There have been so many bizarre “royal real estate” stories in recent years. The years-long shenanigans with Frogmore Cottage, the fact that Queen Camilla apparently refuses to move into Buckingham Palace, the bait-and-switch of King Charles deciding that, actually, he does want to keep Windsor Castle as one of his dozen primary homes. Personally, I think one of the biggest untold stories is “why are Prince William and Kate still living at Adelaide Cottage?” Like… William is the Prince of Wales, surely he and his family should have a much grander royal property? But instead of asking any of that, there’s still an obsessive interest in Frogmore Cottage, the small home on the Windsor Estate which was given to the Sussexes in 2018-19. Charles evicted them in 2023, thus denying a safe and secure home to his son and grandchildren if they ever visited the UK. Frogmore has sat empty ever since. Well, here’s an update:
Now that the Sussexes live in California and the property sits unused, many have wondered what the Royal Family will do with the recently renovated home. Robin Edwards, a property buying agent at Curetons, tells Marie Claire that there are multiple options for Frogmore Cottage’s future. “It is likely that the Royal Family will want to find a practical use for Frogmore Cottage rather than leave it sitting empty, as allowing a property of this scale and significance to remain vacant could be controversial,” he says.
Although the Duke and Duchess of Sussex moved to Montecito, they didn’t officially vacate the five-bedroom property until 2023, when their license to occupy Frogmore Cottage was not extended. As Edwards notes, “Princess Eugenie and her husband, Jack Brooksbank, took up residence at the cottage from November 2020 ’til May 2022,” but the couple now lives in Portugal most of the year, while also keeping their Kensington Palace home, Ivy Cottage.
After Eugenie and Jack left, Frogmore Cottage has remained unoccupied. Multiple reports indicate that Prince Andrew was offered the home “in exchange for surrendering his lease on the nearby 30-room Royal Lodge in Windsor Great Park,” Edwards says. “However, he has refused to leave his lavish mansion and move to the significantly smaller Frogmore Cottage believing it to be not grand enough for him.”
With no residents at the moment, the property expert suggests that Frogmore could be leased “to a high-profile tenant, particularly someone with strong royal connections.” Another possibility is to allow a senior member of the royal household to live there “as a grace-and-favour residence,” Edwards suggests. With diplomatic visitors meeting with The King each year—like the upcoming French state visit in July—Edwards points out that “another option would be to use it for visiting dignitaries or guests, as it would make an ideal accommodation choice for those attending events at Windsor Castle.”
The renovations on the property for Prince Harry and Meghan to live at Frogmore Cottage cost a reported £2.4 million—which the couple repaid when they moved to California—but the high cost of annual upkeep will make the Royal Family eager to find a use for the property, Edwards says.
“Considering public scrutiny over the use of royal residences, it seems likely that the family will either find a practical use for Frogmore Cottage or rent it commercially to justify its ongoing maintenance costs,” he says.
None of this is new information, although I guess it’s notable that Frogmore is STILL sitting empty, two years after Charles evicted the Sussexes out of spite. What’s also remarkable is that the Frogmore situation acts as a cover for all of the other royal real estate dramas – Charles and Camilla shuffling from various royal properties constantly, the Waleses’ secretive living situation, the fact that Prince Andrew is still hunkered down at Royal Lodge. The press is happy to act like Frogmore is the biggest f–king real estate story too, because they like to emphasize that Harry and Meghan spent all of that money to renovate the dilapidated royal property only to get evicted as soon as Harry’s father became king. The suggestion that Frogmore would be used for high-profile guests is funny – Windsor Castle literally has 1000 rooms and dozens of guest rooms. I’ve long wondered if Prince William has set himself up in the castle. Of course, I’ve also wondered if William took over Frogmore and no one admitted it.
Photos courtesy of Netflix, Backgrid.
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- Windsor, UNITED KINGDOM – The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have handed over the keys to their UK home Frogmore Cottage to Princess Eugenie and her husband Jack Brooksbank. Frogmore Cottage is a historic Grade II listed home on the Frogmore Estate, part of Home Park, Windsor, England. It was built in 1801 at the direction of Queen Charlotte in the gardens near Frogmore House. A part of the Crown Estate, it is the private residence of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex Pictured: Frogmore Cottage BACKGRID USA 21 NOVEMBER 2020 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- New York, NY – Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were seen exiting their hotel in New York City, drawing attention as they made their way to their next engagement in the city. Pictured: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle BACKGRID USA 23 APRIL 2025 BYLINE MUST READ: Yes / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- New York, NY – Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were seen exiting their hotel in New York City, drawing attention as they made their way to their next engagement in the city. Pictured: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle BACKGRID USA 23 APRIL 2025 BYLINE MUST READ: Yes / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- New York, NY – Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were seen exiting their hotel in New York City, drawing attention as they made their way to their next engagement in the city. Pictured: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle BACKGRID USA 23 APRIL 2025 BYLINE MUST READ: Yes / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
Or they will let it sit unused and fall into disrepair again out of spite because that’s the way the Windsors roll.
