Frogmore Cottage sits on the historic Frogmore estate within Windsor Home Park, half a mile south of Windsor Castle in Berkshire, England. This Grade II listed Georgian property built in 1801 has evolved from Queen Charlotte’s garden retreat to a royal residence embroiled in modern monarchy controversies. The cottage gained international attention as Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s UK home before their 2023 eviction, and continues making headlines as Prince Andrew reportedly considers it as his next residence following potential departure from the much grander Royal Lodge.
Historical Origins: Queen Charlotte’s Garden Retreat
Queen Charlotte, wife of King George III, commissioned Frogmore Cottage in 1801 as part of her Frogmore estate acquisition in 1792. Originally known as Double Garden Cottage, the property cost £450 to build according to Queen Charlotte’s 1801 garden accounts, with construction undertaken by a Mr. Bowen. The cottage served as a country retreat for the queen and her unmarried daughters, providing escape from the formality and pressures of court life at nearby Windsor Castle.
The Frogmore estate takes its distinctive name from the abundance of frogs inhabiting the low-lying, marshy ground near the River Thames. Queen Victoria documented this natural phenomenon during a visit on June 28, 1875, noting in her journal “an immense number of little frogs” which she found “quite disgusting.” This royal observation confirmed the property’s longstanding association with its amphibian residents and wetland character that had inspired the estate’s name generations earlier.
The cottage received Grade II listed building status in October 1975, recognizing its architectural and historical significance. The National Heritage List for England describes it as an “Early C19 plain 2 storey house with parapet. Centre break with porch. Glazing bar sashes. Stucco faced.” This understated architectural description belies the property’s rich royal connections and the dramatic role it would play in 21st-century monarchy controversies.
The Georgian architecture reflects the period’s preference for symmetrical facades and classical proportions, with stucco rendering creating smooth exterior surfaces characteristic of Regency-era buildings. The two-story structure features a parapet concealing the roof, a central entrance with porch, and multi-paned sash windows that provide period-appropriate fenestration. The architectural restraint distinguishes Frogmore Cottage from grander Windsor properties, emphasizing its original purpose as an informal retreat rather than state residence.
Location Within Windsor’s Royal Landscape
Frogmore Cottage occupies a privileged position within Windsor Home Park, the private 655-acre royal park surrounding Windsor Castle. The cottage sits within the grounds of Frogmore House, a larger 17th-century mansion also owned by the Crown Estate that serves as a royal retreat and hosts occasional charitable openings. The proximity to Windsor Castle, approximately half a mile to the north, provides both privacy and convenient access to the primary royal residence.
The Frogmore estate includes extensive landscaped gardens featuring lakes, wooded mounds, glades, and ornamental bridges that exemplify 18th and 19th-century English landscape garden design. These grounds house the Royal Mausoleum where Queen Victoria and Prince Albert are interred, along with the Royal Burial Ground containing graves of other royal family members. The combination of residential properties, ceremonial spaces, and burial grounds creates a concentrated area of royal history within Windsor’s already historically significant landscape.
Adelaide Cottage, currently home to Prince William, Kate Middleton, and their three children, sits approximately 900 yards from Frogmore Cottage along the same estate roads. This proximity means the younger generation of royals lived within easy walking distance of Harry and Meghan during the Sussexes’ residence at Frogmore, though the brothers’ strained relationship meant this geographic closeness did not translate to frequent family interaction. The cottage’s location provided the Sussexes with both royal community and sufficient separation for privacy.
Royal Lodge, Prince Andrew’s current 30-room residence in nearby Windsor Great Park, represents a dramatically different scale of royal accommodation. Andrew’s potential move from Royal Lodge to the much smaller Frogmore Cottage has generated speculation about downsizing pressures within King Charles III’s vision for a streamlined monarchy. The approximately three-mile distance between properties illustrates the geographic spread of royal residences throughout the broader Windsor area.
