King Charles III may have given Prince Harry and Meghan Markle the Frogmore Cottage boots, but he could have an offer the couple wouldn’t refuse.
The monarch may give the Duke and Duchess of Sussex the keys to their Buckingham Palace apartment as their UK residence when they arrive, reports the Independent. According to the publication, the suite of rooms that the king can offer the couple previously belonged to Prince Andrew.
Christopher Andersen, author of The King, told Fox News Digital that it is likely that Charles, 74, will offer his son an olive branch before his coronation. The King will be crowned on May 6 at London’s Westminster Abbey.
According to reports, King Charles III will offer Prince Harry and Meghan Markle an apartment at Buckingham Palace. (Photo by Matthew Lloyd/Getty Images)
“The king’s decision to evict the Sussexes from Frogmore Cottage has caused some backlash and the last thing Charles wants is to look like a heartless landlord,” Andersen explained. “The King also needs to throw a lifeline to Harry – a place where he can bring his family – and feel safe if the Sussexes decide at the last minute to attend the coronation.”
“It remains to be seen whether this will be enough to persuade Harry and Meghan to return to London for this big day,” Andersen said. “Given all the criticism they’ve received on both sides of the pond, it’s likely that the Sussexes would prefer to take shelter in place.”
A spokesperson for the couple confirmed on Sunday that Harry “recently received an email from His Majesty’s office regarding the coronation.”
PRINCE HARRY AND MEGAN MARKLE RECEIVE INVITATION TO CORONATION FROM KING CHARLES III
A spokesman for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex (right) confirmed that Prince Harry received a letter announcing the coronation of King Charles in May. It is not yet clear if the couple will take part. (Getty images)
“An immediate decision on whether the Duke and Duchess will attend is not being disclosed by us at this time,” the spokesperson added.
Buckingham Palace did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Royal expert Shannon Felton Spence told Fox News Digital that the king needs to set up a home base for the Sussexes whenever they want to come. According to her, the goal is for the king to see his two little grandchildren.
Frogmore Cottage was supposed to be the home of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. (Getty images)
“It’s unrealistic to think that the king was ever going to force them to book a hotel or Airbnb,” said Felton Spence. “In fact, he wants to see his grandchildren. When they come to visit, it will most likely only be for the big events of the royal family… I guess it’s so he can keep an eye on them? No. Buckingham Palace has 775 rooms. solution.”
“[But] no one likes to live in Buckingham Palace, she said. “They all want to live in Windsor. It is less fishy and less rich (although quite rich). Buckingham Palace is not a family home. This is an office. The king does not have to worry about Buckingham Palace being empty, as he does with other properties. Buckingham Palace will always be maintained, it will always have staff. It’s a very economical choice to say, “Hey, when you arrive, you can stay here.”
“Buckingham Palace has its own set of rules that would not be in Frogmore Cottage or anywhere else,” said Felton Spence. “It’s not so much to keep an eye on them, but just to keep them around.”
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King Charles is reportedly handing over the keys to Frogmore Cottage to his younger brother Prince Andrew, pictured. (REUTERS/Neil Hall)
On March 1, a spokesperson for the Archewell Foundation told Fox News Digital: “We can confirm that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been asked to vacate their residence at Frogmore Cottage.”
Frogmore Cottage on the grounds of Windsor Castle, west of London, was conceived as the couple’s main residence before they stepped down from royal duties in 2020 and moved to Southern California. The Sun reported that Charles began the eviction process on January 11, the day after the publication of Harry’s explosive memoir Spare.
The revelations made by 38-year-old Harry in The Substitutes deepened the rift between him and his family. The book included his account of private conversations with his father and brother, Prince William.
The eviction process began after Prince Harry’s memoir Spare was published in January. (Photo by Matt Cardy/Getty Images)
The Prince also singled out Camilla, the Queen Consort, accusing her of leaking private conversations to the media as she sought to rehabilitate her image after marrying Charles. Camilla, 75, was once reviled for her years-long affair with Charles, which contributed to the breakdown of his marriage to the late Prince Diana, Harry and William’s mother.
After leaving the UK, Harry and Meghan said that Frogmore Cottage would remain their base when they visited the UK. However, in a report to Yahoo! News, ‘In Search of Freedom’ author Omid Scobie said the property will now go to Prince Andrew, who is being sacked from his more luxurious Royal Lodge residence.
The Duke of York stepped down from royal duties in 2019 after a TV interview about his controversial ties to the late American financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
EVICTION OF MEGHAN MARKLE AND PRINCE HARRY FROM FROGMORE COTTAGE: ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE ROYAL HOUSE
Prince Andrew (right), recognized by many as the late Queen’s favorite son, stepped down from royal duties in 2019. (Chris Jackson/Getty Images)
Felton Spence said the possibility of the Sussexes getting an apartment at Buckingham Palace “is not a diss” on the King’s part.
“The president gets invitations to stay at Buckingham Palace,” she said. “I was told that Andrew was assigned a guest room. Remember, he was kicked out of Buckingham Palace a while back and I said it was because he didn’t need an office. family member – he does not need an office or access to high-profile events held in a brothel. This is more a signal of Andrew’s exile than any anger towards Harry and Meghan. Frogmore Cottage’s decision was associated with a downgrade of Andrew to affordable property “.
Kinsey Schofield, host of the To Di For Daily podcast, told Fox News Digital that Buckingham Palace has something that Harry has been fighting for in court.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex live in California with their two young children. (Getty images)
“Buckingham Palace has all the security measures in the world,” Schofield said. “However, I heard that the king is ready to temporarily allow them to use Frogmore if they come to the coronation.”
“Sources close to Harry and Meghan say the Sussexes originally wanted to move to Buckingham Palace when they were planning their future,” she said. “Buckingham Palace is one of the most remarkable sights in the world. Megan would have loved that right to brag. There is a photograph of Meghan on vacation sitting in front of Buckingham Palace at the age of 15. Meghan would probably have felt a sense of self-importance knowing that she lived in the former residence of the Queen.”
Harry had previously sued the UK government’s refusal to allow him to personally pay for police protection during his visit to the UK. In 2022, Harry’s lawyers said at a court hearing that he did not want to bring his children home because it was not safe.
MEGAN MARKLE AND PRINCE HARRY ‘Dazed’ by ‘cruel’ eviction of KING KARL FROGMOR, REPORT SEEMS
Prince Harry is worried about bringing his children to the UK because he doesn’t feel safe without proper protection. (Chris Jackson/Getty Images for Invictus Games Dusseldorf 2023)
Harry wants to be able to pay for security, saying that his US private security service does not have proper jurisdiction overseas or access to UK intelligence information.
During a High Court hearing in London, Harry’s lawyer Shahid Fatima said the prince “does not feel safe when he is in the UK, given the security measures being applied to him.”
“It goes without saying that he wants to return to see family and friends and continue to support the charities that are so close to his heart,” she said. “More than anything, it is and always will be his home.”
King Charles III and his wife Camilla, Queen Consort, will be crowned on May 6 at Westminster Abbey in London. (Alastair Grant)
In September 2020, a spokesperson announced that the couple had paid back £2.4 million ($3.2 million) of British taxpayer money that was used to refurbish Frogmore Cottage while they were working members of the royal family.
According to a spokesman, the money “fully covered” the cost of the repairs.
The couple resides in the wealthy coastal town of Montecito.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
