Prince Harry and Meghan Markle reportedly bought a new vacation home in Europe more than one year after King Charles III evicted the couple from Frogmore Cottage.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex purchased a property “somewhere in Portugal,” according to Page Six. Harry’s relatives, Princess Eugenie and husband Jack Brooksbank, also own a getaway home north of Lisbon.
Harry, 40, and Meghan, 43, purchased their European vacation property after Harry’s father kicked them out of Frogmore Cottage in Windsor, England, following their decision to step down as senior royals in 2020.
An insider told The Sun in February 2023 that Charles, 75, had begun the process of evicting Harry and Meghan on January 9, 2023 — one day before the release of Harry’s memoir, Spare, which contains several bombshell allegations about his family.
“This [eviction] surely spells the end of Harry and Meghan’s time in the U.K.,” the source said at the time.
Harry and Meghan, who moved to California after leaving the royal family, had their remaining possessions packed up and moved out of Frogmore Cottage by June 2023, Buckingham Palace confirmed.
“We can confirm that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have vacated Frogmore Cottage,” Sir Michael Stevens, Keeper of the Privy Purse, said at a Sovereign Grant account briefing at the time, according to Sky News. “We will not be going into any detail on those arrangements here. Safe to say that, as has previously been stated, the duke and duchess have paid for the expenditure incurred by the Sovereign Grant in relation to the renovation of Frogmore Cottage, thus leaving the Crown with a greatly enhanced asset.”
Though Harry and Meghan stayed at the Windsor property infrequently after their 2020 relocation to the U.S., Frogmore Cottage was considered the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s official residence in the U.K. until their eviction.
Charles’ younger brother Prince Andrew was allegedly appointed Frogmore Cottage in exchange for surrendering his lease on the Royal Lodge in Windsor.
Harry and Meghan have settled into their life in California with kids Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet Diana in recent years. However, there has been chatter among royal experts and sources that the couple may hope to return to England permanently someday soon.
“Harry is attached to L.A. because it’s a different way of life and Americans have a real fondness for Brits,” former royal butler Grant Harrold said while speaking on behalf of Slingo on October 7. “But home is where the heart is, and I think he will slowly make a return to the U.K. to work, possibly stay and hopefully rebuild things with his family.”
Meanwhile, an insider exclusively told In Touch in August that the duke and his wife were “considering” going back to the U.K.
“They want to come home,” the insider said. However, they noted that the feud between Harry and his father, as well as brother Prince William, might get in the way.
“Harry and Meghan are definitely going to have to apologize. This rift won’t heal overnight. And at this point, they need the royals more than the royals need them,” the source concluded.