Transformation: From Staff Housing to Royal Residence
By the early 21st century, Frogmore Cottage had been subdivided into five separate residential units housing Windsor estate workers and staff. This practical arrangement reflected the property’s evolution from single-family dwelling to multi-unit accommodation, maximizing housing provision for the estate’s operational personnel. The individual units varied in size but collectively maintained the cottage’s external appearance while dividing the interior spaces.
When Queen Elizabeth II gifted Frogmore Cottage to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle following their May 2018 wedding, the property required extensive renovation to convert it back into a single-family residence suitable for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. The transformation involved reconfiguring five separate residences with independent entrances, kitchens, and bathrooms into one cohesive home with four bedrooms, a nursery, and modern amenities. The project took approximately six months, though some exterior work remained incomplete at move-in.
The renovations addressed significant structural and systems issues beyond simple cosmetic updates. Defective wooden ceiling beams and floor joists required replacement to ensure structural integrity. The property needed complete rewiring including installation of an electrical substation to provide adequate power for contemporary living. Heating systems were updated from inefficient older technology, and the cottage required connection to gas and water mains that had not previously served the subdivided units adequately.
Additional features incorporated into the renovation included two orangeries providing light-filled spaces connecting interior rooms with garden views, a vegetable garden reflecting Meghan’s interests in organic produce and sustainable living, and reportedly a yoga studio catering to the duchess’s wellness priorities. These additions transformed Frogmore Cottage from basic staff accommodation into a property befitting senior royals, with modern comfort integrated into the historic Grade II listed structure.
The £2.4 Million Renovation Controversy
The Frogmore Cottage renovation ultimately cost £2.4 million, funded through the Sovereign Grant drawn from taxpayer contributions. When the June 2019 royal accounts revealed this figure, it sparked immediate controversy and criticism about excessive spending on a royal residence. Media coverage scrutinized every aspect of the renovation, with some reports including exaggerated or entirely fabricated claims about luxury additions that intensified public backlash.
Sir Michael Stevens, Keeper of the Privy Purse, defended the expenditure by explaining that “the property had not been the subject of work for some years and had already been earmarked for renovation in line with our responsibility to maintain the condition of the occupied royal palaces estate.” This statement emphasized that Frogmore Cottage required updating regardless of occupant, as the Crown Estate maintains ongoing responsibility for preserving historic royal properties in habitable condition.
The Sovereign Grant, funding the renovation, derives from a percentage of Crown Estate profits rather than direct tax allocation. The Crown Estate, a property portfolio owned by the reigning monarch but managed independently, generates substantial annual profits. The Treasury receives these profits and returns 25 percent to fund official royal expenses including property maintenance, staff salaries, and official travel. This complex funding mechanism means taxpayers indirectly support the monarchy through Crown Estate profit allocation rather than direct parliamentary appropriation.
Critics argued the expenditure was excessive given Harry and Meghan’s brief residence, while supporters noted the property’s poor condition necessitated major works to bring it to modern safety and environmental standards. The controversy highlighted tensions between preserving historic properties to appropriate standards and public expectations for fiscal restraint in royal spending. The renovation became entangled with broader debates about the monarchy’s costs and whether Harry and Meghan, as working royals, merited such significant investment.
Harry and Meghan’s Repayment and Departure
In September 2020, following their January 2020 announcement of stepping back from senior royal roles and subsequent move to California, Prince Harry repaid the £2.4 million renovation costs to the UK taxpayer. This unprecedented move addressed public criticism and demonstrated the couple’s commitment to financial independence from taxpayer support. The repayment came through the couple’s personal funds rather than income from royal duties or allowances.
The payment allowed Harry and Meghan to maintain their lease on Frogmore Cottage as a UK base despite their California residence. The arrangement enabled Harry to maintain legal UK domicile for citizenship and immigration purposes while providing accommodation during UK visits. The couple continued paying rent on commercial terms, converting what had been a grace-and-favor residence into a standard rental arrangement between private tenants and the Crown Estate as landlord.
