Meghan Markle 'hated' first home with Prince Harry
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry lived in Nottingham Cottage in the grounds of Kensington Palace before moving to Frogmore Cottage – but the Duchess was not happy with her first royal residence
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's first shared home was Nottingham Cottage, a location that featured prominently in their explosive Netflix docuseries. However, according to a new book, the Duchess was not particularly fond of her initial royal residence.
The two-bedroom cottage, within the grounds of Kensington Palace, boasts a rich royal history. Prince William and Kate Middleton lived there after their 2011 wedding and spent the early months of Prince George's life there before moving in 2013.
That same year, Prince Harry moved into 'Nott Cott', which later became the backdrop for his early romance with Meghan; he even proposed to her in the 1,324 square feet property, reports the Mirror. However, Meghan was dissatisfied with the residence, says royal author Tom Quinn.
In his latest book, Yes Ma'am: The Secret Life of Royal Servants – excerpts of which have been published in The Times – Quinn writes: "'Meghan felt it was so small that it must be a reflection of how the royal family were belittling her husband.
"She just didn't understand that real royals don't care much about houses and material possessions because, having always had them, they take them for granted, said one member of staff who helped out regularly at Nottingham Cottage."
Prince Harry has spoken out about the royal cottage before (Image: Netflix)
Quinn added: "A rather beautiful house in the grounds of a famous palace hardly seemed to Harry the equivalent to being forced to live in a shed at the end of the garden. But for Meghan things were more complex. She saw Kate and William living just a few yards away in Kensington Palace itself with teams of live-in servants."
In his explosive memoir 'Spare', Harry wrote: "I was excited to welcome Meg to my home, but also embarrassed. Nott Cott was no palace."
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex moved out of Nottingham Cottage in 2019, relocating to Frogmore Cottage on the Windsor Castle estate – a gift from the late Queen in celebration of their marriage and ahead of the arrival of their son, Archie. However, it's reported that Meghan was not content with this arrangement and made a request that the Queen found 'inappropriate'.
As per The Times, Harry and Meghan had expressed a desire to reside within Windsor Castle itself and enquired if "living quarters could be made available after their marriage". At that time, only the Queen and Prince Philip had private apartments inside the castle, with other members of the Royal family residing in different parts of the estate.
Nottingham Cottage is located in the grounds of Kensington Palace (Image: Netflix)
The Queen considered their request 'inappropriate' and "politely but firmly suggested" Frogmore Cottage as their home instead.
In her latest book, The New Royals, Royal expert Katie Nicholl reveals that the Queen's decision to gift Frogmore Cottage to Harry and Meghan was a significant gesture. She quotes the late Lady Elizabeth Anson, the Queen's cousin, as saying: "The cottage was a big deal. The Queen's entrance into the gardens is right next to their cottage. It is essentially her back yard, 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.'" However, Harry and Meghan have since relocated to California after stepping down from Royal duties in early 2020.
Despite their initial intentions to maintain their UK residence, they were asked to vacate Frogmore Cottage in March 2023. A representative for the couple confirmed at the time that they "have been requested to vacate their residence at Frogmore Cottage".
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