Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have unexpectedly renewed the lease on their Windsor property Frogmore Cottage, according to reports.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex spent six months living in the property, which is in the Home Park estate, before relinquishing their royal duties and moving to California in 2020.
The pair will stay at Frogmore Cottage during the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations next week along with their children Archie, three, and Lilibet, who turns one on Saturday.
The Sun reports that the property is currently empty as tenants Princess Eugenie and her husband Jack Brooksbank are in Portugal.
Harry, 37, and Meghan, 40, had been expected to let the Frogmore Cottage lease expire after they left the UK for America, but they reportedly committed to a new 12-month rolling deal last month.
Royal insiders believe the move could mean that the Sussexes plan to spend more time in Windsor.
One insider told the Sun: “It is quite a signal that they aren’t going to disappear. They could easily give up Frogmore as their life’s now in California.
“By agreeing to extend the lease, and with Jack and Eugenie focusing on Portugal, they have a firm presence smack bang in the middle of the Windsor court where it’s all happening. They can now come and go any time they please.
“The coming year could be one of the most tumultuous in royal history and the Sussexes are making sure they have a foothold in Windsor.”
A Buckingham Palace spokesman said: “Frogmore Cottage remains the UK home of The Duke and Duchess of Sussex.”
It was reported last week that Harry and Prince William have been attempting to mend their relationship with weekly online messages and face-to-face chats ahead of their Queen’s Jubilee meeting.
William made the first move to heal the family rift before next weekend’s celebrations.
The brothers have been messaging each other every few days on WhatsApp – and are also having regular FaceTime calls with their respective children.
But wives Meghan and Kate have so far held back from onscreen contact, giving their husbands time to fix their relationship one-to-one.
A source said William, 39, had been disappointed about the abrupt way the Duke and Duchess of Sussex left the royal family and moved to California – but that he has now moved on.