The Sussexes’ actual period of residence at Frogmore Cottage proved remarkably brief. They moved in shortly before their son Archie’s birth in May 2019 and departed for their Canadian then California relocation by March 2020, residing in the property for less than one year despite the extensive renovation undertaken specifically for their occupancy. This short tenure intensified criticism that taxpayer funds had been wasted on a property the couple barely used.
In January 2023, following publication of Prince Harry’s controversial memoir “Spare” with its revelations about private royal conversations and criticism of Queen Camilla, King Charles III instructed Sir Michael Stevens to issue an eviction notice. By March 2023, the couple confirmed they had been “requested to vacate” Frogmore Cottage. This eviction, widely interpreted as punishment for the memoir’s contents and the couple’s ongoing public criticism of the royal family, officially severed Harry and Meghan’s last physical connection to royal residences in the United Kingdom.
Princess Eugenie’s Brief Tenancy
Princess Eugenie, younger daughter of Prince Andrew and tenth in line to the throne, and her husband Jack Brooksbank moved into Frogmore Cottage in November 2020 after the Sussexes’ departure. The arrangement allowed the property to remain occupied by family members rather than sitting empty, while providing Eugenie and Jack with an upgraded residence compared to their previous accommodation. The timing coincided with Eugenie’s first pregnancy, with their son August born in February 2021.
The couple’s residence at Frogmore Cottage proved temporary rather than permanent. By May 2022, reports indicated Eugenie and Jack had vacated the property, though exact move-out timing and reasons remained unclear in official statements. Their brief tenancy of approximately 18 months suggested Frogmore Cottage served as transitional accommodation rather than long-term family home, possibly due to Jack’s career requiring international travel or the couple’s preference for London-based living.
Following Frogmore Cottage, Eugenie and Jack relocated to Ivy Cottage on the Kensington Palace grounds, returning to central London from the Windsor location. Jack’s employment with Discovery Land Company developing the Costa Terra resort in Portugal meant the family divided time between London and Portugal, with Ivy Cottage serving as their UK base. The international lifestyle made Windsor’s relative remoteness less practical than Kensington’s urban location closer to international travel hubs.
Eugenie’s willingness to accommodate her cousin Harry’s family by vacating temporarily when the Sussexes visited demonstrated the close relationship between the cousins, reportedly one of the few positive family connections Harry maintained after stepping back from royal duties. Some reports suggested Eugenie served as intermediary between Harry and other family members during periods of tension, with Frogmore Cottage facilitating private family meetings away from palace formality and staff oversight.
The Current Vacancy and Prince Andrew Speculation
As of November 2025, Frogmore Cottage sits unoccupied, generating no rental income for the Crown Estate despite its recent multi-million-pound renovation. Royal commentator Afua Hagan described this situation as “petty,” noting that Harry and Meghan were willing to continue paying rent and maintaining the property as their UK residence. The empty property represents lost revenue and raises questions about the true motivations behind the couple’s eviction beyond official explanations about streamlining royal property use.
In October 2025, reports emerged that Prince Andrew would consider vacating Royal Lodge if permitted to relocate to Frogmore Cottage. This potential move reflects King Charles III’s ongoing efforts to remove Andrew from the prominent 30-room Royal Lodge following the Duke of York’s disgrace over his association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and the subsequent civil sexual assault lawsuit settled out of court. Andrew’s relegation to smaller accommodation symbolizes his fall from grace and the king’s determination to minimize his visibility within the royal estate.
Andrew reportedly initially rejected Frogmore Cottage as “not grand enough,” preferring to maintain his Royal Lodge tenancy with its 75-year lease running until 2078. However, financial pressures including the approximately £400,000 annual maintenance costs for Royal Lodge may have softened Andrew’s resistance to downsizing. The potential arrangement includes accommodation for Andrew’s ex-wife Sarah Ferguson at Adelaide Cottage after Prince William’s family relocates to the nearby Forest Lodge, allowing the divorced couple to maintain proximity while occupying separate residences.