Well, at least it’s not riddled with mold like the RF’s other rental properties.
I would love to see it as the European office of the Archewell Foundation.
Perhaps Will is using it and this pointless article is to stick it to him that he is living there and not at RL. If Andrew gave up his airtight lease at RL for a lesser one at FC, he would be screwing himself and would be the next one “not renewed” for FC.
I’ve been joking about Peg sneaking in to watch Suits and WLM, and I would not be surprised to find out he lives there. It would be a new low, but entirely believable.
I’ve wondered if Willy is living there as well
They should have been refunded the money they spent on doing it up when they were kicked out, it is the landlord who pays for renovations, not the tennent.
I’ve been wondering whether the reason it has been empty all this time – IF they’re not lying about this – is that Harry and Meghan have got the royals over a barrel: namely that they said “Fine, we’ll leave, but we want every penny of the money we spent on renovations (£2.4 million PLUS however many thousands/millions they spent on fixtures and fittings)”. And Charles/his handlers have been unwilling or unable to repay the money and so they are essentially stuck – because until Harry and Meghan get their money back, it’s still officially theirs (or at least in limbo)?
If they have been lying then I’m inclined to believe the theory that William has been using it on the down low (yes, in all its meanings) instead of living with Kate at her separation residence.
Idk if Meghan and Harry could get that money back. They should of course. But wouldn’t it come from the Crown Estates. That’s one of the bigger issues to me. FC is losing the crown estates money. Harry and Meghan could have still been paying rent on it that would go to the Crown Estate. So isn’t the CE losing money? Is someone staying there and secretly paying that rent in the guise of “maintenance.” Bc if no one is staying there, how much is really needed for maintenance beyond the lawn being kept up. Or at the end of the day, it really could just be sitting there empty. But it’s a nice and newly-renovated space as opposed to some of the moldy palaces and cottages.
I’d have moved all those fixtures after I paid for them. Given them to charity or something.
An empty house will deteriorate if not lived in, We had the use a regency house as a holiday home and it would soon smell damp if unoccupied.
I totally see him laying in the bathtub that Meghan picked, fantasizing he’s living his brother’s life and hating on him at the same time.
Totally agree. Should have been refunded after they were kicked out!
Willy is living there. All they had to do was keep their mouths shut but now they just bring in more speculation. Grace and favor home my ass. It’s his separation home.
Questions:
1) Where does William live? Not with Kate. Maybe with…?
2) Where does Kate live? Has she gone back to her mother?
3) Who lives in Adelaide Cottage?
That was my long-running theory. That William was living there. But so many commenters said no way would William deign to live there. Idk my feeling was always that it’s more private than WC and it’s a way to be near AC but not living in it with Kate. Although, hey what if it’s Kate that’s actually living at Frogmore? lol, sorry I’m throwing spaghetti at the wall but anything is possible with these people.
Eh. It’s easy for me to imaging William living there — delighted with having snatched something from Harry and Meghan that they valued. While at the same time, as you’ve said, Jais, being conveniently near AC might be easier for the kids if Kate primarily stays there. If so, then articles like these are kind of poking at William — which is interesting, since it raises questions about what might be revealed that’s only being hinted at now.
Although, the one thing that has me second guessing is that FC is very near the public footpaths. But that said, there was never any pictures of Harry and Meghan at their house so then there prob wouldn’t be any of someone else staying there either. I do think articles about FC cottage are always poking at something. At the very least, it’s always a reminder of petty Charles who claims to miss his Sussex grandkids.
I don’t know if William is living there. But I think its extremely unlikely he’s at Adelaide. So that leaves Windsor Castle itself, maybe going back every night to KP*, maybe another property on the estate. so it could be Frogmore.
But I do think there’s a reason these random stories about empty Frogmore pop up every once in a while. We didnt get these same stories about Adelaide for example unless in direct conversation about someone moving there.
*he doesn’t have to go back every night if the kids are boarding, he can just stay there, see how my tinfoil theories all come together lmao
Okay, I’m laughing. The tinfoil theories are tinning. From what I can tell, William does seem to go back to KP on helicopter a lot. So he probably does crash there. But I do think he sometimes must stay at Windsor, possibly when the kids are not boarding…lol. So that leaves AC, the castle, or FC. Or who knows? Maybe some other random place on Windsor.
