The Queen Mother’s private Kent apartment is now open to the public for the first time ever.

Based at Walmer Castle in Deal, the lodge was once used by the likes of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother and Winston Churchill.

The Lord Warden's apartment at the seafront castle became the official residence of the Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports in the 18th century.

The Queen Mother held the position between 1978 and 2002.

Now visitors will be able to tour a selection of rooms in the apartment, including the sitting, dining and master bedroom, which were used by Her Majesty.

The rooms had previously been locked away behind a “secret door”.

Kathryn Bedford, English Heritage’s curator at Walmer Castle, said: “This is a rare opportunity for a ‘behind the scenes’ glimpse into the never-before-seen private apartment at Walmer Castle.

“I think visitors might be surprised by the simplicity of how modern Lord Wardens, including The Queen Mother, have lived in the castle.

“I’m sure people will quickly appreciate the beauty and elegance of Walmer and see why it has become a favourite retreat for politicians, aristocracy and royalty.”

The apartment was opened to visitors on Saturday, March 23.

The charity describes the apartment as a "favourite seaside retreat" of the Queen Mother during her tenure as Lord Warden.

Private items not seen for decades will be redisplayed, alongside family photos of the Boyce family and artwork, including a selection of paintings from a private and much-treasured collection belonging to Sir Robert Menzies.

The apartment was separated into a private space in the 1960s to allow the main part of the castle to remain open to the public while the Lord Warden was in residence.

Other previous Lord Wardens include Sir Winston Churchill, William Pitt the Younger and the Duke of Wellington.

The Queen Mother was the only woman and the longest-serving to hold the office.