A Nasty 'Final Blow': Prince Andrew Being Gifted Frogmore Cottage Infuriated Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were reportedly turned off by living in Britain when King Charles III offered the disgraced Prince Andrew Frogmore Cottage after their eviction.
"Andrew is resisting the idea of moving into Frogmore Cottage after he was offered it last week. But it shows Harry and Meghan are powerless to stop the eviction," a source spilled to an outlet earlier this year.
"This eviction surely spells the end of Harry and Meghan’s time in the U.K., they added.
The King decided to finally pull the plug on his youngest son and daughter-in-law's residence in March, after years of back and forth between the two sides. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, per royal custom, were gifted the stately home as a wedding present by the late Queen Elizabeth II in the spring of 2018. It was rumored that the pair were never satisfied with one of the smallest residences in the royal portfolio, despite British taxpayers funding renovations to the estate.
Once the duo decided to leave Britain in early 2020 in what became known as "Megxit," the property became largely abandoned, which angered many Britons. Since the Montecito twosome stopped working for the royal family in addition to living full-time in the United States, this was said to be the reason the monarch kicked them out.
At that time, Charles III was also mired down in a feud with the Duke of York over the latter's lavish home, the Royal Lodge at Windsor Castle. As OK! previously reported, His Majesty felt the smaller Frogmore Cottage was more suitable for Andrew since he also no longer worked for the Crown and lived it up in one of the royal portfolio's most prized possessions along with Sarah Ferguson.
"With The Queen’s approval and agreement, The Duke of York’s military affiliations and royal patronages have been returned to The Queen," Buckingham Palace stated in early 2022 in response to an allegation against Andrew from Virginia Roberts. "The Duke of York will continue not to undertake any public duties and is defending this case as a private citizen."
Harry, Meghan and Andrew have all been considered "royal black sheep" for the last four years, and based on all three being linked to Frogmore Cottage, it would seem that residence is a "punishment" of sorts.
- Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's Frogmore Cottage Eviction Was Part of Queen Elizabeth's 'Plan'
- Meghan Markle and Prince Harry Required to Make 'Private Agreement' to Use Royal Property
- Prince Harry & Meghan Markle 'Stunned' After Being Kicked From Frogmore Cottage For Prince Andrew, Says Journalist Omid Scobie
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Author Omid Scobie characterizes it this way in his new book, Endgame, where the royal journalist and staunch Sussex defender says the King's offering of the home to Andrew was "undoubtedly" a dig at his youngest son. This seems to be related to the fifth in line to the throne repaying the public cost of renovations shortly after his and Meghan's Netflix deal was signed in 2020.
"Prince Harry has officially repaid the £2.4 million renovation costs spent on converting Frogmore Cottage back into a family home," Scobie tweeted in 2020. "A source close to the duke tells me that he recently (and voluntarily) repaid the amount in full to the Sovereign Grant."
Despite the uproar over the cottage this year, the Duke of York has repeatedly refused to move into what he sees as a "downgrade."
The New York Post reported on the insider revelations.