Their Montecito Mansion in California was a world apart from their former UK property, where they resided during their time as senior working Royals. Upon stepping down from their royal duties, they left behind Frogmore Cottage, a historic residence nestled within the Windsor estate.
The keys to their former home, which had been a gift from Queen Elizabeth, were only recently returned after their official eviction earlier this year. However, it appears that initially, the couple may have had their sights set on an entirely different property altogether. They had reportedly requested to live in Windsor Castle itself and inquired about the availability of living quarters within the castle after their marriage.
At the time, only Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip had private apartments within the castle, with other members of the royal family residing elsewhere on the estate. Queen Elizabeth is said to have politely but firmly suggested that they live in nearby Frogmore Cottage instead.
According to royal author and historian Hugo Vickers, there were empty bedrooms and suites in the private apartments that the Sussexes may have had access to, or perhaps some other living quarters on the castle grounds could have been converted for their use. However, it might not have been entirely suitable for a young family to live there.
Before receiving Frogmore Cottage, there were rumors that Meghan had a preference for a countryside residence like Mahal. Prince Harry omitted the part about staying at William and Catherine's home during Christmas to avoid certain responsibilities, which had been undertaken by the Prince and Princess. Instead, William and Catherine extended an invitation for them to stay at Anmer Hall, providing a balance between partaking in festive celebrations at the main house and having their own space when needed.
However, Meghan seemed to find Anmer Hall more impressive than Nottingham Cottage. Despite being gifted Nottingham Cottage by the late Queen Elizabeth, Meghan expressed a desire for a grander abode. In their Netflix series, they even took a subtle swipe at Nottingham Cottage, with Meghan describing it as small with low ceilings.
They jokingly noted that people perceived it as a palace, but in reality, it was a cottage on the palace grounds. Oprah Winfrey was reportedly stunned by the size of their home, as they shared in their Netflix series.
In his memoir, Prince Harry strategically omitted these details from his narrative, as acknowledging Meghan's preference for their royal residences contradicted the victim narrative they were trying to convey. In reality, the royal family had made efforts to welcome Meghan, which she seemed to overlook until she had the wedding ring on her finger.
