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Harry told by expert ‘there’re plenty of rooms in Windsor Castle’

Lorraine Kelly says Prince Harry can ‘get hotel room’ after Frogmore ‘eviction’

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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will still have a safe place to stay when in Britain even after they lose Frogmore Cottage, a royal historian has claimed. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex confirmed on Wednesday evening they have been asked to vacate their official residence in the UK, an order reportedly issued by King Charles in the wake of the publication of Prince Harry’s book Spare.

Omid Scobie, who co-penned an unofficial biography of the Sussexes, claimed taking away from the Sussexes their Windsor home, covered by police protection, means stripping Meghan and Harry of the “one remaining space that meets the family of four’s security needs when visiting”.

Royal historian Marlene Koenig, however, objected to this stance, arguing other royal residences could provide a safe haven for Meghan, Harry and their children when they travel to the UK.

The US-based commentator told Express.co.uk: “Harry apparently views Frogmore Cottage as ‘the only place left that’s safe’ which for me is a strange comment.

“Why? There are plenty of rooms at Windsor Castle where they could stay if they choose to come to the UK.”

Ms Koenig refrained from using the word “eviction”, explaining the Crown Estate owns the property rather than the King or Meghan and Harry.

She said: “This means Harry’s lease was with the Crown Estates, same for Royal Lodge, Adelaide Cottage, Fort Belvedere and many other properties in Windsor, small and large.”

Moreover, the commentator added, in May 2022 it was claimed the Duke had extended his lease on the Windsor property, believed to be a 12-month rolling deal.

If this is the case, last year’s lease will expire within weeks.

Meghan and Harry lived at Frogmore for the most part of 2019, and it’s been the first-ever home of their son Archie Harrison, born in May that year.

The Duke and Duchess flew to Canada with Archie in mid-November 2019 and had not since used Frogmore Cottage as their main residence, as they relocated to California in mid-March 2020.

Nevertheless, they retained Frogmore Cottage as their official residence in England, and they used it as their base when they returned to the UK between 2021 and 2022.

In June last year, Meghan and Harry were believed to have left Archie and Lilibet Diana at the Cottage with a nanny while they attended two events celebrating the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, and on June 4 they hosted the first birthday party for their daughter.

Given it is located in the private area called Home Park, the cottage grants police protection, something the Sussexes are currently not automatically given when they are in the UK, and privacy.

Meghan and Harry’s spokesperson only confirmed the report the pair had been asked to vacate the residence.

Mr Scobie, however, also reported sources telling him the Sussexes were left “stunned” when they were told, shortly after the publication of Harry’s memoir Spare, they would lose Frogmore Cottage.

He wrote on Yahoo! News: “The property, they were told, is needed for someone else. It’s news, sources tell me, that has left Harry and Meghan stunned, and at least two members of the Royal Family ‘appalled’.”

The Sun claimed the “someone else” is Prince Andrew, who is reportedly experiencing a cut in his subsidy amid an overhaul of royal costs, a move that would make it difficult for the Duke of York to keep up with the maintenance cost of Royal Lodge.

However, Andrew is reportedly “resisting” the idea of downsizing to Frogmore Cottage.

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