Royal officials are considering dismantling the extensive renovations Prince Harry and Meghan Markle made to Frogmore Cottage, their Windsor Estate home, potentially splitting the property back into two separate residences, according to a report published May 30, 2026.
The proposal would effectively eliminate any physical trace of the Sussexes from the Grade II listed cottage. Experts are currently assessing whether the residence can be returned to its former configuration as two semi-detached dwellings, though construction has not yet begun.
Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams suggested the move stems from financial rather than symbolic concerns.
“It is, above all, a practical decision as the Crown Estate knows it is being scrutinised to provide value for money,” he said.
Extensive Transformation Now Under Review
The roughly $3 million renovation transformed two staff flats into a single 10-bedroom family home over nearly 12 months, wrapping in April 2019. Workers replaced ceiling beams and floor joists, completely rewired the electrical system, installed new gas and water supply lines, and added a yoga studio. Prince Harry and Meghan paid for fixtures and fittings themselves.
Queen Elizabeth II gave the cottage to the couple as a wedding present following their 2018 ceremony. Before the transformation, the estate consisted of two separate dwellings used as flats for Windsor Estate staff members.
The Sovereign Grant, the taxpayer-backed fund supporting the royal family’s official duties, initially funded the makeover. The £2.4 million renovation bill drew sharp criticism in the UK after the Sussexes stepped back as senior royals in 2020. Prince Harry offered in 2020 to pay back the cost as part of negotiating his new role. The couple repaid the figure in full and began paying commercial rent to the royal estate as part of their move toward financial independence.
Vacant Property Draws New Interest
King Charles III evicted Prince Harry in March 2023, following the publication of his memoir “Spare.” The Windsor residence has remained unoccupied since then.
A source described the property’s uncertain status.
“It’s been empty since 2023,” the source said. “Even Prince Andrew thought it wasn’t good enough for him to move in. Maybe if they get rid of any trace of Harry and Meghan, then someone within the royal household will fancy it. It would draw the line under Frogmore Cottage’s controversial history and return it to the pre-Meghan and Harry era.”
The couple, who relocated to Montecito, California, in 2020, spent only 10 months actually living at the property. They owned the home until March 2023.
Prince Andrew’s position on the cottage has evolved. The Telegraph reported that the Duke of York has agreed to leave Royal Lodge if he can move into Frogmore Cottage—a change from his earlier dismissal of the property as not grand enough for a prince.
Sources cautioned that returning the cottage to its pre-Sussex condition would require substantial and costly building work. Still, appetite for a fresh start appears to be growing within royal circles, particularly given the visibility of the original taxpayer-funded refurbishment, according to a British outlet.
Brief Royal Residency
Despite their short time there, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle created several memories at Frogmore Cottage. They were in residence for Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee, and reports emerged that they hosted daughter Lilibet’s first birthday at the cottage with a casual picnic party. In August 2022, the couple spent time there preparing for their European tour in September 2022.
Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank moved into the property in October 2020. The couple had their first child in February 2021 but reportedly moved out within a few weeks of the initial reports.
The home, along with Prince Harry’s first residence, Nottingham Cottage, appeared in the couple’s Netflix documentary, which aired in 2022. The kitchen took center stage in one memorable sequence, with Meghan painting her nails while Prince Harry ate a yogurt.
Queen Charlotte built Frogmore Cottage at the beginning of the 19th century for her daughters. The property sits north of the Frogmore House estate, about half a mile south of Windsor Castle. Frogmore House itself, built in the 17th century, served as the backdrop for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s engagement photos and their evening wedding reception—a reminder that, even if the cottage’s interior is reconfigured, the grounds will keep their place in the couple’s story.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle remain based in California, where Meghan’s lifestyle show “Love, Meghan” has received mixed reviews and where the couple continue to build out the multimillion-dollar Netflix partnership they signed after stepping back from royal life.