The negotiations highlight tensions between King Charles’s vision for a streamlined, cost-efficient monarchy and Andrew’s desire to maintain lifestyle and status despite his effective removal from public royal duties. Frogmore Cottage represents a compromise between completely removing Andrew from Windsor’s royal properties and allowing him to remain in the oversized Royal Lodge inappropriate for a non-working royal. The cottage’s five bedrooms and four bathrooms provide comfortable accommodation while signaling Andrew’s diminished position within the royal hierarchy.
Architectural Features and Interior Spaces
The renovated Frogmore Cottage features five bedrooms including four standard bedrooms plus a nursery, alongside four bathrooms distributed throughout the two-story structure. This configuration accommodates a family with children while providing guest accommodation and maintaining the property’s historic footprint. The original ten-bedroom layout when subdivided into staff units was consolidated into fewer, larger rooms with contemporary amenities and flow between spaces.
The two orangeries added during the Sussex renovation provide light-filled transitional spaces between interior rooms and exterior gardens. These glass-roofed structures, traditional in British country house architecture, extend living areas into garden-adjacent spaces suitable for informal entertaining, morning rooms, or winter gardens where plants can thrive in protected environments. The orangeries connect the historic cottage to its landscape setting, emphasizing the garden retreat character that defined the property since Queen Charlotte’s era.
The vegetable garden installed for Meghan reflects contemporary interest in organic home-grown produce and sustainable living practices. Kitchen gardens have historic precedent in British estates, where fresh vegetables, herbs, and fruits were cultivated for household consumption. The modern iteration likely includes raised beds, composting facilities, and possibly greenhouse structures for extending growing seasons in England’s temperate but sometimes challenging climate.
The yoga studio, reported though not officially confirmed, represents modern lifestyle integration into historic architecture. Converting one room into dedicated exercise and wellness space accommodates contemporary health practices while maintaining the building’s external appearance. Such adaptations demonstrate how listed buildings can be modernized internally while preserving protected exterior features and overall architectural character.
Frogmore House and the Broader Estate
Frogmore Cottage sits within the grounds of Frogmore House, a substantially larger 17th-century mansion that serves as the centerpiece of the Frogmore estate. Frogmore House was acquired by Queen Charlotte in 1792 as a country retreat, predating the cottage’s 1801 construction by nearly a decade. The house features elegant interiors, grand reception rooms, and has hosted significant royal events including Prince Harry and Meghan’s May 2018 wedding reception following their ceremony at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle.
The house opens to public visitors only briefly each year, typically for three days in August when the royal family is not in residence at Windsor. These charitable open days benefit organizations including the National Garden Scheme, Mothers’ Union, and Guide Dogs, with advance booking essential due to limited capacity and guided tour requirements. The restricted access maintains privacy while allowing public glimpses into royal history and the estate’s remarkable landscape gardens.
The Frogmore estate gardens exemplify English landscape design with their naturalistic lakes, wooded mounds, and carefully composed vistas creating picturesque scenes in the tradition of Capability Brown and Humphry Repton. Queen Charlotte enhanced the gardens with a teahouse, while Queen Victoria added an 18th-century Gothic revival summerhouse designed by James Wyatt. The late Queen Elizabeth II famously walked her corgis through these gardens, continuing the royal family’s longstanding connection to the estate’s peaceful grounds.
The Royal Mausoleum, where Queen Victoria and Prince Albert are interred, stands as Frogmore’s most significant architectural and historical monument. Completed in 1871 after years of construction following Albert’s 1861 death, the Italianate structure in the shape of a Greek cross with copper-domed roof represents Victoria’s devotion to her deceased husband. The Royal Burial Ground established nearby accommodates subsequent royal family members, creating a concentrated royal necropolis within the secluded Windsor estate rather than at St. George’s Chapel’s more public location.
