As word broke out that Harry’s father, King Charles, had ordered them to immediately leave their U.K. residence Frogmore Cottage, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry were all smiles on a very unusual pap walk in Los Angeles on Tuesday.
The pictures were meant to show that despite Charles’s sudden relocation, they still enjoy life in California. They were reportedly “left shocked and astonished” by Charles’ choice, as royal writer Omid Scobie of Yahoo! U.K reported.
Scobie pointed out that it’s significant that this happened so soon after Harry published his controversial book Spare. ‘I believe the King is simply fed up with the whole issue,’ a royal insider claimed.
A representative for Meghan and Harry revealed to People yesterday that the pair had been ordered to leave the residence, even though Buckingham Palace had previously declined to comment on the matter when approached by Scobie. They had a long-term lease, Meghan and Harry paid for all the upgrades, and the late Queen gave them Frogmore Cottage as a wedding present.
The information Scobie got from his contacts illustrates the severity of the decision and its ramifications for Meghan and Harry’s safety in the United Kingdom.
According to one reliable source, Harry and Meghan have to pack up and go till the beginning of the summer. After being given just weeks to prepare, they have at least until after the coronation. Scobie said that invitations to the coronation had not been handed out yet, so it is unknown whether Harry and Meghan would be there.
It was described as “severe retribution” by a friend of the marriage, especially in light of rumors that Charles had given the land to his disgraced brother, Prince Andrew. That all seems final and like a horrible punishment,” the buddy remarked. To paraphrase, “it’s like [the family] wants to cut them out of the picture for good.”
Several royal family members seriously considered joining Andrew in relocating to the house. According to Scobie, Prince William, they seriously contemplated relocating his family there last summer before settling on Adelaide Cottage instead. Nevertheless, as one insider put it, “the optics would have been catastrophic” if Kate and William had relocated to Frogmore Cottage.
Charles did not offer Harry and Meghan an alternate U.K. home. The loss of Frogmore Cottage means that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex shall no longer have a private sanctuary in the United Kingdom. Scobie noted that the property’s heightened security resulted from its placement on the Queen’s Windsor estate, which is patrolled by the Royalty and Specialist Protection Unit of the Metropolitan Police Department.
As the royal family has removed Harry and Meghan’s entitlement to police protection permanently once they stepped down from their working royal family responsibilities in 2021, Harry is presently in court fighting for the right to pay out of pocket for police security (The police safeguard working royals at no cost to the taxpayers, and they have information about potential dangers that private security does not). After hearing the threats against him and his family, Harry has said he does not feel comfortable bringing his children here to visit.
Scobie pointed out that Charles isn’t back down from the eviction since he won’t be able to meet his grandkids, Archie and Lilibet, who were born to Meghan and Harry. What this means for Harry and Meghan’s relationship with the royal family in the long run, and whether or not it influences their choice to attend Charles’ coronation, remains to be seen.