After their royal wedding in 2018, Harry and Meghan initially lived at Kensington Palace, sharing the grounds with Prince William and Kate Middleton. They then briefly moved to Nottingham Cottage before settling into Frogmore Cottage on the grounds of Windsor Castle. This home was a wedding gift from the late Queen Elizabeth.
Despite moving to the United States, the couple paid $3.3 million to the Royal Family in September 2020, and the cottage remained under their name until March 2022.
During the annual report on the taxpayer-funded Sovereign Grant, Sir Michael Stevens, Keeper of the Privy Purse, confirmed, “The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have made a substantial contribution to the Sovereign Grant that covered the refurbishment costs of Frogmore Cottage.”
The Royal Family’s website stated, “Frogmore Cottage will continue to be the property of Her Majesty the Queen. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will continue to use Frogmore Cottage – with the permission of Her Majesty The Queen – as their official residence as they continue to support the Monarchy, and so that their family will always have a place to call home in the United Kingdom.”
However, after Queen Elizabeth II passed away and Charles became king, the dynamics changed. As part of his plan to slim down the monarchy, King Charles asked Harry and Meghan to vacate Frogmore Cottage.
A spokesperson for Harry and Meghan confirmed to Vanity Fair, “We can confirm the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been requested to vacate their residence at Frogmore Cottage.”
Reports suggest that the cottage was then offered to Prince Andrew, who has been living in a 30-room Royal Lodge in Windsor Great Park since 2003. However, Andrew resisted the move. “This surely spells the end of Harry and Meghan’s time in the UK,” a royal source told The Sun.
Royal expert Omid Scobie, in his book “Endgame,” wrote that King Charles was “spitting mad” over Harry’s book, which influenced the eviction decision. The relationship between Harry and his family had reached an all-time low. A friend of Harry and Meghan’s commented, “It all feels very final and like a cruel punishment. It’s like [the family] wants to cut them out of the picture for good.”
Sources claimed the couple was “stunned” by the decision. “Harry and Meghan have until early summer to vacate,” Scobie reported for Yahoo. Initially, they were given just weeks, but this was extended until after the coronation.
Scobie also revealed that a significant factor in their eviction was the release of their Netflix series just weeks before. Frogmore Cottage was considered their “only safe place to stay when visiting the UK, as armed guards surround its grounds.”
Harry was reportedly shocked by his father’s decision and asked him on the phone, “Do you want to see your grandchildren?” Charles made a “half-hearted declaration” that they would always have “somewhere to stay,” but this didn’t reassure Harry.
Royal expert Tom Quinn suggested that Harry saw his father’s decision as “vindictive.” He told the Mirror that the eviction felt like “the last straw” for Harry, highlighting the emotional impact of losing their UK home.
In the end, Harry and Meghan described Frogmore Cottage as “so small.” Harry joked about constantly hitting his head due to the low ceilings, with Meghan laughing along.
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