Last week, we heard from Katie Nicholl at Vanity Fair that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are having a good time nesting and overseeing the renovations on their new home, Frogmore Cottage. The Queen didn’t give them Frogmore until late last fall, which I kind of hated – the Queen should have given them a property as soon as they were married, so they could undertake renovations and the move and everything months before the baby comes. As it stands now, Meghan and Harry will be lucky to move into Frogmore a few weeks before the baby arrives. Which brings me to Us Weekly’s cover story, all about the “race against time” to complete the reno.
The countdown begins! Duchess Meghan and Prince Harry, who are due to welcome their first child in late April, are hoping to be moved into their new home as soon as possible, a source exclusively reveals in the new issue of Us Weekly. There’s a “race against time,” says the royals source, to get Meghan and Harry’s new permanent home — Frogmore Cottage, on Queen Elizabeth II’s 35-acre Windsor estate in the country — renovated and ready for the birth of Baby Sussex.
Contractors are “cutting it close,” but they’re are still on schedule for an Easter completion. “They’re working around the clock to make sure interior work on Frogmore Cottage,” including the nursery, can begin “the second contractors leave,” explains the source. While this may sound chaotic and stressful, Meghan, 37, and Harry, 34, are “calm” and “happy to go with the flow,” adds the source.
I mean… it’s a matter of convenience, not a matter of life and death. They still have Nottingham Cottage, their little two-bedroom place within the Kensington Palace grounds. They also still have their rested country home in Cotswold, although they’re reportedly ending the lease on that early (no one knows exactly when). My guess is that there is some stress about the reno, but they also want to get it right rather than quickly. When will it be done? My guess is “before Easter” actually. But we’ll see.
Photos courtesy of Backgrid, WENN, cover courtesy of Us Weekly.
I can’t blame them for wanting it to be completely done – just because that’s a big weight off of their shoulders. But they’ll be fine even if it isn’t, and I think they know that. I’d be feeling pretty antsy about it, so I get it.
I have just read that Meghan’s friends will talk with GMA about the smear campaign. Finally, I must say.
I don’t think that would be wise on Meghan friend part everyone who doesn’t have a irrational hatred of Meghan can see what the British press are doing . I think defending Meghan will make it worse for her everyone know that society doesn’t see black woman and girls as people who should be protected the moment anyone defends Meghan on here you have people flipping out I can only imagine the outrageous people will have if one Meghan friend sticks up for her . i know the narrative for some people is that Meghan has no friends and she a user it pretty obviously that she has life long friendships who willing step up for her .
People flipping out on here? The vast majority of us here are big Meghan fans.
Rich people problems, honestly lol. Which of our properties shall we raise our newborn in?
Truth.
haha right? I’m definitely not going to feel for them about this – there are so many people in the UK, and the world, who are struggling to find ONE home to raise their family in, so miss me with the “boohoo our third mansion is still being renovated” lol
I do agree, But it is the media rather than them whining!
Seriously. It’s not like they’re living in a little travel trailer outside their new build or anything.
These are not ordinary rich people. These properties are heritage buildings and the RF are keeping them in trust for the nation. I am sure Harry and Meghan wish that they could have their own private anonymous property but no they have to have a historic building and must seek permission from a series of people for whatever they want to do with it. Most of these royal homes are not very comfortable to live in. I certainly would not swap my modest accommodation to have the burden of living in one of them.
I do wish people would stop feeling so envious and get out there and do something with their own lives or actually offer help to all of the struggling people they are always referencing.
It seems like the Queen’s mo with Charles children. William and Kate weren’t given the green light on Kensington until after George’s pregnancy announcement. They had to take him home to Nottingham Cottage as well. It kind of seems usage gifts might be attached to the pregnancy.
Do you mean their place in Sandringham? Will and Kate were pushing for Apt 1A by fall 2011.
-Edit: I just checked -They were still in the cottage but were already renovating Apt 1A and there were strong rumors they were being given their place at Sandringham.
So it appears H&M are going to end up in a similar place to W&K after George was born…I point this out because it actually seems like the Queen is being fairly consistent.
I get the stress – especially if they want to fully decorate the nursery before having the baby. they could set up a nursery at Nottingham cottage or the cotswolds house, but if they know they will end up moving a month later, that would be annoying. It’s not the end of the world, and obviously they have staff doing most (all?) of the heavy lifting (literally and figuratively) but I still get it.
