The Duke and Duchess of Sussex put on a united front as they enjoyed a date night in Hollywood after confirming they have been “requested to vacate” their UK home at Frogmore Cottage.
Harry and Meghan, who moved to the US after giving up their duties as working royals, were pictured arriving in a chauffeured SUV before joining friends at private members’ club San Vicente Bungalows where regulars include Hailey Bieber and Sandra Bullock.
It came as it was revealed they are being evicted from the home, near Windsor Castle, following the publication of Harry’s tell-all memoir Spare which sent shockwaves through the royal family.
A spokesman for the couple, who were given the house by the late Queen as a wedding gift, said: “We can confirm the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been requested to vacate their residence at Frogmore Cottage.”
The pair renovated the house at a cost of £2.4 million but only lived there for six months before moving to the US.
Reports have claimed the move was sanctioned by the King and it will remove their remaining foothold in the UK and further weaken ties with the royal family. The decision is likely to be interpreted as a major rebuke by the King to his son, who since moving to North America in 2020 has criticised the monarchy and individuals within the institution, alleging racism and a lack of support.
With the couple’s permanent UK base now gone, there will be speculation about whether they will receive an invite to the King’s Coronation on May 6. Grade II-listed Frogmore is only a short walk from Kate and William’s new family home at Adelaide Cottage.
Spare sold more than 3.2 million copies and topped the best-seller charts around the world, but sparked fears of a permanent rift between Harry and his family. The book included accusations William knocked him to the ground during a row about Meghan and that Camilla leaked stories about him to build her own profile at his expense.
In his first speech after he acceded to the throne, the King said he wished to “express my love for Harry and Meghan as they continue to build their lives overseas”, but it is still not known if they will attend the Coronation.
Speaking to ITV’s Tom Bradby ahead of Spare’s publication, Harry was asked if he would attend and replied: “There’s a lot that can happen between now and then. But, the door is always open. The ball is in their court. There’s a lot to be discussed and I really hope that they’re willing to sit down and talk about it.”
The Sun reported that the King had offered the use of Frogmore to the Duke of York, but with the property being substantially smaller than Andrew’s Royal Lodge home which he shares with ex-wife Sarah, a move is said to be unlikely.
Andrew was stripped of his royal duties after he agreed to an undisclosed out-of-court settlement in a civil sex claim against him last year. Buckingham Palace declined to comment.
