Frogmore Cottage STILL lies empty more than a year after Harry and Meghan were booted out… because Andrew refuses to downsize into the residence, Palace finances reveal
- A Palace spokesperson confirmed the cottage is still empty as detailed in report
Frogmore Cottage is still lying empty more than a year after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were forced out, as Prince Andrew refuses to move into the residence.
Prince Harry was asked to remove his remaining possessions from the property just weeks after he published his explosive memoir Spare last year.
The Sussexes had provoked fury by spending £2.4 million of taxpayers’ money renovating it, but they covered the costs themselves following the outcry.
The Duke of York was offered the option to move into the cottage, instead of residing in the £30 million Royal Lodge while he has no apparent source of income, but he declined.
Prince Andrew was forced to step back from royal duties amid the scandal over his friendship with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. The King has long been trying to persuade him to leave his 30-room Windsor mansion in favour of Frogmore Cottage.
But yesterday a Buckingham Palace spokesman confirmed that Frogmore is still empty as they detailed the annual Sovereign Grant report, which sets out how the monarchy is funded by taxpayers.
‘I think at this point I wouldn’t speculate on who would be the future occupant of Frogmore Cottage,’ they said.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle left the Frogmore Cottage more than a year ago
The Sussexes had provoked fury by spending £2.4 million of taxpayers’ money renovating Frogmore Cottage in Windsor (pictured)
The Prince of Wales received a private income of more than £23 million last year in profits from the Duchy of Cornwall estate
Other highlights from the 2023/24 review include:
- Profits from the Crown Estate more than doubled to £1.1 billion, driven by a short-term boost from offshore wind farms;
- The Prince of Wales received a private income of more than £23 million last year in profits from the Duchy of Cornwall estate;
- Buckingham Palace electricity bills soared by £900,000 to £2.2 million;
- The proportion of ethnic minority employees at Buckingham Palace rose by 0.7 per cent to 11.4 per cent this year but a spokesman said ‘there is still more to be done’;
- The Sovereign Grant was frozen for a third year at £86.3 million, with £51.8 million funding the King’s official duties and £34.5 million paying for ongoing works at Buckingham Palace.
A former resident of Frogmore Cottage, the Duchess of Sussex, was this week seen leaving trendy Italian restaurant Tre Lune near her Montecito mansion.
Meghan, 42, wore a pair of £820 Chanel lambskin ballerina flats along with Princess Diana’s £17,800 Cartier Tank Française gold watch, a £12,800 Cartier necklace and a £5,800 Cartier Love yellow gold bracelet.
The revelation that her old home remains empty raises questions over what the King plans to do with it, as renting it out would lessen the burden on taxpayers.
The King reportedly threatened to cut his brother’s budget over his refusal to move into Frogmore with his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson.
Prince Andrew took over Royal Lodge from his grandmother, the Queen Mother, and there are still around 50 years left on the lease.
A source told The Times earlier this year: ‘If [Prince Andrew] doesn’t agree to move to a property better suited to his needs, then the King may have to reconsider the levels of support he is willing to provide.’
King Charles (R) pictured alongside Prince William (L) and Princess Kate (C), behind Prince Louis (FL) and Princess Charlotte (FR)
Buckingham Palace electricity bills soared by £900,000 to £2.2 million
Prince Andrew pictured riding at Windsor Park on July 3, 2024
Prince Harry and Meghan attend the 2024 ESPY Awards on July 11 in Hollywood, CA
The King currently funds the Duke of York’s £3 million security bill, and pays for his housekeepers and gardeners.
Meanwhile, Prince Harry and Meghan have reportedly expressed an interest in trying to rent out Apartments 1 and 7 at Kensington Palace during visits to the UK.
A Buckingham Palace spokesman said: ‘There are some locations where it is possible to allocate a property to a tenant who is not part of the royal household because the security arrangement will allow that.
‘Within the grounds of Kensington Palace that is much more difficult so it is probably unlikely to be external.’
The Mail understands the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will not be moving in.
