Inside Frogmore Cottage: The plush home Harry and Meghan were ‘evicted’ from by King Charles

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle haven’t lived in Frogmore Cottage on the late Queen’s former Windsor estate since they left for a new life in the US in 2020 – but the property has remained a topic of conversation.

And the property boasts a rich history – indeed, it was once the home of Queen Victoria’s loyal Indian manservant Abdul Karim.

And from 1925 until 1934, the home was a place of sanctuary for Grand Duchess Xenia, the sister of Tsar Nicholas II. 

But in recent days, the property has been at the centre of a few tensions. 

It was claimed earlier this year that King Charles decided to evict the Duke and Duchess of Sussex from their only UK home, after Harry’s memoir Spare – in which he made a series of sensational claims against the Royal Family – hit UK shelves in January.

The Sun newspaper claimed that the Palace wanted to replace the pair with the disgraced Duke of York, who is currently understood to live at the much larger Royal Lodge.

Harry and Meghan have previously revealed a number of different photographs of the inside of their Grade-II listed five-bedroom property, which received a £2.4million renovation in 2019, with a collection of snaps appearing in their bombshell Netflix documentary. 

The Duke and Duchess renewed their lease on the property in May 2022 after Princess Eugenie and her partner – who moved in following the Duke and Duchess’s departure in 2020 – vacated the estate in a move to Portugal. 

But both the Sussexes and the Brooksbanks have revealed glimpses into the property.

Here FEMAIL reveals the inside of their home – from the modern kitchen to the stunning bookshelves, as well as it’s very famous past dwellers…

THE KITCHEN

Interior design expert Benji Lewis said: ‘There’s plenty of activity going on in here, the island suggesting mugs for tea are at the ready, the cafetière on the side on the back wall – this is a space that’s ready for welcoming people with ease.’

It’s practical too, the expert surmises. ‘There’s seemingly a spot that’s been allowed for, a kind of desk with a chair, where someone can sit and work with power close to hand – useful for the phone charger or plugging in a laptop.’ 

It appears as though keen chef Meghan had given the old kitchen – which was built in 1801 – a modern update with industrial-style touches. Lewis notes the property appears a far cry from their grand $14 million mansion in Santa Barbara.

He says: ‘As a whole, whilst careful thought has clearly been given to the lighting, the kitchen has much more of a homely, downtime ‘undone’ feel to it than anything super posh.’

Referencing the flooring seen in the new photos, Lewis says herringbone parquet floor is ‘a good alternative to straight boards and will provide a softer feel underfoot if going barefoot in your kitchen is something you enjoy.’ 

He adds: ‘Acoustically too, the timber finishes we see will be more gentle than a lot of hard surfaces like limestone or porcelain.’

Lewis says the casual feel extends to everything from the stools – ‘ensuring that your guests have a handy perch for chit chat while you’re sorting the menial working tasks’ to the soft lighting. 

He explains: ‘The inclusion of wall lights is good – these will provide a friendly ambient sideways glow whilst the row of pendants cast their light downwards onto the work surface, and the hardware on the door looks original; in an antique brass finish it’s homely and warm.’

Here, the interior designer looks in detail at each element of the Frogmore Cottage kitchen… 

1. Spacious breakfast bar

As part of their renovations, the couple opted for an open-plan kitchen – complete with a spacious breakfast bar.

Throughout the room, the pair had dark wooden cupboards installed which were finished off with a luxury marble countertop. 

To give it a more modern feel, it appears as though the circular handles on the drawers and cupboards were a trendy shade of gold.

As Meghan leaned across to kiss her husband, the Duchess also revealed a clear glass vase full of roses in display on their breakfast bar. 

Benji said: ‘The use of metallic cup handles on the cabinet door fronts bridges the gap between traditional and industrial. 

‘The way Meghan is sitting on the work surface would indicate that they might not have had these raised higher than the standard height of 90cm.’ 

 2. Framed Portrait

On the far wall, the pair had a black picture frame hanging beside a large spherical white lampshade.

