Weeks after Prince Harry's autobiography Spare was released, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been asked to “vacate” their UK home, the couple have confirmed.
A “request” had been made for the Sussexes to give up Frogmore Cottage, close to Windsor Castle, Prince Harry and Meghan’s representative said.
The request removes their remaining foothold in the UK and further weakens ties with the royal family, amid reports it was sanctioned by King Charles III.
The decision is likely to be interpreted as a major rebuke by King Charles to his son, who since moving to North America in 2020 has criticised the monarchy and people 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 invitation to the king’s coronation on May 6.
“We can confirm the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been requested to vacate their residence at Frogmore Cottage,” a representative for the couple said.
Harry & Meghan Netflix documentary released — in pictures
-
Prince Harry and Meghan's controversial Netflix documentary streamed around the world. Photo: Netflix -
The Harry & Meghan documentary is a six-part series on Netflix. PA -
The documentary, billed as 'unprecedented and in-depth', is being broadcast exactly three months after the death of Queen Elizabeth II. PA -
The duchess appears with a towel wrapped around her hair, appearing to speak into her phone camera, saying: 'H is in London and I’m here.' Photo: Netflix -
Office workers in London watching the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's controversial documentary. PA -
A woman in London watches the docuseries. AFP -
The couple discuss racism and the breakdown of their parents' marriages during the series. PA -
The six-part series was available to watch from 8am UK time. PA -
New images of Prince Harry and Meghan released by Netflix ahead of the show. AFP -
Netflix showed the first trailer last week, just as Prince Harry's brother William made his first trip to the US as Prince of Wales and heir to the throne, prompting accusations of sabotage. AP -
The couple quit as senior working royals in 2020 in favour of more freedom and the ability to earn their own money in the US. Photo: Netflix
The move comes after Prince Harry’s autobiography was released in January, in which he claims his brother, the Prince of Wales, physically attacked him and that King Charles put his own interests above Prince Harry’s and was jealous of Meghan.
Reports of a fractious friendship between Meghan and the Princess of Wales were confirmed in Spare, with Prince 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, Prince Harry gave an unflinching assessment of Queen Consort Camilla, but also sympathised with her — describing her as not an “evil stepmother” in an interview with ABC’s Good Morning America.
Final part of Harry & Meghan Netflix documentary released — in pictures
-
The final part of Prince Harry and Meghan's controversial Netflix documentary was released on Thursday morning. Photo: Netflix -
The Sussexes’ six-part show has become the streaming giant’s most-watched documentary in a premiere week. Photo: Netflix -
The Harry & Meghan documentary is a six-part series on Netflix. PA -
The documentary, billed as 'unprecedented and in-depth', is being broadcast exactly three months after the death of Queen Elizabeth II. PA -
The duchess appears with a towel wrapped around her hair, appearing to speak into her phone camera, saying: 'H is in London and I’m here.' Photo: Netflix -
Office workers in London watching the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's controversial documentary. PA -
A woman in London watches the docuseries. AFP -
The couple discuss racism and the breakdown of their parents' marriages during the series. PA -
The six-part series was available to watch from 8am UK time. PA -
New images of Prince Harry and Meghan released by Netflix ahead of the show. AFP -
Netflix showed the first trailer last week, just as Prince Harry's brother William made his first trip to the US as Prince of Wales and heir to the throne, prompting accusations of sabotage. AP -
The couple quit as senior working royals in 2020 in favour of more freedom and the ability to earn their own money in the US. Photo: Netflix
The duchess said in an interview with The Cut magazine published last year, that “just by existing”, she and Prince 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 an interview with Oprah Winfrey in 2021.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex 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 Prince Harry’s grandmother, the queen.
