It comes just weeks after Harry's damning book 'Spare' was released
Author: Jon BurkePublished 2nd Mar 2023
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have confirmed they've been asked to "vacate" their UK home, just weeks after Harry's damning book Spare was released.
Harry and Meghan's spokesperson said a "request" had been made for the Sussexes to give up Frogmore Cottage close to Windsor Castle.
Reports have claimed the move was sanctioned by the King and it will remove their remaining foothold in the UK and further weaken ties with the royal family.
The decision is likely to be interpreted as a major rebuke by Charles to his son, who since moving to North America in 2020, has criticised the monarchy and individuals within the institution alleging racism and a lack of support.
With the couple's permanent UK base now gone, there will be speculation about whether they will receive an invite to the King's coronation on May 6.
A spokesperson for the couple said: "We can confirm the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been requested to vacate their residence at Frogmore Cottage."
'Spare' was released in January
The move comes after Harry's controversial autobiography was released in January which claimed the duke's brother, the Prince of Wales, physically attacked him and that Charles put his own interests above Harry's and was jealous of Meghan.
Reports of a fractious friendship between Meghan and the Princess of Wales were confirmed in Spare, with Harry recounting how the princess, pregnant at the time with Prince Louis, said she was owed an apology from his wife who had previously commented Kate was suffering from "baby brain" due to her "hormones".
In a series of interviews to promote his memoirs, Harry gave an unflinching assessment of the Queen Consort, but also sympathised with the royal - describing her as not an "evil stepmother" in an interview with ABC's Good Morning America.
The duchess said in an interview with The Cut magazine published last year, that "just by existing" she and Harry were "upsetting the dynamic of the hierarchy" before they stepped down as working royals in 2020.
The first, in-depth details about their troubled relationship with the royal family were revealed in a dramatic interview with Oprah Winfrey in 2021.
Meghan and Harry laid bare their brief life as a working royal couple alleging a member of the family - not the late Queen or Duke of Edinburgh - made a racist comment about their son, and how the duchess had suicidal thoughts but her approaches to the monarchy for help were turned down.
Frogmore, a Grade-II listed property which is owned by the Crown Estate, was a gift from Harry's grandmother, the Queen.
In 2019, royal accounts revealed Meghan and Harry paid £2.4 million to cover the refurbishment and rental of Frogmore Cottage, on the Home Park Estate at Windsor Castle, a property they have only have used a handful of times since relocating to the US.
The couple were funding the general up-keep of their former home, like maintaining the garden, and were continuing to pay rent, a rental contract described as a "good deal" for the taxpayer by a senior palace source in 2022.
Harry's cousin, Princess Eugenie, and her family, are thought to be staying at the property that underwent major work to turn five properties back into a single residence for the Sussexes.
The Sun first reported Charles was "evicting" the couple from Frogmore Cottage and claimed it had been offered to the Duke of York.
But with the property being substantially smaller than Andrew's Royal Lodge home. which he shares with ex-wife Sarah, Duchess of York, a move is unlikely.
Buckingham Palace declined to comment.
Prince Harry in pictures:
Prince Harry surprises his mother, Princess Diana, by sticking his tongue out at the Trooping of the Colour, 1988
Harry and Meghan asked to vacate Windsor cottage
2 of 26
When Prince Harry met RnB queen Rihanna in Barbados to mark the country's 50 years of independence.
Prince Harry surprises his mother, Princess Diana, by sticking his tongue out at the Trooping of the Colour, 1988
Prince Harry at Eton College Drawing School, 2008
Prince Harry during a visit to Lesotho to see the work of his charity Sentebale, 2014
Prince Harry visits Touching Tiny Lives in Lesotho, an organisation supported by his charity Sentebale, 2008
Prince Harry gets hands-on while volunteering for Team Rubicon UK in Nepal, 2016
Prince Harry celebrates Christmas at Camp Bastion in Afghanistan, 2012
Prince Harry races to fly his Apache helicopter in Afghanistan, 2012
Prince Harry is presented with flowers as he visits an earthquake-damaged school in Nepal, 2016
Prince Harry joins the team on the BBC's DIY SOS to help renovate homes for ex-service personnel, 2015
Prince Harry with Kanye West and P Diddy at the Concert for Diana, 2007
Prince Harry documents a visit to Lesotho, 2008
Groomsman Prince Harry entertains bridesmaid Lady Louise Windsor at the wedding of his brother Prince William to Catherine Duchess of Cambridge, 2011
Princes William and Harry play the piano at Kensington Palace, 1985
Prince Harry with his shetland pony at Highgrove, 1987
Prince Harry takes part in the Audi Polo Challenge, 2016
Prince Harry joins the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in Harry Potter's Diagon Alley at the opening of Warner Bros. Studios, 2013
Prince Harry with Veyron the puppy at the Canine Partners Training Centre, 2010
Prince Harry salutes during a Remembrance Sunday service in Afghanistan, 2014
Prince Harry shows off his skiing prowess in Austria, 1991
Prince Harry visits the Star Wars film set with brother Prince William, 2016
Prince Harry joins in with a game of sitting Volleyball at the launch of the Invictus Games, 2014
Prince Harry waves to photographers before his first day at nursery school, 1987
Prince Harry plays in the gardens of Highgrove, 1986
Prince Harry joins in with a wheelchair rugby match during the Invictus Games, 2014
Prince Harry gets a kiss from a fan outside Sydney Opera House, 2015
When Prince Harry met RnB queen Rihanna in Barbados to mark the country's 50 years of independence.
Prince Harry surprises his mother, Princess Diana, by sticking his tongue out at the Trooping of the Colour, 1988
Prince Harry at Eton College Drawing School, 2008
Prince Harry during a visit to Lesotho to see the work of his charity Sentebale, 2014
Prince Harry visits Touching Tiny Lives in Lesotho, an organisation supported by his charity Sentebale, 2008
Prince Harry gets hands-on while volunteering for Team Rubicon UK in Nepal, 2016
Prince Harry celebrates Christmas at Camp Bastion in Afghanistan, 2012
Prince Harry races to fly his Apache helicopter in Afghanistan, 2012
Prince Harry is presented with flowers as he visits an earthquake-damaged school in Nepal, 2016
Prince Harry joins the team on the BBC's DIY SOS to help renovate homes for ex-service personnel, 2015
Prince Harry with Kanye West and P Diddy at the Concert for Diana, 2007
Prince Harry documents a visit to Lesotho, 2008
Groomsman Prince Harry entertains bridesmaid Lady Louise Windsor at the wedding of his brother Prince William to Catherine Duchess of Cambridge, 2011
Princes William and Harry play the piano at Kensington Palace, 1985
Prince Harry with his shetland pony at Highgrove, 1987
Prince Harry takes part in the Audi Polo Challenge, 2016
Prince Harry joins the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in Harry Potter's Diagon Alley at the opening of Warner Bros. Studios, 2013
Prince Harry with Veyron the puppy at the Canine Partners Training Centre, 2010
Prince Harry salutes during a Remembrance Sunday service in Afghanistan, 2014
Prince Harry shows off his skiing prowess in Austria, 1991
Prince Harry visits the Star Wars film set with brother Prince William, 2016
Prince Harry joins in with a game of sitting Volleyball at the launch of the Invictus Games, 2014
Prince Harry waves to photographers before his first day at nursery school, 1987
Prince Harry plays in the gardens of Highgrove, 1986
Prince Harry joins in with a wheelchair rugby match during the Invictus Games, 2014
Prince Harry gets a kiss from a fan outside Sydney Opera House, 2015
When Prince Harry met RnB queen Rihanna in Barbados to mark the country's 50 years of independence.