Meghan Markle’s relocation to Frogmore Cottage was reportedly the “final straw” before she and Prince Harry stepped down as senior royals and moved to the US.
The five-bedroom royal home in Windsor was a wedding present to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex from the late Queen Elizabeth II.
But the former actress allegedly complained about the property, fuming: “I don’t want to retire to rural obscurity.”
According to royal author Tom Quinn, the move to Frogmore Cottage became the “final straw” for the Suits star as she and Harry were disappointed by their “tiny” first home, Nottingham Cottage, situated inside the grounds of Kensington Palace.
In his new book, Kensington Palace, Mr Quinn claims that the couple hoped relocating to Windsor would be “the perfect retreat from what Meghan and Harry saw as an unsympathetic, unfair world of media speculation and criticism”.
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Meghan Markle and Prince Harry moved into Frogmore Cottage in 2019. Picture: Leon Neal/Getty Images
The five-bedroom royal home in Windsor was a wedding present to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex from the late Queen Elizabeth II. Picture: Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images
However, Meghan was reportedly unhappy with the property’s location outside of central London.
One insider claimed: “Meghan realised that living [at Frogmore Cottage] would be like living in the Russian steppe.
“Its remoteness made Kensington seem like the centre of the universe.”
During their tenancy at Frogmore Cottage, Meghan and Harry caused a stir when it emerged that they had spent £2.4 million ($A4.3 million) of taxpayers’ money on renovations to transform the historic home into a “Californian condo”.
The renovations reportedly included a state-of-the-art soundproofing system, underfloor heating and a copper bath.
After the controversial taxpayer-funded renovations were revealed, Harry repaid the amount in full.
Meghan and Harry spent $4.3 million of taxpayers’ money on renovating Frogmore Cottage. Picture: Andrew Milligan – WPA Pool/Getty Images
Meghan and Harry live in a $20.9 million mansion, which they purchased in 2020. Picture: Google Maps
Frogmore was the Sussexes’ first marital home and hosted their wedding reception in May 2018.
The property was also where the couple raised their son Archie for the first few months of his life.
Fans were given a peek inside the cottage in Harry and Meghan’s Netflix documentary, including touching bathtime scenes with Archie.
The pair were evicted from Frogmore Cottage and moved to Montecito, California in 2020 after quitting royal duties.
They currently live in an $US14.65 million ($A20.9 million) mansion, which boasts nine bedrooms, 16 bathrooms, a pool and a tennis court.
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