Queen detail emerges in Frogmore eviction row

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s representatives have reportedly shared new claims regarding the couple’s departure from Frogmore Cottage, their former Windsor residence.

The property, a Grade II-listed house within the Windsor estate, was gifted to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex by Queen Elizabeth II following their 2018 wedding. Originally built in 1801 for Queen Charlotte, Frogmore Cottage was renovated and converted into a single-family home for the couple. In 2019, official royal accounts showed that Harry and Meghan covered approximately £2.4 million in refurbishment and rental costs.

After stepping back from royal duties and relocating to the United States in 2020, the Sussexes spent little time living at the property. In 2023, they removed their remaining belongings after being asked to vacate the residence.

According to reports, the King Charles III-owned estate is now considering restoring Frogmore Cottage to its original layout by dividing it into multiple residences to improve future occupancy.

Royal journalist Tom Sykes recently claimed on his podcast that sources close to Harry and Meghan believe the timing of their eviction was significant. According to these sources, King Charles waited until after Queen Elizabeth II’s death before taking action because she would not have approved of removing the couple from a property she had personally gifted them.

Sykes suggested that the late Queen generally preferred avoiding family confrontations and may have resisted any attempt to evict the Sussexes. He argued that her reluctance to engage in conflict had been evident in previous royal family disputes.

At the same time, Sykes reportedly described Prince Harry as overly optimistic if he believed there would be no consequences following his public criticism of the Royal Family, including the publication of his memoir, Spare.

The discussion comes amid ongoing reports about the future use of Frogmore Cottage and wider tensions within the Royal Family. Separately, there have been longstanding reports that Prince Andrew was encouraged to move from Royal Lodge to a smaller royal property, although he has previously resisted relocating due to his long-term lease agreement.

The claims made by sources close to the Sussexes have not been independently verified, and Buckingham Palace has not publicly commented on the latest reports.