There’s no place like home. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have lived in many different places all over the world throughout their relationship.
Nottingham Cottage (London, England)
After getting engaged in 2017, Meghan retired from acting and relocated to the U.K. The Suits actress moved into Harry’s 1,324-square-foot home on the grounds of Kensington Palace. The historic building, which was nicknamed Nott Cott, has two bedrooms and one bathroom.
“Kensington Palace sounds very regal. Of course it does. It says ‘palace’ in the name, but Nottingham Cottage was so small,” the Bench author said in Netflix’s December 2022 Harry & Meghan docuseries.
The military veteran added, “The whole thing’s on a slight lean. Really low ceilings. I don’t know who it was for. They must have been short.”
The Sussexes fondly recalled their time in the cozy residence. “It was just a chapter of our lives where I don’t think anyone could believe what it was actually like behind the scenes,” Meghan said, noting how they would garden and just relax like any normal couple.
However, with only two bedrooms, the pair had to eventually move to a bigger place in order to accommodate their expanding family.
Frogmore Cottage (Windsor, England)
The pair moved out of London to Windsor in 2019. Located about 25 miles from London, Frogmore Cottage was built in 1801 during Queen Charlotte’s reign. Queen Elizabeth II gifted the cottage to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, and they renovated it ahead of their son Archie’s May 2019 arrival.
“It was a place where we had so many memories,” Meghan gushed about Frogmore in the Netflix docuseries. “From our courtship, our engagement, our wedding, our walks. And then where we ended up, you know, having our baby.”
The Archewell cofounders spent $3.1 million (£2.4 million) updating the building and converting five apartments into a family home, which they later voluntarily repaid to Harry’s father.
Though the couple thought that Frogmore would be their long-term home, they ended up leaving in early 2020 after stepping down from senior royal duties.
Because they spent so little time in the U.K., King Charles III asked the couple to vacate in March 2023. “We can confirm The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been requested to vacate their residence at Frogmore Cottage,” a spokesperson for the couple’s Archewell foundation told Us Weekly in March 2023.
Charles reportedly claimed the residence was needed for Prince Andrew.
Vancouver Island Rental (British Columbia, Canada)
After they stepped down as senior royals, Meghan and Harry relocated to Canada. “From morning to night we didn’t have to give a thought to being ambushed,” the BetterUp CIO wrote in his 2023 memoir, Spare. “The house was right on the edge of a sparkling green forest, with big gardens where Archie and the dogs could play, and it was nearly surrounded by the clean, cold sea.”
“Best of all, no one knew we were there. We hiked, we kayaked, we played – in peace,” he wrote.
They enjoyed their serene rental — until a British tabloid revealed their location, sending paparazzi their way in March 2020. As their new home was made public, the COVID-19 pandemic began.
“And at that moment, our location was exposed. We knew our security was being pulled. Everyone in the world knew where we were, so we weren’t gonna be safe there,” Meghan said in the Netflix documentary, noting that they were going to close the Canadian border.
“There comes a point when you’re worried about what, what could happen next, and therefore, you’ve got to do what I guess any husband and father would do, which is get the hell out of there,” Harry said.
Montecito Mansion (Santa Barbara, California)
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic and borders potentially closing, the Sussexes moved to Meghan’s home state. They stayed with Tyler Perry in Los Angeles temporarily before they found their $14.65 million Mediterranean-style villa in summer 2020.
They’ve made Santa Barbara their home as they’ve expanded their family. Daughter Lilibet was born in June 2021, and Meghan’s mother, Doria Ragland, is nearby to dote on her grandchildren.
Harry has made it clear that he’s happy living in the U.S. with his growing family, despite missing some parts of living in England.
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“I miss the weird family gatherings when we’re all sort of brought together under one roof for, you know, certain times of the year‚ that I miss. Being part of the institution meant that I was in the U.K. So I miss the U.K. I miss my friends,” Harry revealed in the Netflix doc. “I’ve lost a few friends in this process as well. … I mean, I came [to Los Angeles] because I was changed. I changed to the point that I’d outgrown my environment. Therefore, this was the most obvious place to come. You know, it’s one of the places where I think my mom [Princess Diana] was probably gonna end up living potentially.”