Although it’s not clear exactly what the portrait is of, Benji says it contributes to the inviting feel of the room.

He added: ‘They’ve chosen a simple, contemporary black frame with white mount for the art, and sensibly hung that specific piece of art there because it fits the shape and space on the wall very well.

‘The tall cylinder drum lampshade in what looks like a neutral linen is also a nice modern touch. The ceiling being the height it is suggests the room is cosy rather than grand.’ 

3. Upgraded Sink

As well as creating a chic serving space for guests, the breakfast bar also housed their silver sink too – which had a useful extendable feature.

Benji said: ‘They’ve thought about the workability of the space; having the tap and sink on the island opposite the cooker is good so that when you wish to drain a pan of boiling water you have the sink nearby. 

4. Industrial Lighting

Overhead, the couple selected three matching metal industrial lights which were offset with strip lighting on the far well to provide a more dimmed effect in the open-plan living space. 

The expert continued: ‘The combination of recessed spots and the row of pendants have been positioned nicely to cast washes of downward light onto what looks like the kitchen island

‘The strips of light that they’ve included beneath the wall units and the shelf are also a great way of creating ambient light, I should think they’ll be on a separate circuit so that if the overhead lighting gets switched off in the evening, you still get a lovely practical glow onto the work surface

‘Similarly light in the underside of the extractor is a good way of getting task light just where you’ll need it.’

 5. Bonus counter space

In between the two separate doors, the Duchess had created an extra food preparation counter which had three matching containers all lined up in the corner.

To protect the walls, the couple had a pale tile splashback along with a sleek black microwave built into the wall. 

When commissioning their built-in cupboards for this space, the former Suits actress chose open shelving to display other glass trinkets and cookbooks.

Benji said: ‘Plenty of textural interest has been created with the finish on the wall above the range, it doesn’t look as if they chose matt tiles, rather something that provides some more overall reflective quality.

‘Using clear glazed wall units is a good counterfoil to the more robust look of what else is seemingly going on in the room, though you need to be mindful of people seeing whatever you store inside these!’ 

6. Panelled doors

What’s more, the couple appear to have maintained the property’s original doors – complete with a metal hanging lock which connects to the frame.

The expert said the white panelled door – which perfectly match the wall above the splashback – ties in well with the overall traditional yet modern aesthetic.

Benji explained: ‘They’ve got an interesting blend of traditional and semi industrial going on in the room – the four panel door painted white to match the wall space above the picture rail, while the extractor couldn’t make a bigger industrial statement with its metallic finish and hammered rivets.’

7. Hanging Rail

The expert says the hanging rail on the splashback perfectly ties in with the overall theme of the room – highlighting that Frogmore was designed to be a family home.

Benji said: ‘I like the rail for hanging pans, that runs above the range cooker, it means things are close to hand and you don’t need to rummage around inside cupboards to find what it is that you need.

‘And the tea towels hanging off the front of the cooker suggest this is a home rather than a space for standing on ceremony. The big plant in the foreground and vase of cut flowers are lovely inclusions.’ 

In 2019, it was reported that Meghan had hired Vicky Charles, the top designer of the Soho House clubs, to help decorate Frogmore Cottage.

Vicky has overseen the design of Soho House branches in Malibu, Chicago and Barcelona and the private members clubs are where prince Harry and Meghan Markle are said to have enjoyed their first dates. 

Shortly after the renovations on the house were complete, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle stepped down as working royals – with the Duke of Sussex later repaying the £2.4m of taxpayer money that went towards the family house in Windsor.   

The couple stayed at the Windsor residence this summer for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations. 

THE LIVING ROOM 

Prince Harry and Meghan offered royal fans a glimpse into their UK home of Frogmore Cottage as they shared Lilibet’s first birthday portraits last year.

The Duke and Duchess hosted a ‘relaxed’ garden party on Saturday for little Lilibet, one, at their home on the Windsor estate with birthday cake, balloons, party games and picnic snacks, it is understood. 

