Harry and Meghan admit they've been asked to 'vacate' UK residence Frogmore Cottage, with Prince Andrew set to move in

1 March 2023, 11:59 | Updated: 2 March 2023, 09:55

Harry and Meghan have broken their silence after being "evicted" from their UK residence at Frogmore Cottage in favour of Prince Andrew.

King Charles decided to evict Prince Harry and Meghan Markle from Frogmore Cottage in Windsor - and offered the couple's only home in the UK to Harry's uncle.

A spokesperson for the Sussexes said on Wednesday evening: “We can confirm The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been requested to vacate their residence at Frogmore Cottage."

Buckingham Palace issued an eviction notice to the couple just days after the release of Harry's tell-all memoir, Spare, Omid Scobie, one of the authors behind Harry and Meghan's biography, revealed earlier.

In the book, Harry made a series of revelations, including details on royal family feuds, how he lost his virginity and his experience taking drugs.

The Sussexes were told the property was needed for "someone else" as relations between them and the rest of the royals remain at "an all-time low", Mr Scobie claimed.

"It's news, sources tell me, that has left Harry and Meghan stunned, and at least two members of the Royal Family 'appalled'," he said.

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The Sussexes are now drawing up plans to ship their remaining belongings to the US while Prince Andrew has been offered the property, it is understood.

Mr Scobie said they had been given until after the Coronation in summer to remove their belongings after initially being told they would have just two weeks.

He quoted a friend of the couple as saying: "It all feels very final and like a cruel punishment. It’s like [the family] want to cut them out of the picture for good."

It comes after it was reported that Andrew was also being "evicted" from his from 30-room royal mansion.

He has lived in the Royal Lodge, which has a 98-acre estate, since 2003, when he secured a 75-year lease.

But the property is expensive to keep up and already in need of repairs - and Charles is planning to cut Andrew's £249,000 annual allowance.

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Andrew is said to be against the move but Harry and Meghan will be forced to leave the cottage - their only remaining home in the UK - regardless of whether he moves in or not.

"This surely spells the end of Harry and Meghan's time in the UK," a royal insider told the Sun.

"Andrew is resisting the idea of moving into Frogmore Cottage after he was offered it last week.

"But it shows Harry and Meghan are powerless to stop the eviction."

The couple were given use of the five-bedroom property by the Queen as a wedding present in 2018.

They ordered £2.4million worth of renovations before later moving in the following April.

When they stepped down from their royal duties in 2020 and moved to the US, Harry and Meghan paid back the cost of the renovations to the taxpayer and leased Frogmore for “several years”.

Harry and Meghan most recently renewed their lease on the property in May 2022, after Princess Eugenie and her partner left the estate.

It is unknown whether they plan to fight the "eviction".