There’s so much exciting news yet to come about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding. On their wedding day, we’ll learn their new titles, which will likely involve a dukedom for Harry. We will also learn – at some point, I don’t know when – what residences are being gifted to Harry and Meghan from the Queen. It’s widely believed that Harry and Meghan won’t stay at Nottingham Cottage for much longer, as they’ll need a bigger place in London. But what about a country home? Reportedly, York Cottage was the big contender, but for some reason no one thinks it will be York Cottage now. So instead of waiting around, Harry and Meghan have just rented a little “cottage” in the Cotswolds, and that’s where they spent their last weekend before the wedding:
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle spent the last weekend before their wedding at their secret love nest. The couple relaxed at a four-bedroom cottage they are leasing long-term in a pretty Cotswolds village. Actress Meghan, 36, is known to adore the countryside around the wooded hideaway in the north Oxfordshire hills.
A friend said: “The run-up to the wedding has been quite stressful for them and they just wanted to get away and relax before the big day.They like to escape to the country for the weekend and the cottage is just perfect for them. It’s very private, has a vast open-plan kitchen and dining area for Meghan to cook in and lots of large windows for the stunning views.”
Renovations have just been completed at the home which has also been made fully secure. A source told The Sun: “Blacked-out Land Rovers have been seen driving up to the property and a lot of security work has been done. It is very difficult to get to and the only track has had cameras and motion trigger alarms set up. The work started last September.”
Harry, 33, and Meghan currently live at two-bedroom Nottingham Cottage, one of the smallest properties at Kensington Palace in central London. They are expected to move to a larger apartment there. There had been suggestions that The Queen would give them York Cottage in the grounds of her Sandringham Estate in Norfolk but this is now thought unlikely.
Here’s a reminder about the Queen gifting country homes to married couples: she didn’t give Anmer Hall to Will and Kate when they got married. She waited until William had a significant birthday, then she gave him Anmer as a birthday present. But… Harry is older and he and Meghan have been fast-tracking everything, so I do think the Queen will likely make some decisions about which residences they’re getting pretty fast. As for this Cotswolds rental… it’ll do. For now. I tend to believe Harry and Meg are going to be very busy this summer – they’ll go on their honeymoon at some point, but they’ll be working pretty steadily. Just a guess.
Photos courtesy of WENN, PCN and Backgrid.
I have such “Runaway Bride” anxiety about this wedding lol. All her crazy family and the nutty tabloid stories are making me nervous for her.
Me too! Not only that but the enormity of what she is about to do must have hit by now. It was all fun and smiles when they did their engagement photocall and she’s been nothing but happy during their outings as Harry introduces her to various parts of the UK. The only time she seemed a bit unsure was during the Christmas walk to the church with the entire royal family and greeting the Queen officially when she came out of the car.
As much as I like her, I do wonder if they will last. Will she be happy living within the confines of this family? Only time will tell.
Lol, let’s pray she comes to her senses.
I hope she knows what she is getting into. I can’t imagine living a life where someone pays my dad for pap pics of him surfing the web.
She looks like a insecure girlfriend in that pic with Harry
Eh I hope they are not going in the Will and Kate route of do as little as possible, play at being country gentry, and whine about privacy. The Cotswolds are kinda far from London, which doesn’t bode well. Oh well, time will tell.
Not really, the Cotswolds are only a few hours away. Great place for getaways. There’s going to be a lot of whining about privacy though. I honestly think Harry will be far more protective of his kids than William is.
I love the Cotswolds. I can definitely see the draw of retiring there on weekends to decompress. Apparently, they’re starting duties three days after the wedding:
“.. their first engagement as a royal couple will be to join Prince Charles and Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall at the Prince of Wales’ 70th Birthday Patronage Celebration in the Gardens of Buckingham Palace on May 22.”
Someone also tweeted that they may join TQ at the Royal Flower Show.
Yes, I expect them to be at the Chelsea flower show and at Ascot.
Their pre-wedding hotels were just revealed, along with their first post-wedding engagement!
BUT WHERE IS THE BRIDAL PARTY ANNOUNCEMENT? I expected it today and instead we just got info about the reception food. Rude.
I’m surprised that they aren’t staying at the castle the night before the wedding, there are plenty of rooms.
Same, actually. I expected them both to stay there (just apart from each other).
I thought I’d read somewhere that they’d stay at Windsor castle on the night of their wedding.
LOL at that pic that appears on the main page for this post – the one of her alone in the frame, smiling. That is the fakest smile I’ve ever seen her do. Not a criticism – I think she’s so gorgeous and the pics of her smiling usually look genuine. She’s totally allowed to have moments where she’s smiling Just Because She Has To, not because she’s feeling it. It just made me laugh. 😛
True. It’s hilariously bad 😀
Can’t wait!
My understanding is they are taking over the Gloucesters 21-room apt as soon as the renovations are completed. The Gloucesters have already moved to a smaller apt in KP since all their kids have flown the nest. The apt is next door to the Cambridges and has a connecting door.
Fun fact: apt1 and Apt 1a were once one big single home created for the previous duke of Sussex.
It was broken up into 2 homes during Princess Marina of Kent’s time after her kids had grown and she decided that it was too big for her to live in that entire section of the palace.
She kept the newly created Apt 1 for herself whilst Apt 1A was given to another royal.
WK, and possibly HM are the 3rd occupants of the new separated apartments.
@LAK, another reason to give him the Sussex title!
I read this too and was really hoping that they would find a home a bit farther away from W&K. I think H&M need to distance themselves from the Cambridge’s, establish themselves with their own separate identity and causes and get away from this “Fab Four” nonsense. Imho, W&K will hold them back and as William has done in the past, take credit for their ideas and work. Also, I have a gut feeling that William and Meghan won’t see eye to eye on things and will be the two to disagree more often than not, so a bit of distance might be healthier for all concerned.
Meghan is supposed to be joining their foundation, so I don’t think they have any intention of separating themselves from Will and Kate. And tbh, I don’t see why they should. From my perspective, Harry has done a great job of maintaining his own identity and interests despite his link to Will and Kate. I don’t think he’s been held back at all. People seem to view Harry and Williams as adversaries but I don’t think that’s the reality of the situation at all. I can see a friendly rivalry, though.
No one was ever holding him back!
Harry could have worked full time all the time but he didn’t. He quit his army job 3 years ago just to do a few engagements for the two things he has honest interest in (soldiers and big animals he can either hunt or “save”). He does the bare minimum and then disappears for a few months. That’s who he is. He makes his own decisions.
My brother-in-law and sister-in-law moved in next door to us – without even consulting us – and it’s making me insane. Space, distance, and boundaries are essential.
I’m swooning over the pre-wedding hotel pics that are allegedly where Harry and Meghan will stay the night before the wedding. I kind of feel like walking into one of those hotel rooms at Cliveden House I’d have a real “wow my life has changed moment” but I suppose she had that moment months ago having tea with the Queen or getting her key to Nottingham Cottage 🙂
Because they needed a break from doing nothing??