Following their royal wedding in 2018, Harry and Meghan initially resided at Kensington Palace, which was the home of Prince William and Kate Middleton. However, they later relocated to Nottingham Cottage for a brief period before ultimately moving to Frogmore Cottage on the grounds of Windsor Castle. This residence was a wedding present from the late Queen Elizabeth.
Reports were that despite their move to the States, the couple made a payment of $3.3 million to the Royal Family in September 2020 and the place remained licensed to them until March 2022.
During the launch of an annual report into the taxpayer-funded Sovereign Grant that finances the royal family’s public duties, Sir Michael Stevens, Keeper of the Privy Purse, confirmed to the reporters that “the payment covers all their [Harry and Meghan’s] current obligations,” according to People.
“The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have made a substantial contribution to the Sovereign Grant that covered the refurbishment costs of Frogmore Cottage,” Stevens added.
The Royal Family’s official website reads: “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, following the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, things changed. With Charles becoming the head monarch, his plan of slimming down the monarchy meant among the rest asking evicting Harry and Meghan from 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 instead, who has been living in a 30-room Royal Lodge in Windsor Great Park since 2003.
As per 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” with Harry’s book, which undoubtedly played a role in the decision to evict the prince. The relationship between Harry and his family had, at the time, also reached “an all-time low,” Scobie wrote.
“It all feels very final and like a cruel punishment,” a friend of Harry and Meghan’s 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’s added. “It’s like [the family] wants to cut them out of the picture for good.”
Now, new details about what really happened come to light. Royal author Omid Scobie, who is said to have been friends with Harry and Meghan, wrote in his latest book, Endgame, that King Charles wanted to punish the Sussexes. He also called it a “cheap shot..”
The sources cited by the author confirmed that a “significant” aspect of Harry and Meghan’s eviction was “undoubtedly” a repercussion for their release of the Netflix series just weeks prior.
Scobie claims Frogmore 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 on the phone 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 goes as far as suggesting that Harry interpreted his father’s decision as “vindictive.”
Quinn told the Mirror, “The story of Harry’s change of residence may have come out only in the past few days, but in fact Harry quietly changed his primary residence as long ago as June 29, 2023 – on the very day he and Meghan were evicted from Frogmore Cottage on the Windsor estate. That’s the date given in new business documents filed in the US this week.”
The royal expert added: “At the time, few people realised 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 mum about Harry’s accusations and remaining 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.”
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