I don’t think its a “race against time” LOL but I can see there being some anxiety. My guess though is that Frogmore will be ready in time.
Question – when Will and Kate had George, were they still in NottCott or were they in Apt 1A by that point? I know she went to her parents a day or two after leaving the hospital but did they go back to 1A or Nott cott?
They could have the nursery done before the rest of the house is finished (like work on inside first, then do roof last). So nesting is complete.
They got a permit for their work after they started because there was no risk of denial.
Also they won’t be assembling anything and they’re hiring soho house decorator to create the rooms. I’m sure they involved but it’s not the same to do list as most.
I’m sure they’re anxious to get it done and move in but compared to most who renovate a home they have it easier due to wealth and status.
What is with Meghan’s obsession with Soho House?
clueless here. why? did SHE hire them or they both did?
I think that Doria will be coming over to help and so it is important that there is adequate space for her and the baby. Kate’s parents had her own house (financed by William) and so it was easy for Kate to stay there in the early days with the baby as NottCott would have been too cramped to have granny and other help staying there.
It’s kind of heartening to know that even if you are royalty, renovations run over budget and/or never finish on time. Story of my life. 🙄
I think it’s pretty rare for something to NOT run over to be honest lol. I’d rather things go a little longer than expected than have a rush job cutting corners, I guess. My husband is a plumber, and he’s had to wait on carpenters so often before he could start doing something that could be done pretty quickly. But if one stage of the project gets backed up, pretty much everything else nose dives. He knows how anxious I get about timelines and getting things done, so I at least know that he makes an effort to be really empathetic about things when they do go off schedule. He’s also someone willing to put in the extra time to finish something up instead of dragging it out.
That does not look like Carrie Underwood on the cover.
Easter is practically in May this year it falls so late. If they really are trying to get in before Baby Polo makes their debut, does this lend credence to the late April, early May due date?
The baby will definitely be here well before late April.
These are problems that arent problems. These are serious rich people problems. Most people are just trying to assemble a crib and get enough diapers and maternity time off before they give birth, not deciding which of their palaces to raise their children.
They have plenty of money to hire additional workers to get the work done on time, and plenty of staff to iron out the final details of any setting up.
Lets be honest, the two of them will not be packing and emptying boxes.
We found out we were pregnant soon after we bought a fixer upper. We also reno’d racing to baby. Made it just in time. These guys at least have a backup house to live in; i am sure meghan won’t go 2 months without hot water while pregnant (fun times boys and girls).
Ugh. I hated being pregnant enough without having that kind of stress and no hot water!
Moving is stressful but having a baby AND moving must be awful.
“Contractors are “cutting it close,” but they’re are still on schedule for an Easter completion.”
So are they saying the baby is due around Easter?
Didn’t she say late April or early May to someone in a crowd? That puts it near Easter and the Queen’s birthday – April 21st.
I think it may mean they’re on schedule but so close that they could run over instead…which to me sounds like the baby could be due AFTER Easter and they don’t want the reno to run over that. I’m leaning towards them having a Taurus girl or an Aries boy if it’s born early! I guess that time really will be here before we know it.
@Kaiser, I’ve read the first phase of planning permissions were filed in April before their wedding. The second set was filed in October for things like fences, security, and garden rooms. It looks like the Frogmore Cottage plan was in place for awhile, but reno takes time. It was a house for years but then carved up into five apartments. Trying to take it back to a house would mean lots of demo.
The house has been completely encased in white tarp. It’s being worked on non-stop rain or shine. It’ll be completed on time or ahead of schedule. That’s what unlimited funds will do for you. They will be in it in time for Baby Sussex’s arrival.
True story. My husband is an architect and loves having a house to play with, renovating this, moving that, etc. I was pregnant with our second baby all through major house renos updating a 1920’s cottage. I went in to deliver the baby via planned C-section, and came home to find the entire kitchen moved, from one end of the house to the other. O_0
OMG!
This has apparently become my bugbear- so apologies for repeating myself from an earlier article but Nottingham cottage is not small. It’s apparently around 1,324 square feet – my own 1 bedroom flat is a third of the size (and not in London). That’s a good size two bedroom cottage – particularly for London city centre. Google suggests the average 3 bedroom cottage in the UK is 950 square feet.