Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle have been asked to vacate their home in Britain, suggesting a further fraying of ties with the royal family amid preparations for the coronation of his father, King Charles III.
Frogmore Cottage, on the grounds of Windsor Castle west of London, had been intended as the couple's main residence before they gave up royal duties and moved to Southern California. The Sun newspaper reported that Charles started the eviction process on Jan. 11, the day after the publication of Harry's explosive memoir “Spare.”
“We can confirm The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been requested to vacate their residence at Frogmore Cottage,” a spokesperson for the couple said in statement.
Disclosures Harry made in “Spare” deepened the rift between him and his family. The book included his account of private conversations with his father, and his brother, Prince William.
After their royal wedding in 2018, the couple moved out of Kensington Palace and into Frogmore ahead of the birth of their first son Archie. At the time, Buckingham Palace said Frogmore was a gift from Her Majesty the Queen. The statement described Windsor as “a very special place for their royal highnesses,” noting it overlooks their wedding reception venue, Frogmore House.
Frogmore was undergoing renovations when the newlyweds moved into the home. In September 2020, a spokesman announced the couple had repaid 2.4 million pounds ($3.2 million) in British taxpayers’ money that was used for the updates when they were working members of the royal family.
After they left Britain, Harry and Meghan had said Frogmore Cottage would remain their base when they visited the U.K. In statements are the time, the couple said keeping their house at Windsor was "with permission of Her Majesty the Queen."
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