All this talk of shuffling between homes just emphasizes how incredibly wasteful that family is.
“The truth is, these are not very bright guys, and things got out of hand.” – All the President’s Men
Realizing this also applies to the Beckham situation.
I have this image of Will-not manically roaming an empty Frogmore Phantom of the Opera-style plotting his next tabloid plant against his brother while imagining Harry still cares. What shortsighted jealous fools the left behinds are to not accept hundreds of thousands of dollars in annual rent and leave it offically empty.
🤣🤣🤣 Will definitely pass on that “Music of the Night,” thanks! 😉😎
I think Wiliam lives at Windsor Castle. He wouldn’t want to live in Frogmore because Meghan lived there.
Personally I think he’s living at Frogmore just because he is in fact obsessed with Harry AND Meghan. He’s giving me the vibe of somebody who has the creepiest fascination/crush with his sister-in-law. I think he’s lurking there.
I agree. I think that he’s living at Frogmore because he thinks of it as “sticking it to Harry” as well as enjoying a place that, let’s face it, probably reflects Meghan’s style and esthetic. Both of these reasons, reflect on Willnot’s pathetic obsession with the independent and successful Sussexes who clearly pay him no dust!
It feels like the press uses Frogmore cottage as a way to reference the Sussexes and to put pressure on Charles to give it back or something because when he took Frogmore he also took away the chance of the Sussexes coming over for a visit and more stories to dig up and write about. Even if the stories from ‘insiders’ are false there is still the chance of making their readers believe it if they think people were close to them leaking things.
I think the press are really mad about that cottage sitting empty and what could have been. Otherwise it’s just one of a dozen or more properties that Charles has but no one is using so why keep brining it up?
I do think it’s funny how so many in the BM were crowing when Charles evicted them from FC, like it was another way to publicly mistreat them. Same as not letting him wear his uniform or sitting him in whatever row. But yes bw this and the security case, the press has to feel some regret. I don’t know that I think they really believe they can pressure Charles into giving it back. That ship has sailed. Plus there’s the specter of William. So yeah, why bring it back up, over other properties? Is it just trolling for clicks bc we know anything with Meghan’s name in it gets more readership? is it just a distraction? Or a hint at something else that the reporters know that the public doesn’t? I genuinely don’t know.
Another possibility is to allow a senior member of the royal household to live there “as a grace-and-favour residence,”
Just a thought but, where’s Jason Knauf living these days?
Wow, rent-free for some other royal but not M&H? Nice.
Just shows how kneejerk and unoriginal the Royals are, taking someone’s house with no idea what they’re going to do with it.
“Petty” is the word of the day especially since the Sussexes have shown that they are currently anything but homeless and without friends and support since they left. Besides, what family would offer a damp, delapitated shack to an engaged couple, only for them to have to undertake a complete renovation and the associated upheaval, and then call it a “wedding gift”? Only the Windsors.
I kinda like that some media outlets regularly point out that Meghan and Harry lost literally $2.5 million in renovations when Charles refused to renew their lease. People forget all the many ways Charles has been awful to the Sussexes. Too bad this real estate agent doesn’t suggest just giving it back to Harry and Meghan.
Meanwhile, William’s “small r” monarchy apparently applies to family members only. Not to staff or work or assets or property.
What isn’t mentioned is that the previous use for the house was five separate units for workers on the estate. Part of the renovations was to convert the building to a single family home and upgrade last century electric and plumbing. If I remember correctly, H&M were originally only to be responsible for fixtures, decoration, etc. not the capital improvements part of the renovation.
And that Harry’s grandma scammed him, because crown properties should be renovated with crown funds, not with Meghan’s hard earned money or Harry’s inheritance from his mother.
That was a financial crime that was committed against the Sussexes by their own greedy family. Harry should sue for it.
Maybe William put his mistress in it.
Ooooh, oooh, I have an idea for how it could be used!! Give it back to the couple who paid for its extensive renovations and stop being so freaking spiteful.
Frogmore was taken away to ensure the Sussexes couldn’t circumvent the malicious “bespoke” security arrangement curated for Harry; located within the Windsor estate it offers a high level of security if they were to come over for a visit. Charles, William and the institution do not want that family safe nor visit the UK at all.
Bingo.
