The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been left “stunned”, sources claim, by reported plans to move Prince Andrew into their former UK home, Frogmore Cottage.
The couple are said to be making arrangements to have their remaining belongings shipped from the royal residence to their home in Califonia after being “evicted” by King Charles III.
The 10-bedroom house in Home Park, Windsor, was gifted to the couple by the late Queen Elizabeth II after they married in 2018.
However, The Sun reports that Charles has now offered the property to the disgraced Duke of York, who is reportedly resisting attempts to move him out of the 30-room Royal Lodge in Windsor Great Park, where he has lived since 2003.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have since confirmed that they have been asked to vacade Frogmore Cottage.
Last week, it was reported that he signed a 75-year lease upon moving into the residence, for which he pays £250 per week. The Royal Lodge is worth an estimated £30m, but it is estimated that Andrew has spent millions on upkeep of the home.
The Independent has contacted representatives for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, and the Palace, for comment.
Sources allegedly close to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have now claimed the couple are “stunned” by the decision, which comes shortly after the release of the duke’s controversial memoir Spare, and ahead of Charles and Camilla’s coronation in May.
At least two members of the Royal Family are also “appalled” by the decision, Yahoo News reports.
“It all feels very final and like a cruel punishment,” a friend of the couple told the publication. “It’s like [the family] want to cut them out of the picture for good.”
Harry aired his grievances with the royal family in his memoir, which was released in early January.
Among the revelations in the book was his explosive allegation that his brother William, the Prince of Wales, physically attacked him, while Charles pleaded with them not to allow their feud to “make my final years a misery”.
The couple also made a number of allegations against Buckingham Palace, primarily around the alleged “planting” of negative stories about Meghan to the press, in their Netflix docuseries Harry & Meghan.
Harry is understood to be seeking an apology from both the King and Prince William before he makes any commitment to attend the coronation.
Last week, he and Meghan were the subject of a “brutal” South Park episode, which included jokes about his memoir and their move to the US.
The couple issued a statement shortly after the episode aired, debunking rumours that they were considering taking legal action over the animated TV show.
