Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have vacated Frogmore Cottage - palace confirms

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have officially moved out of Frogmore Cottage, Buckingham Palace has confirmed.

Prince Harry and Meghan have removed their belongings from their former home on King's Windsor Estate, with the news of their departure announced six months after they were reportedly asked to move out.

Sir Michael Stevens, Keeper of the Privy Purse, said: "We can confirm that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have vacated Frogmore Cottage. The Duke and Duchess have repaid the expenditure incurred by the Sovereign Grant in relation to the renovation of Frogmore Cottage, thus leaving the Crown with a greatly enhanced asset."

The property, which was previously divided into flats, underwent £2.4million of renovations before Harry and Meghan moved in in 2019.

NEWS: King Charles's royal household sets new diversity target - finance report reveals

© Getty

© Netflix

They lived there for just six months before announcing their decision to leave the UK for a new life overseas, but kept it as their UK base.

The couple later repaid the cost of the renovations in a deal which included leasing Frogmore Cottage for "several years".

But they were reportedly asked to leave in January this year, following the publication of Prince Harry's memoir Spare.

MORE: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle set for big family celebration?

REVEALED: Why this Friday is such a significant day for Prince Harry

© Misan Harriman

Palace officials refused on speculate on who might move in, amid reports that the Duke of York has been offered the five-bedroom property to free up his current residence, Royal Lodge. His private lease arrangement is separate from the Sovereign Grant funding.

Harry was last in the UK earlier this month when he gave evidence at the High Court over his alleged hacking claim against Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN), before that he had returned briefly for his father the King's coronation in May.

© Getty

© Getty

The Sussexes moved to the US in 2020 after stepping back as senior royals, and currently reside in Montecito, Santa Barbara with their children, Prince Archie, four, and two-year-old Princess Lilibet. 

Grade-II listed Frogmore was a gift to the couple from Harry's grandmother, the late Queen Elizabeth II.