Frogmore Cottage, the former UK residence of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, sits unoccupied over a year after the royal couple officially moved out. Despite their departure in June 2023, no new tenants have taken up residence in the Grade II Crown Estate property located in Windsor Home Park. Palace officials revealed this information during the annual Sovereign Grant briefing, confirming the desolate state of the once lively abode.
Speculations abound regarding the future occupants of Frogmore Cottage, with no concrete information forthcoming from official sources. While there were rumors that Prince Andrew, the disgraced Duke of York, might be offered the smaller cottage, it was later revealed that he had signed a long-term lease on the Royal Lodge mansion in 2003. This left the fate of Frogmore Cottage shrouded in mystery, with no clear indication of who might call it home in the future.
Since leaving the UK and renouncing their royal duties in 2020, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have settled in the United States. After a brief stay at Hollywood producer Tyler Perry’s mansion in Beverly Hills, the couple purchased a stunning $15 million property in Montecito. Their family grew with the arrival of daughter Princess Lilibet in 2021, marking a new chapter in their lives away from the royal spotlight.
The strained relationship between Prince Harry and the royal family has been widely documented, exacerbated by the couple’s bombshell interviews and revelations. From explosive claims about senior royals in their Oprah Winfrey interview to Harry’s forthcoming memoir, Spare, tensions have escalated in recent years. Despite occasional visits to the UK, including Prince Harry’s trip in May to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the Invictus Games, the Duke has opted to stay in hotels rather than accepting accommodations in royal residences.
Frogmore Cottage holds a special place in the hearts of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, who cherished their time spent there. In his memoir, Spare, Harry fondly recalls the initial excitement of moving into the Windsor property, which was gifted to them by the late Queen. Describing it as a place that felt destined for them, the Duke reminisces about leisurely walks in the gardens and encounters with the resident swans, including the amusingly named “grumpy Steve.”
As Frogmore Cottage continues to remain unoccupied, its future hangs in the balance. With no clear plans for the property and no definitive occupants on the horizon, the picturesque abode stands as a silent witness to the shifting dynamics within the royal family. Whether it will be repurposed, reassigned, or left to gather dust remains to be seen, adding to the air of mystery that surrounds this once vibrant royal residence.
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