Harry and Meghan ‘asked to vacate’ royal estate in England

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry and Meghan, have been “requested to vacate” Frogmore Cottage, a spokesperson for the couple confirmed.

Previously, there were reports that the house, on the grounds of Windsor Castle, was offered to the Duke of York, Prince Andrew.

A spokesman for Harry and Meghan said: “We can confirm that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been asked to vacate their residence at Frogmore Cottage.”

Buckingham Palace, seat and main residence of the royal family, did not comment on the situation.

After leaving life as royals in 2020, the Duke and Duchess moved to California, USA, with their two children, Archie and Lilibet.

Frogmore Cottage, a 10-bedroom property, was a gift to the couple from the late Queen.

Prince Harry and Meghan refurbished the property, belonging to the Crown Estate – a collection of land and real estate properties in the UK that belong to the British monarch – at an estimated cost of £2.4 million between 2018 and 2019.

Expenses were initially covered by taxpayers through the Sovereign Grant (“Sovereign Grant”, in free translation) and were later fully reimbursed by the couple.

They were reportedly instructed to leave the property by Buckingham Palace in January, days after Harry published his explosive memoir, “Spare” – which became the best-selling non-fiction book in the UK since records began (1998).

The publication brings accusations that Prince Harry was physically attacked by his brother, the Prince of Wales, William. He also wrote that he and his brother begged their father not to marry Camilla, now queen consort.

Prince Andrew, the late Queen’s second son, lives in the nearby 31-bedroom Royal Lodge in Windsor Great Park.

He stepped down from royal duties in 2019 following a controversial interview on BBC Newsnight over allegations that he had sexually assaulted Virginia Giuffre. He has repeatedly denied the allegations.

In February 2022, the Duke of York paid an undisclosed sum to settle the sexual assault lawsuit that Giuffre brought against him in the United States.

Reports in recent weeks, unconfirmed by the BBC, suggested the King would cut Andrew’s annual endowment, which could leave him unable to afford running his household.

The home of Frogmore Cottage has a long and important history. Queen Charlotte, wife of King George III, had it built in 1792 as a place for her and her daughters to retreat from court.

At the time, it was common for the rich to build large houses with the appearance of idyllic country houses.

Surviving relatives of Tsar Nicholas II also lived there after fleeing to the UK following the murder of other family members by the Bolsheviks in 1918.

Since World War II, the house is believed to have been used as a residence by staff of the royal family, before Prince Harry and Meghan moved in.