Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, have recently been asked to vacate Frogmore Cottage, the couple’s official UK residence, their spokesperson told CNN on Wednesday.
“We can confirm The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been requested to vacate their residence at Frogmore Cottage,” they said.
The statement came after a report in The Sun, claiming the pair were being evicted, which is owned by the Crown Estate, and that it had been offered to Prince Andrew, one of King Charles III’s younger brothers.
Buckingham Palace said Wednesday it had no comment. A royal source went on to tell CNN that any discussions on the matter would stay private between the family.
Harry and Meghan are now residing in California, but they had retained Frogmore as their UK base. The property was gifted to the couple by the late Queen Elizabeth II.
They came under fire after they stepped away from the public eye and the costs of the cottage’s £2.4 million (about $3 million) renovations became public. This money had been paid by the British taxpayers and the couple paid it back since they moved to the United States. The work that went into the property was the removal of a chimney, the installation of a fireplace, fixing the roof, and a new staircase. The cost of all the details and furnishings were paid for privately by the duchess.
The Sussexes continued to stay at the property when they would go back to the UK, including when they returned for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee over the last summer.
Prince Andrew currently stays at the Royal Lodge at the edge of the Windsor estate. The Duke of York was forced to step back from his royal duties in 2019 after his friendship and involvement with sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein became public.