Frogmore Cottage, the modest former home of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, is a far cry from their luxury Montecito lifestyle with their young children, Prince Archie, seven, and Princess Lilibet, five.
The Sussexes famously resided in one of the smallest properties in the royal portfolio; however, there was once another fairytale cottage on the estate that has gone largely unnoticed by royal fans.
© GettyThe sprawling land in Windsor Park was once home to The Hermitage. The quaint countryside home was designed by Princess Elizabeth, the third daughter of George III, who passed away in 1840.
The Royal Collection Trust previously shared fascinating details about the cottage, which has been memorialised in a beautiful watercolour drawing by Samuel Howitt.
© GettyAccording to the artist, the property was "built in 1775 at the cost of £44,000", while the artwork was acquired by the late Queen Elizabeth II.
The Royal Collection Trust also revealed that according to a contemporary description of 1823, "the interior was lined with moss and was furnished with such accommodation as a recluse may be supposed to want – wooden utensils, rude seats, and a rough table, covered with an excellent imitation of fruit, while a picture of a venerable hermit graces one corner."
Frogmore Cottage today
Though The Hermitage no longer stands, Frogmore Cottage is very much still a gem in the crown of the royal property portfolio.
© NetflixThe home, which covers over 5,000 square feet, offers four bedrooms and a nursery, as well as four bathrooms. The renovation costs to transform it reportedly cost £2.4 million under the instruction of Prince William's brother and sister-in-law and was covered by the Sovereign's Grant.
Upon their removal to the United States, Harry and Meghan, who were leasing Frogmore by permission of his grandmother the late Queen, repaid the costs.
© NetflixThe home featured a modern kitchen with a large island and atmospheric downlighting. It also had a sprawling garden where Prince Harry enjoyed playing with the dogs.
The estate holds many memories for the couple as not only did they live there in their first married years, but the neighbouring Frogmore House provided the backdrop to their engagement photoshoot.
Princess Eugenie sublet the home from Prince Harry from November 2020 to May 2022, when she reportedly vacated the property along with her husband Jack Brooksbank. The pair have since picked up sticks and moved to the Algarve.
In March 2023, after the Sussexes were asked to vacate the property by King Charles, Eugenie's father Prince Andrew was reportedly offered the cottage in exchange for surrendering his lease on Royal Lodge.
Harry and Meghan's home today
Since deciding to step down as working members of the royal family and fleeing the UK for a new life in the US, Harry and Meghan have lived at the sprawling Chateau of Riven Rock in Montecito.
The 18,671-square-foot mansion was purchased by the couple in June 2020 for $14.6 million. Nestled on a private road behind secure gates and a long driveway, the estate fits right into Santa Barbara's ultimate A-list enclave, counting neighbors like Oprah Winfrey, Katy Perry, Orlando Bloom, and Jennifer Aniston.
© Getty
The couple instantly fell in love with the property, as Meghan shared with The Cut: "We did everything we could to get this house... because you walk in and go… Joy. And exhale. And calm. It's healing. You feel free."
The Sussexes opened their doors to the world in their Netflix docuseries, Harry & Meghan, offering glimpses into their private life. Inside, they share a joint home office to manage their Archewell projects, an open-plan kitchen-diner perfect for entertaining, and a large, modern lounge, but the standout feature of the entire estate is definitely the sprawling, tiered garden.
