Prince Harry Believed He Could ‘Always’ Fall Back on Frogmore Cottage, Says Royal Expert
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Prince Harry held a longstanding belief that Frogmore Cottage, a royal residence gifted to him and Meghan Markle, would remain their home in the United Kingdom indefinitely. This belief was shattered in 2023 when the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were informed of their eviction from the property, a move that caught them by surprise and left them without a British base.
Frogmore Cottage, situated on the Windsor Estate, had been the couple’s main residence before they decided to step back from their roles as senior members of the Royal Family and relocate to North America. Despite their move, Harry had been under the impression that the Cottage would serve as their UK home whenever they chose to visit.
Royal expert Tom Quinn told The Mirror: “Harry and Meghan imagined Frogmore would always be there for them even if they came back to the UK for just a few weeks each year and even if they were no longer working royals. “That assumption speaks volumes about just how out of touch with each other King Charles and his son had become.”
The expert explained: “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 absolutely furious and in tears about being evicted from Frogmore – he felt his father had no right to do it and that it was purely vindictive.
“Harry couldn’t see that choosing to stop being a working royal would inevitably mean being deprived of his royal residence. Harry took it as a cruel rejection – a painful reminder of all that he felt when his father fought with his mother during their long drawn out, painful divorce,” he noted.
The eviction thus marked a significant and unexpected shift in their arrangements, highlighting the ongoing complexities of their relationship with the rest of the Royal Family. The eviction from Frogmore Cottage did not just represent a loss of a physical residence; it symbolically underscored the widening gap between Prince Harry and the institutional structure of the British monarchy.
This residence was extensively renovated in 2019 to suit the needs of the couple, with the Royal Family reportedly spending several million pounds on the refurbishments. These renovations were tailored specifically to their taste and lifestyle, indicating a long-term commitment to the property which made the eviction even more startling.
The reasons behind the eviction have been the subject of much speculation. Some commentators suggest it reflects an ongoing restructuring within the Royal Family, possibly tied to financial prudence or changing dynamics following Queen Elizabeth II’s passing. Others see it as a direct response to the increasingly independent and sometimes controversial path Harry and Meghan have carved out, which includes speaking openly about their struggles within the Royal setup and their criticisms of how the institution operates.
