July 24th 2024.
Last year, Harry and Meghan were asked to finish moving their belongings from their former residence, Frogmore Cottage. This property, located in Windsor Home Park, has remained unoccupied for over a year since the Duke and Duchess of Sussex officially left. According to palace officials at the annual Sovereign Grant briefing, there are currently no new tenants residing in the Grade II Crown Estate property.
It was recently revealed that during his recent visits to the UK, Harry chose to stay in hotels rather than at a royal residence. This decision came after the couple was asked to remove any remaining possessions from their UK home, which sits close to Windsor Castle, in 2023. This request came just weeks after the duke's controversial memoir, Spare, where he openly criticized his family.
A Palace official stated, "Frogmore Cottage has remained unoccupied throughout the year. At this point, it would be difficult to speculate who the future occupants may be." Frogmore was originally gifted to Prince Harry and Meghan by Queen Elizabeth II. The Sovereign Grant was fully reimbursed for the costs of refurbishing the cottage, which was provided to the couple upon their initial move-in. Therefore, there is no additional cost to the Sovereign Grant, aside from routine maintenance, which is standard for any building.
According to royal accounts, in 2019 Harry and Meghan paid £2.4 million to cover the refurbishment and rental costs of Frogmore Cottage. However, after the birth of their son Archie, the Sussexes relocated to the US and only used the property a few times after.
There were rumors that the disgraced Duke of York, Prince Andrew, was offered the smaller Frogmore Cottage as a means of relocation. However, it was later revealed that he had signed a 75-year lease on the much larger Royal Lodge mansion back in 2003. It is currently believed that Prince Andrew is residing at the property with his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson.
There have also been speculations that Prince William may have considered the Royal Lodge mansion for his own family at one point. A friend of Prince Charles shared, "If Andrew does not leave within a reasonable time frame, the King may have to reassess the support he provides. This could mean that the duke would have to cover the majority of his security, accommodation, and lifestyle expenses on his own, which may not be feasible in the long term."
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