This Is Where Frogmore Cottage Gets Its Name From
"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links."
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle dramatic relationship with the royal family continues this week, with news that the two have been asked to leave their UK home, Frogmore Cottage, according to The New York Times.
To be fair, Meghan and Harry haven’t lived full-time at Frogmore Cottage since they left England back in 2020 (they did, however, stay there briefly when they returned to the UK for the Queen’s funeral last summer). Still, a lot of eyebrows have been raised over the sudden move.
British tabloid The Sun has reported that King Charles is giving Meghan and Harry the boot after Harry published his memoir, Spare, which didn’t exactly paint Charles or Harry’s brother, Prince William, in the best light. Prince Andrew, King Charles’ brother, has reportedly been offered Frogmore Cottage instead.
Naturally, this raises plenty of questions about Frogmore Cottage. Like, what is it, exactly, and who owns it? Here’s what you need to know:
What is the history of Frogmore Cottage?
The home is located on the gated grounds of Windsor Castle on the Frogmore estate. The land was actually originally made up of two estates, Great and Little Frogmore, which were bought by King Henry VIII in the 16th Century, according to the Royal Collection Trust. The cottage was built by Queen Charlotte near the beginning of the 19th Century for her daughters to use, according to Time. Frogmore Cottage is also located near Frogmore House, which is where Meghan and Harry had their engagement photos taken.
Harry and Meghan also had their wedding reception at Frogmore House, according to the Royal Collection Trust.
The house and cottage have had many tenants over the years, including novelist Henry James, various staff members, and more recently, Princess Eugenie and her husband, per Home & Garden.
Its name is inspired by the surrounding area.
Yep, there are, in fact, lots of frogs in the wet, marshy area, which is how Frogmore got its name, per the Royal Collection Trust.
Who owns Frogmore Cottage?
Well, it's technically owned by the Crown Estate, which basically means it’s the property of the monarch, according to The Independent. Queen Elizabeth offered the cottage to Harry and Meghan as a wedding gift, per the Times, and it underwent extensive renovations to make it workable for them.
According to Home & Garden, the home had previously been split into sections for offices, but the couple turned it into one home, "replacing ceiling beams and floor joists and replacing, rewiring the electrical system, and installing new gas and water mains."
The outlet also explained that Harry and Meghan were reportedly paying the royal estate rent for Frogmore after moving to the States.
How many bedrooms does Frogmore have?
There are a total of five bedrooms, according to the Times, although the cottage actually had 10 bedrooms before the renovation.
What happened with Harry and Meghan?
How much time do you have? The couple was gifted Frogmore Cottage by Queen Elizabeth II when they got married. They had previously been living in Nottingham Cottage on the grounds of Kensington Palace which, Harry pointed out in his memoir, was tiny and old.
After Harry and Meghan were gifted the cottage, they did some big renovations to modernize it. That included updating the plumbing, tearing down walls, and adding new fixtures, among other things. The renovations cost nearly $3 million, and Queen Elizabeth II announced in January 2020 that Harry and Meghan would pay back the cost of the reno to the Sovereign Grant. However, she also said at the time that
Frogmore Cottage will “remain their UK family home.”
Now, Harry and Meghan’s belongings have reportedly already been shipped out, and the Independent says that they’re “stunned” by the decision.
What does it look like on the inside?
Photos inside any royal residence are scarce. But there was a photograph featured in the documentary, Harry & Meghan, that showed the couple kissing in a kitchen that many people think could be located at Frogmore. The area is pretty roomy, with an island in the center, along with plenty of upper and lower cabinets.
Other than that, there aren’t many details.
You Might Also Like
