07 January 2023 , 07:00
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Prince Harry has reportedly admitted to being envious of his older brother's home in Kensington Palace while he and his wife Meghan made do with cheap furnishings at their humble two-bed Nottingham Cottage.
Among the scandalous allegations allegedly made in Prince Harry's tell-all memoir Spare - which has been leaked after accidentally going on sale in Spain ahead of its publication in the UK next week - he draws a comparison between the two royal couple's former homes in a moan about how he was 'jealous' of Prince William and Kate's neighbouring set up.
In an extract viewed by the Telegraph, Harry reveals that they were forced to make do with an IKEA lamp and a discount sofa, which was purchased from sofa.com using Meghan's credit card.
How do the two neighbouring royal abodes compare? (Netflix/Getty)But he was stunned by the opulence of the Prince and Princess of Wales' abode with its valuable artworks and lavish decor, leaving him "embarrassed" after spending time with them.
Within the 410-page book, Harry also claims his 'Notts Cott' was where he was allegedly attacked by his brother in a row about his wife.
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Amid the brow-raising admissions, we take a look at the future King's old family home at Kensington Palace along with Harry and Meghan's former abode at the palace grounds.
Nottingham Cottage
Harry having a bit of grub outside the cottage (Netflix)
Harry doing some varnishing (Netflix)Nottingham Cottage, known affectionately as 'Notts Cott', is where Harry and Meghan started their royal life together.
It became their first shared home in 2017 after Meghan quit her role on Suits and moved from Toronto to London to be with the prince.
The cottage was a special place for Meghan and Harry, and it's where the prince got down on one knee to propose as the couple enjoyed a quiet night in cooking a roast chicken.
Inside the cosy living room with cream sofas and a gallery wall (Netflix)
The couple found the two-bed cottage to be too small (Netflix)However the cottage, which lies within the grounds of Kensington Palace, was deemed "too small" by Meghan in their Netflix docuseries - Harry & Meghan.
Viewers were able to get a sneak peek inside, including a look at the kitchen where Harry claims in his book Spare that he was attacked by Prince William.
Megan holding a garden hoe (Netflix)
Meghan dancing in the doorway of the cottage (Netflix)The kitchen has a black and white diamond patterned floor, with white kitchen units and a magnet on the dishwasher that read 'Nott Cott'.
It wasn't the space the couple had envisioned themselves living in though, and they moaned about the conditions in the fourth episode of their docuseries.
They claimed the public assumed they were living in a massive mansion, but highlighted they were only in a "small" home neighbouring his older brother.
Nott Cott's kitchen with black and white tiled floor (ITV)Harry said in the Netflix series: "As far as people were concerned we were living in a palace. [But] we were living in a cottage on palace grounds."
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Meghan added: "Kensington Palace sounds very regal, of course it does, it says palace in the name. But Nottingham Cottage was so small."
While it is the smallest royal abode on the 17th-century estate, which is where Harry grew up, it boasts reception rooms designed by Sir Christopher Wren - the architect behind St Paul's Cathedral.
And despite their comments, Rightmove told The Mirror that the average asking price for a two-bed in Kensington is a whopping £1,361,436 - with demand for that sized property up 7 per cent. on last year.
"The whole thing was really small on a slight lean with low ceilings," Harry continued to say.
The former Suits actress also revealed her husband hit his head constantly "because he's so tall".
Meghan in the yard gardening (Netflix)
Harry was "too tall" for Nott Cott (Netflix)But Prince William and Princess Kate also had their time there, when their firstborn Prince George was just a baby.
Harry then made the cottage his bachelor pad in 2013 after his brother and sister-in-law moved into the 20-room Apartment 1A inside the palace.
More clips from the Netflix series showed Harry posing in his military uniform, Meghan standing in the bathroom doorway, and Harry cosying up with their pet pooch, Guy the beagle, in the cosy living room.
The residence also comes with a small garden where Harry slung up a hammock when he first moved into the property.
"Me with the hoe and H [Harry] varnishing," said Meghan, as photos pop up of the pair doing some DIY and gardening.
She added: "It was a chapter in our lives where I don't think anyone could believe what it was actually like behind-the-scenes."
There are plenty of cushions, photos hanging up on the walls and Union Jack placemats on the coffee table.
Since Meghan and Harry left the country, Princess Eugenie and her husband Jack Brooksbank have been living there with son August.
Kensington Palace apartment
A general view of the State Apartments of Kensington Palace and Apartment 1A (Getty Images)Apartment 1A of Kensington Palace became Prince William and Kate's main residence in 2017 - but they actually moved in after a £1million makeover in 2013.
It's located inside the sprawling palace covering four floors and has a whopping 20 rooms.
There are five reception rooms, each with fireplaces, along with three bedrooms, dressing rooms, and nurseries.
A staff quarters is also located inside the apartment while it also boasts three kitchens.
Compared to the Nott Cott backyard, the residence overlooks a large walled garden, which is private from the beautiful grounds open to the public.
Despite Harry's claim in Spare that they were the ones that had to make do with affordable furniture, his brother and sister-in-law also had a collection of IKEA furniture in their children's bedrooms, according to Vogue.
Glimpses of inside the palace have been shown during official visits (Getty Images)In the book, Harry makes reference to the Waleses' walnut bookshelves and valuable art collection, which is showcased in the background of photographs taken at the couple's old abode.
When discussing the importance of mental health during Covid, the Prince and Princess of Wales shared photos of their home offices, which featured large wooden desks and dark wooden chairs. Kate also showcased a collection of Penguin Clothbound Classics.
Prince William's work-from-home space, with an antique desk lamp and a chestnut-wood chest of drawers.
During a video call to mark Remembrance Week, the mum-of-three also revealed what one of their lounges looked like - with a plush cream sofa, floral cushions, a grand dresser and a collection of vases.
The Prince and Princess talk to the former President of the United States and former First Lady in the Drawing Room of Apartment 1A Kensington Palace (PA)Royal fans also saw a glimpse into their traditional decor choices when the couple hosted Michelle and Barack Obama in 2016.
They were pictured sitting in the drawing room, which came with a choice of armchairs and an ottoman table, while ornate artwork was displayed on the wall in gold frames.
However just like Harry and Meghan, William and Kate found their apartment had its pitfalls, and last year moved to Windsor.
An aerial view of Kensington Palace (PA)Royal biographer and editor-in-chief of Majesty magazine, Ingrid Seward, said the couple "needed space" to raise their family, and described Windsor as "perfect".
Speaking to The Sun, she said: "Kensington Palace is a glorious prison for kids – they want to be able to play football without being watched from behind the gates."
Kensington Palace and Buckingham Palace have so-far declined to comment on the leaked claims from Harry's book - which emerged five days before is due to be published.
This story is based off a translated version of Prince Harry ’s book Spare - which is set to be published in the UK on January 10 and is available to purchase on Amazon.