Connection to Other Windsor Residences
Windsor Home Park contains multiple royal residences creating a private royal community distinct from the castle’s ceremonial functions. Adelaide Cottage, built in the 1820s as a retreat for Queen Adelaide, wife of King William IV, currently houses Prince William, Kate Middleton, and their children Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis. The relatively modest four-bedroom cottage reflects William and Kate’s preference for less formal living arrangements compared to state apartments, while keeping their children close to Lambrook School where all three attend.
The proximity of Adelaide Cottage to Frogmore Cottage meant the Wales and Sussex families lived within walking distance during Harry and Meghan’s brief residence, though the brothers’ deteriorating relationship meant this geographic closeness did not facilitate relationship repair. The irony of the two couples living as neighbors while their relationship fractured publicly through media statements and interviews highlights how physical proximity cannot overcome deeper family rifts.
Royal Lodge, the 30-room mansion approximately three miles away in Windsor Great Park, represents substantially grander accommodation than either Adelaide or Frogmore Cottage. Prince Andrew’s occupation of Royal Lodge since 2003 with a 75-year lease at £250 weekly rent represents an extraordinarily favorable arrangement given the property’s size and prestige. The potential pressure for Andrew to downsize to Frogmore Cottage illustrates how royal property allocation reflects both practical accommodation needs and symbolic positioning within the family hierarchy.
Forest Lodge, the eight-bedroom property with six bathrooms and tennis court where Prince William and Kate plan to relocate, offers more space as their children age while maintaining Windsor location. The successive moves from Kensington Palace to Adelaide Cottage to Forest Lodge demonstrate the Wales family’s trajectory and their preference for Windsor’s relative privacy over London’s visibility. These residential decisions reflect broader royal family strategy emphasizing working royals’ needs over non-working or disgraced members like Harry and Andrew.
The Property’s Role in Royal Family Dynamics
Frogmore Cottage’s allocation, renovation, and subsequent eviction chronicle the Sussexes’ royal journey from celebrated newlyweds to departed family members. The Queen’s gift of the property following their wedding represented tangible support and welcomed them into senior royal ranks with appropriate accommodation. The £2.4 million renovation signaled institutional investment in their future as working royals contributing to the monarchy’s continuity.
The couple’s brief actual residence revealed growing tensions between their vision of royal service and institutional expectations. Their departure to North America within months of moving in, though officially temporary initially, foreshadowed the permanent break announced in January 2020. The cottage that should have been their family home for decades instead became a symbol of unfulfilled expectations and the widening gulf between Harry and his birth family.
King Charles’s eviction notice following “Spare” publication demonstrated that royal property access depends on maintaining family relationships and refraining from public criticism. The timing, shortly after the memoir’s damaging revelations, sent clear messages that public attacks on family members would not be tolerated without consequence. The eviction removed Harry’s last tangible connection to the Windsor estate, symbolically completing his separation from royal family beyond his bloodline.
The property’s subsequent vacancy suggests the eviction prioritized punishment over practical property use, supporting critics who view the move as petty retaliation. An occupied cottage generating rental income while providing Harry’s UK base would serve Crown Estate financial interests and maintain family connection. The empty property instead emphasizes broken relationships and the high costs of challenging royal family conventions through public disclosure and criticism.
Public Access and the Private Royal World
Unlike Windsor Castle with its public state rooms and St. George’s Chapel, Frogmore Cottage remains firmly within the royal family’s private residential sphere. The property cannot be visited by tourists, and public glimpses come only through occasional authorized photographs or aerial views. This privacy reflects its function as actual residence rather than ceremonial space or museum, though its placement within heritage grounds means it exists in liminal space between truly private property and publicly significant royal estate.
