Prince Harry and Meghan Markle resided at two separate Royal residences before relinquishing their duties and relocating to America.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were allocated Nottingham Cottage as their initial marital home.
Nevertheless, the couple were reportedly dissatisfied due to the “tiny” dimensions of the dwelling, situated within Kensington Palace’s grounds in London.
The Sussexes subsequently moved to Frogmore Cottage in Windsor, believing it would serve as “the perfect retreat from what Meghan and Harry saw as an unsympathetic, unfair world of media speculation and criticism,” Royal biographer Tom Quinn revealed.
Yet in his publication Kensington Palace, the writer alleged that following the relocation, Meghan discovered that residing at Frogmore Cottage “would be like living in the Russian steppe.”
A source who spoke to the biographer claimed the estate’s “remoteness made Kensington seem like the centre of the universe.”
Mr Quinn penned how the transfer to Frogmore Cottage proved to be the “final straw” for the former Suits star.
Harry and Meghan received the residence as a present from Queen Elizabeth II and refurbished it – though the expenses were fully reimbursed.
A construction worker involved in the project informed Mr Quinn it experienced extensive alterations to mirror a “Californian condo.”
Meghan allegedly voiced her displeasure with the accommodation arrangements, stating: “I don’t want to retire to rural obscurity.”
Despite the assertions of a Royal biographer, Prince Harry revealed in his memoir ‘Spare’ that he and Meghan Markle cherished their time at Frogmore Cottage.
“We loved that place,” the Duke of Sussex stated, “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 penned, “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 held onto the keys to the cottage until 2023, and it is believed they stayed there during their 2022 UK visit with their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.
There is speculation that Harry saw the property as his “forever home.”
In 2020, the pair stepped back from their senior Royal duties and relocated to California, where they now reside with their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, in Montecito.
Their sprawling 16-bedroom estate is reportedly valued at around $30 million.
Meghan has previously described the property as a sanctuary for her family. She referred to her home as “calm and healing,” stating it gives her a sense of freedom.
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.”