Prince Harry called out Kate Middleton and William for their home renovations, despite spending millions himself decorating his own home with Meghan Markle.
In the book, Prince Harry takes a swipe at his sister-in-law for the renovations the royals had done to their new residence – Princess Margret’s old home in Kensington Palace. Prince William and his wife moved there in 2013, two years after they married. This is despite the fact Harry and Meghan Markle spent more than $3 million five years later on their new home at Frogmore Cottage.
Prince Harry wasn’t happy about Kate and William’s renovations
Prince Harry wrote about the “elaborate renovations” Kate Middleton and William had done to their home, as he could hear and see everything they were doing due to living “just across the way.”
“I moved out of the badger sett, into Nottingham Cottage a.k.a. Nott Cott. Willy and Kate had been living there, but they’d outgrown it,” the royal penned in his memoir.
“After moving into Princess Margaret’s old place, just across the way, they’d passed me their keys. It felt good to be out of the badger sett. But even better to be just across the way from Willy and Kate. I looked forward to popping in all the time.”
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“‘Look! It’s Uncle Harry!'” he continued, “‘Ello! Just thought I’d stop by.’ Holding a bottle of wine and an armful of kiddie presents. Dropping to the floor and wrestling with little George. ‘Will you stay for supper, Harold?’ ‘Love to!’ But it didn’t work out that way.
He added they were “half a football pitch away” and yet never invited him over, something which he desired as he said it “felt good.” He added his belief he wasn’t invited over was due to his lack of a wife.
“They were… so close that I could see their nanny pass by all the time with the pram, and I could hear their elaborate renovations. I assumed they’d have me over any minute now. Any day.”
He concluded: “But day after day it didn’t happen. I get it, I thought. They’re busy! Building a family! Or maybe … they don’t want a third wheel? Maybe if I get married, things will be different?”
Harry and Meghan’s time at Frogmore Cottage
Prince Harry seems to have forgotten the “elaborate renovations” Kate and William had years earlier after he moved into Frogmore Cottage when he and Meghan tied the knot in 2018. It was given as a wedding present to the couple by the late Queen Elizabeth. A year later, they began a $3 million renovation of the living space and used money from the Sovereign Grant. The grant is something which is now be given to King Charles from the UK government and uses taxpayers money.
However, after 39-year-old Harry and Meghan, 42, stepped down from their positions as senior members of The Firm, they have now repaid the money used to refurbish the cottage.
It’s believed they refurbished an “elaborate” double staircase in the real estate property, copying Gone With The Wind style. Sources claimed new grand fireplaces were put in the main rooms, as well as using expensive ‘vegan paint’.
A spokesperson for them at the time said: “This contribution as originally offered by Prince Harry has fully covered the necessary renovation costs of Frogmore Cottage, a property of Her Majesty The Queen, and will remain the UK residence of the duke and his family.”
They have now left the huge estate
Despite their want to live financially independent of the royals, the couple were allowed to keep the home for when they returned to England after moving to the US permanently. They used it in 2022 to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee and hosted a garden party for Lilibet as she turned one. Cousin Princess Eugenie and her husband Jack Brooksbank lived there for a time, but now have their own home.
However, in 2023, they were asked to vacate Frogmore Cottage.
“We can confirm The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been requested to vacate their residence at Frogmore Cottage,” a spokesperson told People in March, and then in the July, it was confirmed they had left.
Sir Michael Stevens, Keeper of the Privy Purse, said in briefings: “We can confirm that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have vacated Frogmore Cottage. The Duke and Duchess have repaid the expenditure incurred by the Sovereign Grant in relation to the renovation of Frogmore Cottage, thus leaving the Crown with a greatly enhanced asset.”
At the time, The Sun confirmed the last of the couple’s belongings had then been shipped to California.
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