An outraged King Charles reportedly turfed Harry and Meghan out of Frogmore Cottage following criticism of Camilla. Charles apparently took the decision over the five-bedroom cottage on the Windsor estate on January 11, the day after Harry's explosive memoir Spare was published.
Sources said the King was outraged by a string of Harry’s accusations such as his claim Camilla was responsible for leaking stories to the press. The Duke also referred to the Queen Consort as 'the villain' in TV interviews promoting the book.
Royal insiders said the revelations have resulted in serious damage to Harry’s relationship with his father and brother, Prince William. Charles took decisive action immediately after being passed a dossier of findings by aides revealing details from the explosive book.
The Prince said he and William had begged their father not to marry her. The Duke of Sussex confessed he eventually only wanted Camilla to be happy so she could be less 'dangerous', the Mirror writes.
In a TV interview, Harry added: “She was the villain. She was the third person in their marriage. She needed to rehabilitate her image.”
Royal sources have said the King was affronted by an accusation that Camilla had plotted to marry him. Harry said in the book: “Shortly after our private meetings with her, she began to develop her long-term strategy, a campaign directed at marriage and... the Crown (with the blessing of our father, we supposed).”
He added: “Stories started appearing in all the newspapers about her conversations with Willy, stories which recounted lots of small details, none of which came from my brother.”
An insider said: “It was the last straw. Harry was well aware how Camilla would be a red line for his father and he crossed with flagrant disregard anyway. The King felt without a doubt it crossed a line – it was the ultimate act of disrespect.”
The King has given Harry and Meghan until after the Coronation in May to clear their belongings from Frogmore Cottage after offering the residence to disgraced Prince Andrew.
However, the Duke of York is refusing to move from his lavish 30-bedroom Royal Lodge in the shadow of Windsor Castle, despite the King insisting on budget cuts to royal finances that would leave Andrew, 63, unable to pay for the mansion’s upkeep. Sources close to the Duke have said he will 'dig his heels in'.
After they moved to the US in 2020, Harry and wife Meghan had said Frogmore Cottage would remain their base when they visited the UK. A spokesperson announced that year the couple had repaid £2.4million in taxpayers’ money that was used to renovate the home when they were working members of the Royal Family.
Insiders are 'stunned' by the King’s decision to evict them and any expectation the Sussexes will attend the Coronation have now 'drastically changed'.
