Following their royal wedding in 2018, Harry and Meghan initially lived at Kensington Palace, the residence of Prince William and Kate Middleton. They then moved to Nottingham Cottage for a short period before ultimately settling at Frogmore Cottage on the grounds of Windsor Castle, a wedding gift from the late Queen Elizabeth.
Despite their relocation to the United States, the couple made a payment of $3.3 million to the Royal Family in September 2020, and Frogmore Cottage remained licensed to them until March 2022.
During the release of an annual report on the taxpayer-funded Sovereign Grant, which finances the royal family’s public duties, Sir Michael Stevens, Keeper of the Privy Purse, confirmed to reporters that “the payment covers all their [Harry and Meghan’s] current obligations,” according to People.
Stevens added, “The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have made a substantial contribution to the Sovereign Grant that covered the refurbishment costs of Frogmore Cottage.”
According to the Royal Family’s official website: “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 the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, circumstances changed. With Charles becoming the head monarch, his plan to slim down the monarchy included asking Harry and Meghan to vacate the UK-based property.
The news was confirmed by Harry and Meghan’s spokesperson: “We can confirm the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been requested to vacate their residence at Frogmore Cottage,” the spokesperson told Vanity Fair.
Allegedly, the residence has been offered to Prince Andrew, who has been living in the 30-room Royal Lodge in Windsor Great Park since 2003. According to The Sun, Andrew is “resisting” the King’s wish for him to move into Frogmore Cottage. “This surely spells the end of Harry and Meghan’s time in the UK,” a royal source told the newspaper.
Royal expert and author Omid Scobie wrote that King Charles was “spitting mad” over Harry’s book, which undoubtedly influenced the decision to evict the prince. At the time, the relationship between Harry and his family had reached “an all-time low,” Scobie noted.
“It all feels very final and like a cruel punishment,” a friend of Harry and Meghan added. “It’s like [the family] wants to cut them out of the picture for good.”
Sources close to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle at the time claimed the couple was “stunned” by the decision.
“Harry and Meghan have until early summer to vacate,” a source told Scobie, reporting for Yahoo. “Initially, they were given just weeks, but now they have at least until after the coronation.”
“It all feels very final and like a cruel punishment,” a friend of Harry and Meghan added. “It’s like [the family] wants to cut them out of the picture for good.”
New details about what really happened have come to light. Royal author Omid Scobie, known to be friends with Harry and Meghan, wrote in his latest book, Endgame, that King Charles wanted to punish the Sussexes, calling it a “cheap shot.”
Sources cited by Scobie confirmed that a “significant” aspect of Harry and Meghan’s eviction was “undoubtedly” a repercussion for the release of their Netflix series just weeks prior.
Scobie claims Frogmore Cottage was Harry and Meghan’s “only safe place to stay when visiting the UK, as armed guards surround its grounds.”
According to Scobie, Harry was shocked by his father’s decision and called him a few days later, asking, “Do you want to see your grandchildren?”
Charles then made a “half-hearted declaration that they would always have ‘somewhere to stay.’”
However, this “didn’t give Harry much hope.”
Facing eviction from a home is always painful, but royal expert Tom Quinn suggests that Harry interpreted his father’s decision as “vindictive.”
Quinn told the Mirror, “The story of Harry’s change of residence may have surfaced recently, but Harry quietly changed his primary residence as far back as June 29, 2023 – the very day he and Meghan were evicted from Frogmore Cottage on the Windsor estate. That’s the date listed in new business documents filed in the US this week.”
The royal expert added, “At the time, few people realized what a slap in the face the eviction from Frogmore felt like for Harry – it was the last straw.”
Harry was further offended that the property was offered to Prince Andrew.
“For Charles, the issue of Frogmore Cottage wasn’t just about punishing his son, though sources say that ‘undoubtedly’ played a significant role,” Scobie wrote in Endgame. “It was also part of the effort to streamline the portfolio of properties being used by members of the family.”
Scobie added, “Staying silent about Harry’s accusations and appearing publicly unconcerned for his son’s wellbeing while ending his family’s lease on a safe UK residence was not a decisive action by a resolute King.”
Harry and Meghan described Frogmore Cottage as “so small.”
“The whole thing is on a slight lean, [with] really low ceilings. So I don’t know who was there before, but they must have been very short,” Harry said, with Meghan laughing, revealing Harry would “hit his head constantly because he is so tall.”