Frogmore Cottage will always be in the public consciousness the house from which the father threw his son and pregnant daughter-in-law out for no reason. The house where he began to deny them any security, and the house where the first couple had to pay back the much-needed renovation of an old house given to them by the Queen. There is nothing good about that house, just a lot of pain and sorrow. I wouldn’t want to live there. But I’m sure there are people who would like to live there.
Somewhat unrelated but I love Meghan’s skirt in the top photo and that is also one of my favourite photos of them together.
K &W living in Adelaide cottage could be to reduce her alimony in their future divorce.
The richer spouse has to maintain the lifestyle the poorer spouse was accustomed to. K was only accustomed to Adelaide cottage, a small clothes and hair budget, etc. We know W is cheap.
I kinda wish Harry and Meghan would buy a property in the UK just because. Anyway, why the speculation now what happens to this place? It still being empty shows that Charles did what he did out of sheer spite and malice because he doesn’t want any safety in the UK for the Sussexes or their children unless he has the final say. No one is interested in living there. I seriously hope it burns to the ground.
One outlet or another done a Frogmore update every six months or so since H&M were forced out. There’s a lot of lather, rinse, repeat here.
Stories like this feel like a way to yank Chuck’s chain since (depending on the story) either there was such a pressing need for the home that it couldn’t be reserved for the Sussex’s use when they came to England or the grand plan to boot Andrew out of Royal Lodge, which of course went nowhere.
“I kinda wish Harry and Meghan would buy a property in the UK just because.”
No. Just no. The Sussexes are not safe in UK, and why wasted money on maintaining & security of the property (because we all know the RR, BM and BRF will try their best/worst to find out where the house is & leak it).
Even though USA is currently in sh1tty state, for H&M, it’s still better than live or frequently visit England. They are happy in California.
As a reminder.
When HM got this house from the Queen, it stood empty for years, and its last purpose was actually employee housing. It speaks badly of the RF that they destroyed it so much, neglected it and desecrated its history by emptying the interior and dividing it into employee housing.
It is a cottage by the nearby palaces, but in reality it is a house with an area of approx. 450 sq m, built in 1801, it was Queen Charlotte’s retreat, Queen Victoria visited there, Princess Xenia lived there after fleeing from Russia. Around 1973 it was listed as a Grade II monument.
If it were not for HM, it would already be a ruin, and it would certainly not be so beautifully rebuilt and furnished. This ruined house was not a disrespect for HM, they chose it. The Queen first offered them a large estate, but they found it too big, there was also an apartment in Kensington Palace with over 20 rooms, which was also a problem, because not only was it bigger than WK’s apartment, which WK could not accept, but they also had apartments connected by a shared door and the conflict grew. HM wanted a real, warm, family home. Fogmore Cottage was perfect and had a garden, and Meghan added a greenhouse. They rebuilt and decorated it beautifully, and their photos inside were wonderful. We know William was boiling with rage, Harold Fromidore Cittage is mine.
Am I the only one who finds the idea of the King of the British Commonwealth Air B&Bing Frogmore Cottage to visiting heads of state a bit comical?
Hopefully, not Dump staying there. That would be tragic instead of comical.
The US has Blair House; I’m sure other countries have places for visiting dignitaries to stay as well. Why not?
Visiting dignitaries usually stay at their respective embassies.
I know Charles is an ass, but I still don’t understand why he evicted them. Did he really intend to cut Harry off completely? Was it some kind of strategy? Charles’ idea or someone put it in his head? Etc
Honestly, it’s pretty small for a royal estate and I just can’t wrap my head around the short-sightedness and/or pettiness here.
I think to a large extent William was behind it.
I feel the same way sometimes. His father’s “We will bring him to his knees with all brute force” and his brother’s “I will take everything from you, I want everything that belongs to you, I will imitate you, I will hurt you every day” is so unbelievable, especially as it is performed in front of the world public. It looks stupid, it looks humanly and personally sick and disgusting, it destroys all credibility of the London billionaire family. And if they made it up themselves, it’s the stupidest thing of all, if it was advisers, civil servants – then this country has tortured more than one prince out of the gates. This country has lost so much by its treatment of Prince Harry, his wife and children. Things like dignity, truth, respect, grace etc that it will not get back
Willy is going from room to room crying…Meghan Meghan Meghan! You could be my Queen.
Apparently Sentabale has a new Chief Executive… Willy’s Boy and Sophie has gone? Next Willy be the New Patron and will get Prince Seeso or the King of Lesoto to Join him in the Charity to save it as Prince Harry abandonned it. He cannot start anything original and make it a success and I wonder if even latching onto to Sentabale will succeed.
Willy is going from room to room crying…Meghan Meghan Meghan! You could be my Queen.