A number of photographs were released of the occasion, which appear to reveal their home’s stunning living space.

Interior designer Benji Lewis noted the property appears a far cry from their $14 million mansion in Santa Barbara.

He told FEMAIL: ‘Interestingly the look isn’t overly Hollywood, rather classic good taste with the antique rug laid on floorboards and what I’d imagine is a contemporary natural oak version of a Louis style armchair upholstered in ivory linen.’  

1. Sleek gallery lighting 

Just behind the Duchess of Sussex, Lili, and their group of friends, is a vertical light highlighting a piece of artwork on the wall.

The industrial style gallery lighting appears to be dark metallic material, in keeping with Meghan’s rugged style.

Back in 2019, Meghan hired the top designer of the Soho House clubs, Vicky Charles, to decorate Frogmore Cottage.

Ms Charles oversaw the design of Soho House branches in Malibu, Chicago and Barcelona.

According to the firm’s website they opened their first House in London in 1995 and now have 23 around the world.

They include London venues in Shoreditch, White City and Soho itself as well as a 100-acre farmhouse in Oxfordshire.

Other Soho House venues around the world include New York, Mumbai, Amsterdam and Istanbul.

Ms Charles has worked with friends of Harry and Meghan including the Beckhams and George and Amal Clooney.

The designer has been described as ‘ridiculously in demand’ and attracted a series of high-profile clients.

The gallery lighting is a known signature of the brand.

Meanwhile Benji also noted how the interior designer had been clever about the way she had lit the room.

He explained: ‘They’ve also thought about how and where they use artificial lighting, with the inclusion of a picture light – possibly in a timeless bronze finish – not only offering a wash of light onto the simply framed piece of artwork but providing some good accent illumination.’

2. Low cast iron radiator 

Just behind the Duchess’ back, a long low radiator can be seen running along the wall.

The exposed heating system runs the length of the wall behind Meghan and appears to finish behind her friends back across the room.

Benji revealed: ‘For the interior of the house, Harry and Meghan have given imaginative thought and chosen wisely when it comes to detail like the radiators, the lower level timeless style being adaptable for traditional or contemporary taste.’

3. Trendy ragroll walls 

In the snap, Meghan can be seen posing against a wall in a living room in her home, which appears to feature high ceilings.

And while the photograph is in black-and-white, meaning the colour of the wall isn’t clear, it appears to have been painted with a rag rolling effect.

Benji revealed: ‘Whilst the paint effect on the walls would have been seen as dated a year or so ago, this is a trend that’s making a huge comeback.  

‘It’s a shame we can’t tell what colour it is but I’d imagine it’s made up of layered neutral tones like ivory and tan, possibly in homage to the serenity we’ve seen of their California interiors.’

4. Focal point artwork reminiscent of Californian home

In photographs taken at their $14 million mansion in the US, the Duke and Duchess often showcase their distinctive taste in art.

As well as an ‘I Love You California print’, which is on display in their lounge, the couple also have a set of photographs showing different birds nests in one of the rooms of their home.

It appears they have replicated the style in their Frogmore Cottage home, with a large piece of framed artwork placed on a wall in their home.

While the pieces are currently unidentified, it is a bolder design than the Duchess’ usual choice, who often selects fine art for her home. It features a bold black frame and a thick white border. 

5. Floral rug 

While much of the Duchess’ home appears a more-traditional floral rug can be seen beneath the group in the portrait.

The rug appears large in the room – running across the length of the wall and almost covering the entire wooden flooring. 

It perhaps offers a softer surface a family home than exposed wooden flooring – for crawling babies, little toddlers learning to take their first steps or little ones racing across the room. 

6. Wooden flooring 

Beneath the rug, there appear to be exposed floorboards. 

When the Duke and Duchess were undertaking their £3 million renovation  on the property, it was reported the original wooden flooring was one of the things they were keen to keep. 

7. Ivory Louis style armchair 

To the front right of the image, an armchair covered in bright, light upholstery is clearly visible.

