It was a “big deal” when the Queen offered them Frogmore Cottage instead.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle currently live in California with their children Archie and Lilibet, but they have kept Frogmore Cottage as their home in England, which was a gift from the Queen following their wedding.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, on the other hand, had hoped to relocate from Kensington Palace (where they first lived together) to a “suite of apartments” in Windsor Castle.
According to royal reporter Katie Nicholl’s book The New Royals (excerpted in The Daily Mail), the Queen instead offered Meghan and Harry Frogmore Cottage.
“The cottage was a big deal,” Lady Elizabeth Anson, who spoke to the Queen frequently during this time, told Katie, “The Queen’s entrance into the gardens is right next to their cottage.
It is essentially her backyard, her solitude, and her privacy. She was giving that up in gifting Harry and Meghan Frogmore Cottage. We all thought it was very big of her. She said, ‘I hope they’ll respect it.'”
The couple moved into Frogmore Cottage in April 2019, and while they eventually stepped down from senior royal duties and relocated to the United States, Frogmore Cottage has remained their England residence. In fact, the couple is said to have stayed there during the Queen’s funeral and mourning period in the United Kingdom.
Frogmore Cottage is located in the English county of Berkshire, about half a mile from Windsor Castle. Prince Harry and Meghan posed for engagement photos in the Frogmore estate and gardens, and are thought to have had a summer picnic on the grounds prior to their engagement in 2017, according to USA Today.
Meanwhile, Kate Middleton and Prince William are expected to move into Windsor Castle, which is just a few minutes away from Meghan and Harry’s home, Adelaide Cottage.
