How Africa News
King Charles III may have kicked Prince Harry and Meghan Markle out of Frogmore Cottage, but he may have a better offer for them.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex could be given the keys to an apartment in Buckingham Palace as their U.K. residence when they visit, according to the Independent. The suite of rooms that the king may offer the newlyweds once belonged to Prince Andrew, according to the outlet.
According to Christopher Andersen, author of “The King,” Charles, 74, is likely to extend an olive branch to his son in the run-up to the coronation. The king will be crowned on May 6 at Westminster Abbey in London.
“There’s been a bit of blowback over the king’s decision to evict the Sussexes from Frogmore Cottage, and the last thing Charles wants is to look like a heartless landlord,” Andersen explained. “The king also needs to throw Harry a lifeline – a place where he can bring his family – and feel safe if, at the last minute, the Sussexes decide to show up for the coronation.”
“It remains to be seen whether this will be enough to coax Harry and Meghan back to London for the big day,” Andersen noted. “Given all the flak they’ve been getting on both sides of the pond, it’s just as likely the Sussexes will opt to shelter in place.”
A spokesperson for the couple confirmed on Sunday that Harry “recently received email correspondence from His Majesty’s office regarding the coronation.”
“An immediate decision on whether The Duke and Duchess will attend will not be disclosed by us at this time,” the spokesperson added.
Buckingham Palace did not reply immediately to a request for comment.
Shannon Felton Spence, a royal specialist, told Fox News Digital that the king needs to provide a home base for the Sussexes anytime they wish to come. She stated that the king’s desire is to see his two young grandkids.
“It’s unrealistic to think that the king was ever going to make them book a hotel or an Airbnb,” said Felton Spence. “Realistically, he wants to see his grandchildren. When they come to visit it will most likely only ever be for big royal family events… Do I think it’s so he can monitor them? No. Buckingham Palace has 775 rooms. This is an economical decision.”
“[But] no one likes living at Buckingham Palace,” she noted. “They all want to be in Windsor. It’s less fish bowly and less opulent (though it is plenty opulent). Buckingham Palace is not a family home. It’s an office. The king doesn’t have to worry about Buckingham Palace just sitting empty as he does with other properties. Buckingham Palace is always going to be maintained, it’s always going to have staff. It’s a very economical choice to say, ‘Hey when you visit, you can stay here.’”
“Buckingham Palace comes with its own set of rules, in a way that Frogmore Cottage or anything else would not,” Felton Spence shared. “It’s not to keep an eye on them as much as it just is to keep them close.”
“We can confirm the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been requested to depart their house at Frogmore Cottage,” a representative for the couple’s Archewell Foundation told Fox News Digital on March 1.
Frogmore Cottage, on the grounds of Windsor Castle west of London, was supposed to be the couple’s primary residence when they retired from royal duties and relocated to Southern California in 2020. According to the Sun, Charles began the eviction procedure on Jan. 11, the day after the release of Harry’s incendiary memoir “Spare.”
Disclosures Harry, 38,’s appearance in “Spare” widened the schism between him and his family. His account of private chats with his father and brother, Prince William, was included in the book.
The prince also singled out Camilla, the queen consort, accusing her of leaking private discussions to the public in order to restore her image following her marriage to Charles. Camilla, 75, was formerly derided for her long-running affair with Charles, which contributed to the dissolution of his marriage to the late Princess Diana, Harry and William’s mother.
After leaving Britain, Harry and Meghan stated that Frogmore Cottage will be their home when they returned. Nevertheless, “Finding Freedom” author Omid Scobie said in a Yahoo! News article that the home will now belong to Prince Andrew, who is downsizing from his more luxurious Royal Lodge house.
Following a televised interview about his scandalous ties to late American businessman and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, the Duke of York resigned down from royal duties in 2019.
The potential of the Sussexes having an apartment at Buckingham Palace, according to Felton Spence, is “not a diss” from the king.
“The President gets invitations to stay at Buckingham Palace,” she said. “I’m told it’s the guest suite that was assigned to Andrew. Remember, he was kicked out of Buckingham Palace a while back, and I said it’s because he doesn’t require an office. It’s also because – as a non-senior member of the family — he doesn’t need an office nor does he need access to high-profile events held in the public house. It’s more of a signal of Andrew’s banishment than it is of any anger toward Harry and Meghan. The decision of Frogmore Cottage had to do with downgrading Andrew to available property.”
Kinsey Schofield, the host of the “To Di For Daily” podcast, told Fox News Digital that Buckingham Palace does have one thing Harry has been fighting for in court.
“Buckingham Palace has all the security in the world in place,” said Schofield. “However, I have heard that the king is willing to temporarily allow them to use Frogmore if they attend the coronation.”
“Sources close to Harry and Meghan allege that the Sussexes initially wanted to move into Buckingham Palace when planning their future,” she claimed. “Buckingham Palace is one of the most notable landmarks in the world. Meghan would love those bragging rights. A photo exists of Meghan on vacation sitting in front of Buckingham Palace at age 15. Meghan would likely feel a sense of self-importance knowing that she was living in the queen’s former residence.”
Previously, Harry filed a legal challenge to the UK government’s reluctance to allow him to pay for his own police security when he visits the country. In 2022, Harry’s lawyers stated in court that he is unwilling to send his children to his hometown because it is unsafe.
Harry wants to be able to pay for security, claiming that his private security team in the United States lacks proper authority abroad and access to U.K. intelligence information.
During a hearing in London’s High Court, Harry’s lawyer, Shaheed Fatima, stated that the prince “does not feel comfortable while he is in the U.K. given the security procedures applied to him.”
“It goes without saying that he does want to come back to see family and friends and to continue to support the charities that are so close to his heart,” she said. “Most of all, this is and always will be, his home.”
A spokeswoman revealed in September 2020 that the pair had repaid 2.4 million pounds ($3.2 million) in British taxpayers’ money spent to restore Frogmore Cottage when they were working members of the royal family.
According to the spokeswoman, the funds “completely covered” the cost of the refurbishment.