Meanwhile it also features a more classic style, with wooden legs and arms. 

The Louis is an enduring icon of French furniture history.

The Duchess has a similar vintage-looking arm chair in the study of her California mansion, complete with a mahogany-style wood framing and incredible cream fabric. 

8. Black plant pot 

In the right forefront of the image is a black plant pot, which appears to be balanced on a table. 

While it is not clear if there is a plant within the pot, Meghan performed a similar styling trick while working as an actress in Suits and living at her Toronto home.    

THE GARDEN 

Photos taken in the garden of Frogmore Cottage reveal a few details about the outside space the Duke and Duchess enjoyed. 

A still from the Duke and Duchess’s Netflix documentary Harry & Meghan reveals Prince Harry running around the garden of Frogmore Cottage chasing after the dogs. 

In the still, the Duke is seen tumbling over the freshly-mowed lawn with plenty of trees and bushes in the background, suggesting the couple lived in lush surroundings with lots of greenery.

Also in the shot is a wooden garden bench with a trellis behind and overhead, fit for growing climbing plants such as ivy or wisteria. Although bare at the time the photo was taken, the bench appeared a tranquil place within the garden.

Snaps of Lilibet’s first birthday also reveal a little more about the garden.

One photo of photographer Misan Harriman, a friend of the Sussexes, shows him relaxing in the Duke and Duchess’ garden on a set of garden chairs.

Behind the esteemed photographer, at the back of the freshly mown lawn, appears to be a large piece of fencing around a caged area.

While it is not known what this space is used for, sources previously revealed how the couple had an organic vegetable plot created in the gardens of their home.

Keen cooks Harry and Meghan planned to grow their own herbs, fruit and veg at Frogmore Cottage on the Queen’s Windsor estate, well-placed sources previously said. 

Meghan is a keen foodie who ran a food and lifestyle blog, The Tig, before her marriage. In an interview while she was still an actress, she said home-grown produce was the key to much of her love for food.

‘Growing up in southern California… I loved gardening and growing my own vegetables. That farm-to-table ethos was ingrained at such a young age,’ she said.

A royal source said in 2019: ‘The duchess has a passion for cooking so it was suggested to include a small plot in the spacious garden where they can grow some of their own produce.

‘She regularly cooks for Prince Harry and the cottage will be the perfect place for her to prepare meals with some home grown produce from their own garden.

‘It is understood that she wants to be able grow vegetables, herbs and soft fruits.’

Black and grey striped cushions 

The photographer and his daughter appeared relaxed as they lounged on the large outdoor  sofa with a variety of monochrome striped cushions.

It appears to offer a place in the room to relax and recline when relaxing with friends, or perhaps a space to enjoy a family meal.  

Practical black wire chairs 

Misan and his daughter can be seen relaxing on a wire frame sofa in a trendy industrial style in the garden.

The wired furniture is very reminiscent of the Duchess’ style in former homes – including her Vancouver apartment, where she lived before she married the Duke.

She has long been a fan of the industrial decor – among the books in the couple’s Montecito home is the interior design hardback Wood And Iron: Industrial Interiors.

It offers a guide to those wanting to decorate their home in the distinctive style.

According to it’s online description, it allows readers to dip into the world of industrial style, ‘presenting the most influential names in the genre, anonymous pieces salvaged from junk shops and carefully selected interior design projects.’

Industrial-inspired wire table 

During the one-year-olds birthday party, it appears guests sat around a wire table in the garden of the Frogmore Cottage home.

The grey wired table is evident in the forefront of the image with Misan, perhaps giving the Sussexes a place to dine outside, or to watch their children play on the lawn beyond.

Freshly mowed lawn 

A photo of one-year-old Lilibet shows her beaming while sitting on a on a freshly mowed lawn outside the couple’s Frogmore Cottage home.

Twitter royal commentator and friend of the Sussexes Omid Scobie said the couple invited close friends and family for an ‘intimate backyard picnic’ as he posted the picture.