Prince Harry and Meghan Duchess of Sussex through the years — in pictures
-
Doria Ragland, Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, attend the Ms Foundation Women of Vision Awards in New York City. Getty -
Prince Harry and his wife Meghan attend a basketball game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Memphis Grizzlies in Los Angeles in April. Getty -
The royal couple speak onstage at the Robert F Kennedy Human Rights Ripple of Hope Gala in New York in December 2022. Getty -
Prince Harry and Meghan watch as the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II is placed into the hearse following the state funeral service at Westminster Abbey in central London in September 2022. AP -
Prince Harry and Meghan pay their respects at the Palace of Westminster. Getty -
Prince Harry, Meghan and Kate, Princess of Wales, attend a service for the reception of Queen Elizabeth's coffin at Westminster Hall. AFP -
The Princess of Wales, Prince William, Prince Harry and Meghan meet members of the public outside Windsor Castle. Getty -
Prince Harry and Meghan leave after a service of thanksgiving for the queen. Getty -
Prince Harry and Meghan at the National September 11 Memorial and Museum in New York in September 2021. AP -
Prince Harry and Meghan on the cover of Time magazine's 100 most influential people in the world edition, in September 2021. Reuters -
Prince Harry and Meghan are interviewed by Oprah Winfrey in March 2021. Reuters -
Prince Harry and Meghan shared this image on social media in February 2021 to announce they were expecting their second child. AFP -
Prince Harry and Meghan visit Canada House, London, in January 2020. Getty -
Prince Harry and Meghan visit Auwal Mosque on Heritage Day during their royal tour of South Africa in September 2019. Getty -
Prince Harry, Meghan and their son Archie Mountbatten-Windsor in South Africa in September 2019. Getty -
Prince Harry and Meghan meet Beyonce Knowles-Carter and Jay-Z at the European Premiere of Disney's The Lion King at Odeon Luxe Leicester Square, London, in July 2019. Getty -
Prince Harry and Meghan pose for a photo with the New York Yankees before their baseball game against the Boston Red Sox at London Stadium in June 2019. Getty -
Prince Harry and Meghan pose with their newborn son Archie in St George's Hall at Windsor Castle in May 2019. Getty -
Meghan, joined by her mother Ms Ragland, shows her new son to Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip at Windsor Castle in May 2019. AP -
Prince Harry and Meghan officially open Number 7, a Feeding Birkenhead citizen’s supermarket and community cafe in Merseyside in January 2019. Getty -
Prince William, the Princess of Wales, Meghan and Prince Harry attend a Christmas Day church service at the Church of St Mary Magdalene on the Sandringham estate in December 2018. Getty -
Prince William, Prince Harry, Meghan and the Duchess of Cambridge attend a service marking the centenary of the First World War armistice at Westminster Abbey in November 2018. Getty -
Prince Harry and Meghan visit Redwoods Tree Walk in October 2018 in Rotorua, New Zealand. Getty -
Prince Harry and Meghan visit an exhibition of Tongan handicrafts at the Fa'onelua Convention Centre in October 2018 in Nuku'alofa, Tonga. Getty -
Prince Harry and Meghan visit the University of the South Pacific in October 2018 in Suva, Fiji. Getty -
Prince Harry and Meghan address the public during a Community Event at Victoria Park in October 2018 in Dubbo, Australia. Getty -
Prince Harry and Meghan meet a koala during a visit to Taronga Zoo in October 2018 in Sydney, Australia. Getty -
Prince Harry and Meghan arrive at the University of Chichester's Engineering and Digital Technology Park during an official visit to West Sussex in October 2018. Getty -
The queen, Meghan, Prince Harry, Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge watch the RAF 100th anniversary fly-past from the balcony of Buckingham Palace in July 2018. Getty -
Prince Harry and Meghan on their wedding day in May 2018. Getty -
Prince Harry places a wedding ring on his new wife's finger. Getty -
Meghan and Prince Harry head to their evening wedding reception at Frogmore House. Getty -
Prince Harry and Meghan walk through the corridors of the Palace of Holyroodhouse on their way to a reception for young people at the Palace in February 2018 in Edinburgh, Scotland. Getty -
Prince Harry and his then-fiancee Meghan visit Nottingham for their first official public engagement together in December 2017. Getty
In 2019, royal accounts revealed Meghan and Prince Harry had paid £2.4 million ($2.9 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 upkeep of their former home, such as 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.
Prince 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.
Prince Harry defends his memoirs in new book — video
The Sun first reported King 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 Prince Andrew’s Royal Lodge home, which he shares with ex-wife Sarah, Duchess of York, a move is unlikely.
Buckingham Palace declined to comment.
