'Inappropriate': Meghan Markle's Request to Move Into Windsor Castle Was Shut Down by Queen Elizabeth

Meghan Markle was unprepared for the realities of being a full-time duchess. It was reported that the Suits star envisioned herself living in Windsor Castle, but she was quickly humbled by Queen Elizabeth giving the actress and Prince Harry keys to Frogmore Cottage instead.

According to a source, Her Majesty felt it would be "inappropriate" for the Sussexes to reside in Windsor Castle, and she "politely but firmly suggested" they takeover Frogmore.

Lady Elizabeth saw the wedding present as a kind gesture despite Meghan's disappointment.

"The cottage was a big deal. The Queen's entrance into the gardens is right next to their cottage," the aristocrat told an outlet. "It is essentially her backyard, her solitude, and her privacy."

"She was giving that up in gifting Harry and Meghan Frogmore Cottage," she added. "We all thought it was very big of her. She said 'I hope they'll respect it.'"

Although the Sussexes were reportedly saddened by King Charles' decision to evict them from Frogmore Cottage years later, the duo publicly complained about their pre-marital royal estate.

"Kensington Palace sounds very regal, of course it does, it says 'palace' in the name," Meghan shared in Harry & Meghan. "But Nottingham Cottage was so small."

"The whole thing is on a slight lean, [with] really low ceilings," Harry explained while sitting beside his spouse. "So I don't know who was there before but they must have been very short."

Meghan's struggle to adjust to royal protocol became a part of the criticism surrounding the couple once they stepped down from their senior-level positions. OK! previously reported Elizabeth's childhood friend Lady Glenconner saw the American as somewhat naive.

“I think the thing about Meghan was, she had no idea what was expected of her really,” Glenconner said on the “Rosebud with Gyles Brandreth” podcast.

“I think she just thought it was sort of like being another actress, you know," she added.

In 2021, Meghan and Harry famously sat down with Oprah Winfrey to publicize why they moved to America, and the "Archetypes" host admitted to being unaware of her role within The Firm.

"We thought a lot about what we thought it might be. I didn’t fully understand what the job was: What does it mean to be a working royal? What do you do? What does that mean? He and I were very aligned on our cause-driven work, that was part of our initial connection," Meghan told the television host.

"But there was no way to understand what the day-to-day was going to be like, and it’s so different because I didn’t romanticize any element of it," she confessed.

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Aside from being poorly briefed on her in-laws' expectations, the Northwestern alum attempted to distance herself from the duchess title she continues to use professionally.

"All the grandeur surrounding this stuff is an attachment I don’t personally have. I’ve been a waitress, an actress, a princess, a Duchess — I’ve always still just been Meghan, right? I’ve been clear on who I am, independent of all that stuff, and the most important title I’ll ever have is mom. I know that," she passionately exclaimed.

Meghan's request was reported by The Times.