Is it a punishment or a common sense choice? King Charles has asked his youngest son, Prince Harry, and his daughter-in-law, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, to clear their belongings from Frogmore Cottage. The lease of the property had been given to the couple by Queen Elizabeth II as a wedding gift. If they are not the owners, the domain belonging to the crown, they had the enjoyment of it.
It is clear that since their withdrawal from their royal duties, their move to the United States and their vitriolic accusations against the royal family, Harry and Meghan are rare on British soil. The 10-bedroom house, which they had renovated, initially at the expense of the taxpayer, before repaying the 2.4 million pounds sterling (2.7 million euros) after their departure, is vacant. They have resided there only twice in three years: for the first birthday of their daughter Lilibet and the funeral of Elizabeth II.
Not a gift
The spokesperson for Archewell, the foundation of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, confirmed to the press, whose BBC, that the order had been given to pack the boxes. “We can confirm that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been asked to vacate their residence at Frogmore Cottage,” he said.
What will Charles III do with this royal residence once emptied by the Sussexes? Several media claim that the king has decided to install his brother, Prince Andrew, there. And this should not be seen as a largesse granted by the monarch.
The setbacks of Prince Andrew
Charles III would indeed have no intention of assuming the lifestyle of his brother at the expense of the crown (and therefore partly of the taxpayer), unlike their mother, according to the Daily Beast. This proposal to take over the lease of Frogmore Cottage would therefore correspond to what the 63-year-old Duke of York can afford today.
The latter would have some financial worries since he was forcibly retired and stripped of his titles, after being accused of sexual assault by Virginia Giuffre. The young woman, who is one of the victims of Jeffrey Epstein, friend of Prince Andrew, had filed a civil complaint. The case had been settled before the start of the trial, with Andrew paying a hefty sum (approximately £12 million according to media reports, including the Time Magazine which he would have settled not without the financial assistance of his mother) to put an end to the proceedings, while proclaiming his innocence.
The one who is nicknamed “the favorite son of the queen” currently lives at the Royal Lodge, next to Frogmore Cottage, in Windsor. The only difference: his residence is made up of 31 rooms, an upkeep that he would not be able to assume alone. King Charles III promised to reduce crown spending as Britain faces an unprecedented crisis. He seems to stick to it.