Following the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's shock announcement last week, it's looking likely that the royal couple are making an imminent move to Canada. And since then reports have surfaced suggesting that the staff at their home, Frogmore Cottage, are being "let go". However, HELLO! understands that the staff are being redeployed around the estate at Windsor Castle and will be available to work if the couple do end up keeping the residence, which will no doubt be a topic for discussion next week.
© Photo: Getty ImagesFrogmore Cottage staff are to be redeployed around the estate
The Queen offered the use of Frogmore Cottage before the birth of Prince Harry and Meghan's first child. According to royal accounts published last year, renovations for the Windsor-based home cost the taxpayer £2.4 million in comparison. Frogmore Cottage was converted from five separate apartments into an official residence for the royal couple, with the majority of the work completed in the month before Archie was born.
READ: The reason Prince Harry and Meghan turned down Apartment 1 for Frogmore Cottage
Significant structural work to restore the Grade II-listed property to a single home over a period of six months was covered by the Sovereign Grant, which funds the Queen and her family's official activities. The couple paid for fixtures and fittings privately.
WATCH: A timeline of Prince Harry and Meghan
Meanwhile, Meghan has been back in Canada for more than a week after she and Harry confirmed they were stepping back from their roles as senior royals. The former actress has wasted no time in settling into her new life in the country, carrying out a secret visit to the Vancouver headquarters of Justice for Girls on Tuesday. She had also made a surprise appearance at the Downtown Eastside Women's Centre. The Duke and Duchess said they plan to split their time between the UK and North America, with a lot of speculation about where they might set up a second family home for themselves and their son Archie. Meghan is currently still staying on Vancouver Island in British Columbia, where the family spent their six-week break before Christmas.
READ: Cressida Bonas breaks silence over Prince Harry and Meghan's shock decision
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