The luscious green grass appeared the perfect space for the family and friends to enjoy the British sunshine, with the space ideal for games with children.

The background of the second photo has a rather more rustic feel about it, with the cut grass running simply up to whatever it is that’s growing there, but again no floral detail. 

Benji revealed: ‘Whilst everything looks neat and tidy in the part of the garden, with plenty of cut grass space for the children to run around on, it has the appearance of being somewhere that aside from a once over with the lawn mower and an occasional hedge clip, it’s given no more attention than that. 

‘It’s seemingly a garden that has to require minimum maintenance with not a flower or rose bed in sight, perhaps indicative of the fact that they’re not really in the UK very much.’

Outdoor storage 

While the outdoor lawn is perfectly manicured, with very few toys left out and minimal clutter, there is a brown box in the background of the image of Lili.

The brown crate is apparent in the top right of the image, and appears to have been placed against the outside of the cottage.

While the detailing on the box is not clear from the photograph, it appears to be some kind of outdoor storage for the Duke and Duchess.

Bamboo shoots

While the Duke and Duchess have a vegetable patch in what appears to be their back garden, bamboo shoots are also evident in the front of their home. 

In the background of the image of Lili appears to be a number of brown shoot, apparently offering support for plants or vegetables growing at the couples home. 

High hedges

Meanwhile the couple also appear to have a tall green hedge running along the length of their garden. 

WHO HAS PREVIOUSLY LIVED IN FROGMORE COTTAGE?

Queen Charlotte 

In 1792, King George III’s wife Queen Charlotte bought the house it to use as a country retreat for her and her daughters. 

Henry James Sr 

According to LBC, American theologian Henry James Sr, and his family, resided at the property before it was presented to Abdul Karim. 

Abdul Karim 

The cottage was once the home of Queen Victoria’s loyal Indian manservant Abdul Karim, who was thrown out and deported after his mistress died in 1901 – her relatives having long been suspicious of him. 

Their relationship inspired the 2017 film Victoria & Abdul, starring Judi Dench as the monarch and Ali Fazal as Karim.

Frogmore Cottage was built for Queen Charlotte’s gardener so he could be close to her glasshouses, where she grew shrubs and trees that were planted in the surrounding park.

Karim, who was known as the Munshi, or ‘teacher’, gained huge influence over Queen Victoria, which left many of her aides and family members scandalised.

Whilst they loathed him, Her Majesty would not hear a bad word said against him.

The two met in 1887, the year of the Queen’s Golden Jubilee, when the monarch, then 68, had been Empress of India for ten years.

Fascinated by the country, she employed Indian staff including two male servants, one of whom was Karim, then aged just 24. 

She described them in her journal, writing: ‘The one Mohamed Bush, very dark with a smiling expression, and the other, much younger, called Abdul Karim, is much lighter, tall and with a fine, serious countenance. 

‘His father is a native doctor in Agra. They both kissed my feet.’ 

Karim had soon turned to teaching his boss Hindustani – which is how he got his nickname – and the two became very close, with the Queen signing notes to him as ‘Your loving mother’.

Among the phrases he taught her were, ‘the tea is always bad at Osborne [House]’, and, ‘you will miss the Munshi very much’.

The servant ended up filling the void left by the death of her beloved John Brown, the Scottish attendant who had died in 1883. 

Their close relationship was also portrayed in another film, the acclaimed Mrs Brown in 1997, which also stared Dame Judi as Victoria.   

Karim’s place by the Queen’s side continued even when she was warned by Royal Physician Sir James Reid in 1897: ‘There are people who say the only charitable explanation is that Your Majesty is not sane, and the time will come when, to save Your Majesty’s reputation, it will be necessary for me to come forward and say so.’

The medic also reported that Munshi’s claim about his own father being a doctor was false. 

‘To make out that the poor good Munshi is low is really outrageous,’ she told him, adding that she had known two archbishops who were the sons of a butcher and grocer.

Sir James also told the Queen that the Munshi was suffering from gonorrhoea, the sexual disease.  

