Harry and Meghan hand keys to Frogmore Cottage to Princess Eugenie
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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle cleared out their Windsor home ‘in the dead of night’ to make way for their new tenant Princess Eugenie, it has been reported.
It is understood the Sussexes will retain ownership of Frogmore Cottage but they are unlikely to live there again, after secretly packing up their belongings and moving them to their new home in California.
The Grade II listed property near Windsor Castle underwent major work to turn five properties back into a single home for the duke, duchess and their baby son Archie – with all fittings and fixtures privately paid for by the couple.
Meghan and Harry quit as senior working royals in March, repaying the £2.4million of taxpayers’ money spent on the cottage which was a present from the Queen.
The couple were able to afford the repayment after signing a lucrative Netflix deal rumoured to be worth more than £100million and currently pay commercial rent on the Berkshire property.
Eugenie, 30, and her husband Jack Brooksbank, 34, are said to have moved into Frogmore Cottage two weeks ago in secret.
Harry and Meghan are settling into their new life in California after stepping down as senior royals
Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank are expecting their first child
One source told the Sun: ‘Removal vans pitched up in the dead of the night and cleared out the cottage. They definitely did not want to be seen.
‘Emptying their home and handing over the keys is a pretty strong sign Harry and Meghan have no plans to return.
‘It appears they are tying up loose ends as they plan to extend their stay in the US perhaps permanently.’
Eugenie and Jack announced they were expecting their first child in September, a few weeks before their second wedding anniversary.
The Sussexes recently repaid £2.4million in taxpayers’ money used to renovate Frogmore Cottage
The baby will be a ninth great-grandchild for the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh, following the arrival of their eighth – the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s son Archie Mountbatten-Windsor.
But although their mother is a princess, their father has no title and so the child will be born down a female line of the royal family – meaning they will be plain Master or Miss Brooksbank.
They will not be an HRH nor hold a title, unless the Queen decides to intervene and give Mr Brooksbank – who is European brand manager for Casamigos Tequila co-founded by George Clooney – an earldom or issue a Letters Patent amending the rules.
Eugenie’s parents, Andrew and Sarah, will become grandparents for the first time and the baby boy or girl will be born 11th in line to the throne.
Since stepping down as a senior royal, Meghan has already started her life in the commercial world, narrating a Disney film about a family of elephants and their journey across Africa that was available to stream in April.
She and Harry also established charitable organisation Archewell in October, replacing their SussexRoyal Foundation which has been formally wound up.
They have been working on the foundation, which is expected to champion issues they support including racial justice, gender equity, climate change, mental health and online hate speech.