As the world waits with bated breath for a reconciliation between Prince Harry and King Charles III, fresh revelations show how much damage the father and son will have to reverse to repair their relationship.
The story begins in March 2023, just months after Prince Harry released his tell-all memoir, Spare. The book, which hit shelves in January, sent shockwaves through the royal establishment with its candid revelations about life within the palace walls. In this charged atmosphere, King Charles asked Harry and Meghan to vacate Frogmore Cottage, a move many saw as a direct response to the memoir’s publication.
Frogmore Cottage, a Grade II-listed property nestled in the grounds of Windsor Castle, had been gifted to the Sussexes by Queen Elizabeth II following their wedding in 2018. The couple had invested significant time and resources into renovating the property, transforming it from staff quarters into a family home. For Harry, the cottage represented more than just a residence. The manor symbolized his place within the royal family and a connection to his British roots. So, being suddenly kicked out was a significant blow for the Duke of Sussex.
Harry and Meghan turned in their keys in June 2023, while all their private possessions were sent to their Californian residence. Now, royal expert and author Tom Quinn reveals the extent of the damage done by King Charles’ decision.
Prince Harry’s eviction from Frogmore Cottage is an obstacle in the path towards a royal reconciliation
According to Quinn, Prince Harry’s reaction to the eviction was one of intense emotional distress. “Harry was absolutely furious and in tears about being evicted from Frogmore – he felt his father had no right to do it and that it was purely vindictive,” Quinn revealed in an exclusive interview with The Mirror.
The eviction has struck a deep chord with Harry, reminding him of painful childhood memories involving the tumultuous divorce of his parents, Prince Charles and Princess Diana. “Harry took it as a cruel rejection — a painful reminder of all that he felt when his father fought with his mother during their long, drawn-out, painful divorce,” Quinn explained.
This incident has further strained the already tense relationship between Harry and the royal family. The duke, who stepped back from his role as a working royal in 2020, has struggled to reconcile his desire for independence with life outside the royal fold. Quinn notes that Harry “couldn’t see that choosing to stop being a working royal would inevitably mean being deprived of his royal residence.”
Still, while Harry was naive to think he could quit and keep all his privileges, the eviction from Frogmore Cottage has left the Sussexes without a U.K. base, complicating their visits to Britain and potentially impacting their security arrangements. The property’s location within the police perimeter around Windsor Castle had provided them with adequate police protection during their stays, even after their Metropolitan Police bodyguards were withdrawn.
As Prince Harry prepares for his upcoming visit to the U.K. on Sept. 30, the royal landscape remains fraught with tension and uncertainty. Not everyone is looking forward to a re-encounter between Harry and Charles. Still, the Duke’s visit to London marks the perfect opportunity for the royals to close a nasty chapter in their history.