Prince Harry and Meghan Markle made a significant blunder when accepting Frogmore Cottage as a wedding gift from the late Queen Elizabeth in 2018, according to a royal expert. The couple assumed they would retain the property even after stepping down as working royals, an expectation described as 'out of touch'.
Royal author Tom Quinn told the Mirror that Harry and Meghan believed Frogmore would always be available for their occasional visits to the UK, despite no longer being working royals. Quinn said this assumption 'speaks volumes' and contributed to Harry's hurt over King Charles's decision to evict them.
The eviction process began in January 2023, the day after Harry's memoir Spare was released, and the couple officially moved out on June 29, 2023. Quinn noted that the date was significant to Harry, who was 'absolutely furious and in tears' over the eviction, viewing it as a cruel rejection.
Frogmore Cottage, a five-bedroom home on the grounds of Windsor Castle, was renovated at a cost of £2.4 million to taxpayers, which Harry and Meghan later agreed to repay. After moving to the US, they briefly lent the property to Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank before it was vacated.
Quinn remarked that while many see Harry as a 'poor little rich kid behaving like a spoiled brat', Harry views himself as the eternal victim. The King now reportedly wants Prince Andrew to take up residence at Frogmore, amid tensions over his current home, Royal Lodge.
