The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are known to enjoy spending their down-time at their country retreat in the Oxfordshire countryside, but recent reports have suggested that they now plan to move out of their second home ahead of their upcoming relocation to Frogmore Cottage in Windsor. According to the Daily Mail, the royal couple plan to cancel the lease early, despite taking out a two-year agreement on the former farmhouse in the run-up to their 2018 wedding.
Harry and Meghan will reportedly end the lease on their Cotswolds home
It's thought that the change of plan may be due to privacy concerns, though it may simply be because Harry and Meghan are looking forward to making Frogmore their permanent home as they prepare for the arrival of their first child in the spring. According to the publication, the couple are planning to move out of the Cotswold home as early as March.
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A statement read of the Sussexes' upcoming move to Windsor: "The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will move to Frogmore Cottage on the Windsor Estate early next year [2019] as they prepare for the arrival of their first child. The couple have lived at Nottingham Cottage since their engagement last year. Windsor is a very special place for Their Royal Highnesses and they are grateful that their official residence will be on the estate. The Duke and Duchess’s official office will continue to be based at Kensington Palace."
Harry and Meghan's new home is a special place for the couple, as it faces the stunning grounds of their wedding reception venue, Frogmore House, within Windsor's private Home Park. They have also submitted plans to renovate the cottage and turn it into a five-bedroom family home.
A view of Frogmore House; Harry and Meghan's new official residence will be nearby Frogmore Cottage
Officials from the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead have already approved a planning application to refit the Grade II-listed cottage and install two orangery extensions. The plans – which were approved in July, long before Prince Harry and Meghan’s move was confirmed – also include permission for a bedroom to be built above a studio in the grounds of the cottage.
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A further planning application was made in October, seeking permission for both internal and external works at the cottage and landscaping in its grounds. It is understood that Harry and Meghan hope to turn Frogmore Cottage into a five-bedroom family home, with enough room for a live-in nanny and a nursery for their baby. Kensington Palace have said that the costs of building work will be covered by the Sovereign Grant, while Harry and Meghan are expected to pay for any decorative updates.