Frogmore Cottage, the Windsor home once at the heart of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s UK life, may soon look nothing like the residence the couple left behind. According to a report published May 30, 2026, royal officials are weighing plans to undo the roughly $3 million in renovations carried out before the Sussexes stepped back from senior royal duties, potentially splitting the property back into the two separate dwellings it once was.
The proposal, first reported by a British outlet, would effectively erase the physical footprint of Harry, 41, and Meghan, 44, from the Grade II listed cottage on the Windsor Estate. Experts are currently evaluating whether the home can be returned to its original configuration as two semi-detached residences. Construction work has yet to commence.
A Cottage With a Complicated Recent History
Frogmore Cottage was gifted to the couple by the late Queen Elizabeth II as a wedding present following their 2018 ceremony. At the time, the estate consisted of two separate dwellings used as flats for Windsor Estate staff members. Those units were merged into a single, larger family residence as part of the nearly 12-month transformation, which wrapped in April 2019.
The scope of work was significant. Crews replaced ceiling beams and floor joists, completely rewired the electrical system, fitted new gas and water supply lines, and installed a yoga studio. The house, which had previously been split into sections for offices, was returned to a single 10-bedroom residence. The couple paid for fixtures and fittings themselves.
The makeover was initially funded by the Sovereign Grant, the taxpayer-backed fund that supports the royal family’s official duties. After the Sussexes stepped back as senior royals in 2020, the £2.4 million renovation bill drew sharp criticism in the UK, and 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.
Empty Since 2023
The Windsor residence has remained unoccupied since King Charles III evicted Harry in March 2023, following the publication of his memoir “Spare.” The couple, who relocated to Montecito, California, in 2020, had spent only 10 months actually living at the property. They owned the home until March 2023.
A source described the awkward limbo the cottage has been stuck in ever since.
“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.”
Prince Andrew’s stance, however, appears to have shifted. The Telegraph reported that the Duke of York has agreed to leave Royal Lodge if he can move into Frogmore Cottage — a change of heart from his earlier dismissal of the property as “not grand enough for a prince.”
A Practical Decision, Royal Commentator Says
Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams framed the potential reversal as more about ledger lines than legacy.
“It is, above all, a practical decision as the Crown Estate knows it is being scrutinised to provide value for money,” he said.
Sources cautioned that returning the cottage to its pre-Sussex condition would require substantial and costly building work. Still, the appetite for a fresh start appears to be growing within royal circles, particularly given the visibility of the original taxpayer-funded refurbishment.
The Cottage’s Brief Moment in the Spotlight
Even with limited time in residence, Harry and Meghan made memories at the property. 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.
The home, along with Harry’s first residence, Nottingham Cottage, also 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 Harry ate a yogurt.
Frogmore Cottage briefly housed other royals, too. In October 2020, reports surfaced that Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank had moved in. The couple had their first child in February 2021 but reportedly moved out within a few weeks of the initial reports.
Built by Queen Charlotte at the beginning of the 19th century for her daughters, Frogmore Cottage 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 Harry and Meghan’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.
For now, Harry and Meghan 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.