Navy. They stayed at Villa Guardamangia in Pietà.

2. Meghan Markle

Meghan visited Malta in 2015 to explore her family history. Her great-great-grandmother, Mary Bird, was born on the island in 1862.

3. Oliver Reed

While filming Gladiator in Malta in 1999, British actor Oliver Reed fell ill at a pub in Valletta and died shortly afterwards, aged 61. The pub, known as The Pub, remains linked to his final hours.

4. Napoleon Bonaparte

Napoleon seized Malta from the Knights of St John in June 1798, but personally spent just six days on the island.

5. Caravaggio

The Italian artist arrived in Malta in 1607 and became a Knight of St John. He was later imprisoned at Fort St Angelo before escaping in 1608. His masterpiece, The Beheading of St John the Baptist, remains in Valletta.

6. Lord Byron

The celebrated British poet visited Malta in 1809 and 1811, developing a romantic relationship with Constance Spencer Smith during his first visit.

7. Samuel Taylor Coleridge

The English poet arrived in Malta in 1804 and went on to serve as Acting Public Secretary under British administration in 1805.

Which of these unexpected Malta connections surprised you most?

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Photo Source: Royal Splendor, The Pub