But Her Majesty, who had been in a state of more or less perpetual mourning since 1861, when her beloved husband Prince Albert died, showed Karim her appreciation by showering Karim with honours. 

She made him Indian Private Secretary and a Companion of the Indian Empire, awarding him the Eastern Star. 

His name also appeared in the Court Circular of official royal engagements, whilst the Queen had a portrait of him commissioned.

And in return, Karim introduced the Queen to chicken curry and dhal, which became a part of the royal menu.

Karim also had his own servant, as well as a cat and a canary, whilst Victoria gave him his own set of rooms at her beloved Osborne House on the Isle of Wight. 

In the last year of the Queen’s life, Karim was being paid the exorbitant salary of £922, the equivalent of more than £100,000 today.  

But Victoria’s death led to a dramatic turn in Karim’s fortunes.

Edward VII dismissed him and sent him back to India and ordered that the letters that he exchanged with the Queen be burned.

The former servant died in his homeland in 1909, aged 56.

King George V and Queen Mary 

During King Edward VII’s reign, Frogmore was used by the King’s son and daughter-in-law, the future King George V and Queen Mary. 

The Marquess of Cambridge and Lady Helena Gibbs

After Karim’s departure, Frogmore was lived in by Queen Mary’s brother, the Marquess of Cambridge. The Marquess’s daughter, Lady Helena Gibbs, also went on to live there. 

Grand Duchess Xenia 

And from 1925 until 1934, the home was a place of sanctuary for Grand Duchess Xenia, the sister of Tsar Nicholas II.

She was one of the few members of the Russian royal family to escape after the Bolsheviks ordered the murder of Tsar Nicholas and his family.

Princess Marina ‘Mira’ Dmitri 

Then came another Russian, the notorious Princess Marina ‘Mira’ Dmitri, who secured a lease on the cottage.

With the aid of an MI5 dossier, The Mail on Sunday this year revealed how the Princess Mira perpetrated a remarkable story of blue-blooded betrayal and deceit.

Not only was she on the lookout for extramarital sex – which included an affair with the late Queen’s uncle, the Duke of Kent – but by most accounts, she was also a spy. 

She arrived Britain in January 1932 with her poodle of a husband, a Russian prince, and from the off  was looking for trouble.

Princess Mira’s big friend was fashion designer Anna Wolkoff, who by the beginning of the Second World War had joined a secret fascist society in London whose aim was to help the Nazis overthrow the British government.

Wolkoff was eventually uncovered by secret agents, arrested, and, in 1940, sentenced to ten years in jail. But the spying had been going on for years!

Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank

The Brooksbanks had subletted Frogmore from the Sussexes before last year revealing that the will spend part of the year at the CostaTerra Golf and Ocean Club, a luxury resort an hour south of Lisbon on Portugal’s picturesque Atlantic coast. 

The couple, in May 2022, announced they would split their time between Portugal and Frogmore Cottage.

Recent years

More recently, Frogmore Cottage housed junior chefs working for the royals. 

Darren McGrady, who became the Queen’s chef, lived there early in his career and told how facilities were basic and ‘a little bit run-down.’

Thanks to recent events, we can be confident this is no longer the case. 

WHO LIVES IN FROGMORE COTTAGE NOW? 

It is not currently confirmed who resides, or is set to reside, in Frogmore cottage. 

Meanwhile, last week the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were all smiles during their first public outing since their eviction from the property, it has emerged.

Harry and Meghan were spotted holding hands, smiling and laughing as they left an office building in Santa Barbara, California last Friday.

It is unknown what business the pair had been visiting in the complex which houses several firms including a karate studio, hair salon, pilates studio and the Self Enquiry Life Fellowship which promotes higher yoga and Himalayan meditation.

It is the first time the couple, who were accompanied by an unidentified man presumed to be a member of their security detail, have been spotted since the pair officially vacated the cottage at the request of King Charles III.

The cottage, which was refurbished by the couple and is a Crown Estate property, was their last remaining foothold in the UK.