After their royal wedding in 2018, Harry and Meghan initially lived at Kensington Palace with Prince William and Kate Middleton. They soon moved to Nottingham Cottage before finally settling at Frogmore Cottage on the grounds of Windsor Castle, a wedding gift from the late Queen Elizabeth.
Despite relocating to the United States, the couple made a payment of $3.3 million to the Royal Family in September 2020 to cover the refurbishment costs, retaining the residence until March 2022.
During an annual report on the taxpayer-funded Sovereign Grant, Sir Michael Stevens, Keeper of the Privy Purse, confirmed to reporters that “the payment covers all their [Harry and Meghan’s] current obligations,” as reported by People. He added, “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 official 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 in the UK.”
However, things changed after Queen Elizabeth II passed away. With Charles now the monarch, his plans to slim down the monarchy included asking Harry and Meghan to vacate Frogmore Cottage. A spokesperson for the couple confirmed this to Vanity Fair: “We can confirm the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been requested to vacate their residence at Frogmore Cottage.”
Reportedly, the residence was offered to Prince Andrew, who has lived in the 30-room Royal Lodge in Windsor Great Park since 2003. According to The Sun, Andrew is resisting the King’s request to move into Frogmore Cottage. A royal source told the newspaper, “This surely spells the end of Harry and Meghan’s time in the UK.”
Royal expert and author Omid Scobie revealed that King Charles was “spitting mad” about Harry’s book, which likely influenced the eviction decision. Scobie wrote that the relationship between Harry and his family had reached “an all-time low.”
“It all feels very final and like a cruel punishment,” a friend of Harry and Meghan’s remarked. “It’s like [the family] wants to cut them out of the picture for good.”
Sources close to Harry and Meghan claimed the couple was “stunned” by the decision. They have until early summer to vacate, although initially, they were given just weeks.
New details have emerged through royal author Omid Scobie’s book, Endgame. Scobie, a friend of Harry and Meghan, wrote that King Charles wanted to punish the Sussexes, describing the eviction as a “cheap shot.” He confirmed that a significant aspect of the eviction was a reaction to their recent Netflix series.
Scobie mentioned that Frogmore Cottage was Harry and Meghan’s “only safe place to stay when visiting the UK.” Harry was reportedly shocked by his father’s decision and called him, asking, “Do you want to see your grandchildren?” Charles made a half-hearted promise that they would always have “somewhere to stay,” but this did not reassure Harry.
Royal expert Tom Quinn suggested that Harry saw the eviction as “vindictive.” He told the Mirror, “The story of Harry’s change of residence may have come out only recently, but Harry quietly changed his primary residence as long ago as June 29, 2023 – the day he and Meghan were evicted from Frogmore Cottage.”
Harry was further offended that the property was offered to Prince Andrew. Scobie wrote in Endgame that the issue of Frogmore Cottage was not just about punishing his son but was also part of an effort to streamline the royal property portfolio. He criticized Charles for not addressing Harry’s accusations and for ending the family’s lease on a safe UK residence.
Harry and Meghan described Frogmore Cottage as “so small.” Harry humorously mentioned that the cottage had low ceilings and was slightly leaning, causing him to hit his head constantly due to his height.
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