The limited public openings of Frogmore House and gardens provide tantalizing proximity to the cottage without actual access to it. Visitors exploring the house’s elegant interiors and walking garden paths pass near the cottage, seeing its exterior from distance without entering or closely approaching. This arrangement satisfies public curiosity while maintaining boundaries between the royal family’s private lives and their public roles.
The cottage’s Grade II listing means alterations require approval from heritage authorities, imposing external oversight on a private royal residence. This reflects the tension between the Crown Estate’s ownership and heritage preservation responsibilities, where even royal preferences must accommodate public interest in protecting historically significant architecture. The listing process documents the building’s evolution while restricting changes that might compromise its architectural integrity.
Media coverage of Frogmore Cottage illuminates public fascination with royal domestic life, where property allocation, renovation costs, and residential movements generate extensive commentary. The cottage’s modest size compared to palaces makes it more relatable to ordinary homeowners, while its royal connections and Windsor location maintain its extraordinary status. This combination of relatability and exclusivity explains sustained media and public interest in a property most will never see beyond photographs.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Frogmore Cottage and where is it located?
Frogmore Cottage is a historic Grade II listed Georgian residence built in 1801 within Windsor Home Park, approximately half a mile south of Windsor Castle in Berkshire, England. The property sits on the Frogmore estate within the Crown Estate’s private royal grounds and is not open to public visitors.
Who lives at Frogmore Cottage now?
As of November 2025, Frogmore Cottage is unoccupied. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were evicted in 2023 following publication of Harry’s memoir “Spare.” Reports suggest Prince Andrew may relocate there if he vacates Royal Lodge, though this remains unconfirmed.
How much did the Frogmore Cottage renovation cost?
The 2019 renovation converting Frogmore Cottage from five staff units into a single-family residence for the Sussexes cost £2.4 million, initially funded through the Sovereign Grant from taxpayer contributions. Prince Harry repaid the full amount in September 2020 after stepping back from royal duties.
Why were Harry and Meghan evicted from Frogmore Cottage?
King Charles III issued an eviction notice in January 2023, shortly after publication of Prince Harry’s memoir “Spare.” The eviction was widely interpreted as punishment for the book’s revelations about private royal conversations and criticism of Queen Camilla. The couple confirmed they were “requested to vacate” by March 2023.
Can the public visit Frogmore Cottage?
No, Frogmore Cottage is not open to public visitors as it remains private royal residential property. However, the larger Frogmore House and gardens open for limited charity days, typically three days in August, requiring advance booking and offering guided tours.
How many bedrooms does Frogmore Cottage have?
After the 2019 renovation, Frogmore Cottage has five bedrooms including four standard bedrooms plus a nursery, along with four bathrooms. The property previously contained ten bedrooms when subdivided into five separate staff residences.
What is the difference between Frogmore House and Frogmore Cottage?
Frogmore House is a larger 17th-century mansion that serves as the estate’s centerpiece, while Frogmore Cottage is a smaller Georgian property built in 1801 within Frogmore House’s grounds. Both sit on the Frogmore estate within Windsor Home Park and are owned by the Crown Estate.
Did Prince Harry pay back the renovation costs?
Yes, Prince Harry repaid the £2.4 million renovation costs in September 2020 through personal funds after stepping back from senior royal roles. The repayment addressed public criticism about taxpayer money funding the renovation for working royals who then left the United Kingdom.
Who built Frogmore Cottage and why?
Queen Charlotte, wife of King George III, commissioned Frogmore Cottage in 1801 as part of her Frogmore estate country retreat. Originally called Double Garden Cottage, it cost £450 to build and served as informal accommodation for the queen and her unmarried daughters away from Windsor Castle formality.
Is Prince Andrew moving to Frogmore Cottage?
Reports from October 2025 suggest Prince Andrew would consider vacating Royal Lodge if permitted to relocate to Frogmore Cottage, though nothing has been confirmed. Andrew reportedly previously rejected Frogmore as “not grand enough” but may now accept it under pressure to leave the much larger Royal Lodge.
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