The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s children “may not have a close relationship with the King” after the couple were evicted from Frogmore Cottage, a source has claimed.
Harry and Meghan were reportedly given “weeks” to pack up their British home at Frogmore Cottage after Harry’s memoir Spare hit shelves in January.
But in an olive branch for the couple, King Charles could offer Prince Harry and Meghan Prince Andrew’s apartment at Buckingham Palace.
A source said the couple were concerned that future visits would be “incredibly complicated” if they were forced to remain outside the security perimeters of a royal estate,” reported The Sunday Telegraph.
The couple, who moved to California three years ago, are said to be concerned about how the move will affect three-year-old Archie and one-year-old Lilibet’s relationship with their grandfather.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are said to be concerned that future visits to the UK will be “incredibly complicated”, a source claims
Following the eviction of Harry and Meghan from Frogmore Cottage in Windsor, there are now fears King Charles’ relationship with his grandchildren Archie and Lilibet could be affected
Earlier this week, journalist Omid Scobie claimed some members of the royal family were “appalled” by the decision to evict Harry and Meghan, and the couple are also said to have felt “stunned”.
A source reportedly told him: “It all feels very final and like cruel punishment. It’s like [the family] want to take her out of the picture forever.’
But the couple are not as “stunned” as previous reports have suggested, believing “if we have to move out, we’ll get ourselves out,” a source told The Times.
King Charles reportedly decided to evict Harry and Meghan from Frogmore Cottage as there were repeated broadsides to Queen Consort Camilla in his younger son’s memoir, Spare.
The monarch issued a notice to the Sussexes on Tuesday to vacate the five-bedroom mansion on the Windsor Estate – a move said to have the backing of his wife and the Prince and Princess of Wales.
The decision was obviously a difficult one for the king, as he was anxious not to add fuel to the ongoing argument with Harry.
However, he is understood to have reached a point where he believed Harry had “crossed a line” following claims in her Netflix series and The Prince’s bombshell memoir.
Yesterday the Duke of Sussex met with controversial “toxic trauma” expert Dr. Gabor Maté on a 90-minute conversation in which he spoke about grief, healing and mental health.
Royal observers said Harry was wary of attacking members of the royal family during the conversation, in which he made no mention of his brother Kate or Camilla.
At the £17-per-ticket livestream event, which included a free copy of his memoir Spare, Harry spoke about his drug use, his views on the war in Afghanistan and how he “felt different” from family growing up.
Preparations for King Charles’ coronation in May amid speculation that Harry may not attend his father’s coronation are piling up.
But many are hoping relations between the two sides could thaw after the Mail revealed on Sunday that King Charles could offer Prince Harry and Meghan Prince Andrew’s old suite at Buckingham Palace when they visit the UK.
It was also revealed in another royal carousel that the Duke of York could receive a £1.5million windfall if he leaves Royal Lodge this year.
A government document seen by The Mail on Sunday reveals that Prince Andrew would be entitled to a refund of money he spent refurbishing the 30-room Windsor estate when it first moved in two decades ago .
The Duke of York – who was pictured at the Windsor estate yesterday, smiling broadly at a jogger behind the wheel of his Range Rover – acquired the lease in August 2003, a year after the death of the Queen Mother, who had lived there
He then spent more than £7.5million on refurbishments. If he moves out within 25 years, he is entitled to a discount according to the lease. It’s calculated on a sliding scale, so if he leaves this year – 20 years after the end of his contract – he could get £1.5million back.
The document states: “Should the Duke wish to terminate the lease, ownership would revert to the Crown Estate.
St. James’s Palace is the oldest royal palace in London
Prince Andrew could be forced out of the Royal Lodge at Windsor and into Frogmore Cottage
Prince Andrew, who took his hybrid Range Rover on The Long Walk at the Windsor estate yesterday, could be in for a £1.5million cash rebate he spent on refurbishing his home
“The estate can then be asked to pay him compensation for the costs of remediation incurred. The maximum compensation of just under £7m is subject to annual cuts for the first 25 years. At the end of this period no compensation is payable.’
King Charles is said to be upset that Andrew insists he wants to stay at the Royal Lodge, which is estimated to cost an estimated £3million a year to guard.
Plans are underway for Andrew Frogmore Cottage to be offered when the Duke and Duchess of Sussex move out.
The Duke of York was photographed on a horse. Details of his lease at the Royal Lodge were made public in 2005 after Labor MP Ian Davison requested the information
A source said: “The Royal Lodge just isn’t fit for the Duke anymore. He is a single man living with his ex-wife, who owns property in London.
“The size of Royal Lodge means two teams are required [of bodyguards] – a mobile team and a static team – and that is a significant effort. The king is happy to keep his brother safe, but a better use of resources would be to house him at Frogmore Cottage.’
The details of the lease were released in a parliamentary document in 2005 after Labor MP Ian Davidson requested the information.
The document explains how, following the Queen Mother’s death, Andrew approached the Crown Estate to purchase the leasehold of the sprawling estate – which includes a swimming pool and several cottages on the grounds for staff. The royal family proposed the commercial lease instead.
However, the property is said to be too expensive to protect now that the Duke lost his state-funded policing detail when he was forced to step down from royal duties in 2019. He is now dependent on bodyguards paid by the king.