New insights have emerged shedding light on why Prince Harry and Meghan Markle had to vacate Frogmore Cottage, their residence in Windsor.
According to Omid Scobie’s insightful book, Endgame, the couple’s eviction stemmed from their transition out of royal duties and their current home base being outside the UK.
Reports indicate that Buckingham Palace’s Keeper of the Privy Purse, Sir Michael Stevens, delivered the eviction notice.
It appears that with the couple no longer serving as working royals and primarily living in the United States, letting go of their royal abode became necessary.
Following the news, Harry was allegedly distraught and reached out to his father, King Charles, demanding to know, “You don’t want to see your grandchildren anymore?”
The Sussexes have two young children—son Archie, aged five, and daughter Lilibet, who is three years old.
This situation took a dramatic turn shortly after the release of Harry’s memoir, Spare, which hit shelves just a day before the eviction process began.
As reported by the Daily Mail, leading up to the memoir’s groundbreaking publication, Harry conducted interviews with major networks like ITV and CBS.
Scobie’s account notes that the Palace requested to view the entire interview footage before they would comment on it.
However, this demand was denied by CBS, emphasizing their policies against such practices.
Instead of publicly addressing the issue, King Charles preferred to keep his thoughts private, despite not having read Harry’s controversial memoir.
Since relocating to Montecito, California, in 2020, the couple had used Frogmore Cottage as their UK base during visits.
This charming residence was a wedding gift from the late Queen Elizabeth II, granted to the couple in 2018, and underwent extensive renovations that reportedly cost taxpayers a staggering £2.4 million.
Currently, the property has remained unoccupied since the Sussexes departed.
Reports suggest that Prince Andrew is eyeing the residence as potential new occupants.
However, he has shown hesitance about leaving his long-time residence at the Royal Lodge, where he has lived since 2002 with ex-wife Sarah Ferguson.
Andrew retains about 50 years on his Royal Lodge lease, having signed a 75-year agreement to stay there for a rental fee of £250 per week.
Despite the interest in Frogmore, the Duke of York seems firmly anchored in his lavish home, which boasts 30 rooms.
Sources reveal that King Charles‘s response to Harry’s memoir and his subsequent actions significantly influenced the decision to change who lives in Frogmore and downsizing the royal properties in use.
Observers note that the Sussexes losing Frogmore seems to represent just the beginning of Charles’s broader efforts to reshape the monarchy.
This intricate web of royal family dynamics encapsulates not just personal grievances but also strategic royal adjustments in a changing landscape.
The tale of Frogmore and its residents reflects a pivotal moment in the royal family’s ongoing narrative of adaptation and evolution.
