Prince Harry and Meghan Markle lived at two different royal properties before stepping down from their roles and moving to the US.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were assigned Nottingham Cottage as their first home as a married couple.
However, the pair were said to be unhappy because of the “tiny” size of the property, which is located within the grounds of Kensington Palace in London.
The Sussexes then relocated to Frogmore Cottage in Windsor, which they thought would be “the perfect retreat from what Meghan and Harry saw as an unsympathetic, unfair world of media speculation and criticism,” according to royal biographer Tom Quinn.
However, in his book Kensington Palace, the author claimed that after the move, Meghan realized that living at Frogmore Cottage “would be like living in the Russian steppe.”
According to an insider who spoke to the biographer, the property’s “remoteness made Kensington seem like the centre of the universe.”
Mr Quinn wrote in his book that the move to Frogmore Cottage became the “final straw” for the former Suits actress.
Harry and Meghan were gifted the property from Queen Elizabeth II and renovated it – but the cost was repaid in full.
A builder working on the property told Mr Quinn it underwent major renovations to resemble a “Californian condo.”
Meghan reportedly expressed frustration with the living situation, declaring, “I don’t want to retire to rural obscurity.”
Despite the claims made by the royal biographer, Harry wrote in his memoir Spare that both he and Meghan enjoyed their time at Frogmore Cottage.
“We loved that place,” the prince said, adding, “From the first minute. It felt as if we were destined to live there.
“We couldn’t wait to wake up in the morning, go for a long walk in the gardens, check in with the swans. Especially grumpy Steve.”
Harry wrote, “We met the Queen’s gardeners, got to know their names and the names of all the flowers. They were thrilled at how much we appreciated, and praised, their artistry.”
The couple retained possession of the cottage keys until 2023, and are thought to have stayed there during their 2022 UK visit with their kids, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.
It is speculated that Harry envisioned the property as his “forever home.”
In 2020, the couple stepped down from their roles as senior royals and moved to California, where they now live with their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, in Montecito.
Their 16-bedroom estate is estimated to be worth approximately $30 million, according to reports.
Meghan previously said the property is a safe haven for her family. Describing her residence as “calm and healing,” she said it makes her “feel free.”
In 2022, she told The Cut, “We did everything we could to get this house. Because you walk in and go … Joy. And exhale. And calm. It’s healing. You feel free.”
The Express US has contacted Prince Harry‘s and Meghan Markle‘s representatives for comment.
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