Queen rejected Harry and Meghan's 'inappropriate' living request, says expert
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have shared a number of gorgeous homes during their relationship, starting with Harry's "small" bachelor pad in the grounds of Kensington Palace and working up to the beautiful Californian mansion where they're now raising their family.
During their courtship, the couple spent most of their time at Nottingham Cottage, nicknamed Nott Cott. While they complained about its size in their Netflix show and said Oprah was "shocked" when she popped in for tea, it's a very special place for the couple as it's where Harry proposed.
But when things became more serious and they started planning to have family, they knew they needed somewhere with a bit more space.
In his book Spare, Harry writes that they spoke to Palace staff about the different options but they were "too grand" and "too lavish". They also would have cost a lot of tax-payer money to renovate.
The Queen with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle (Getty Images)According to the Sunday Times, the couple decided to go directly to the Queen to ask if they could live at Windsor Castle.
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The report, written by Roya Nikkhah states: "The couple are understood to have set their hearts at first on Windsor Castle, and are believed to have asked the Queen if living quarters could be made available after their marriage."
But Harry's granny said no and gave them Frogmore Cottage instead.
Hugo Vickers told the Express why the Queen may have decided to deny their request, saying it might not have been "entirely appropriate".
The couple were reportedly eyeing up Windsor Castle (Getty Images)He writes: "There are empty bedrooms and suites in the private apartments within Windsor Castle which the Sussexes may have had their eye on, or perhaps some former living quarters in the castle grounds converted into other things.
"But I can see how it might not be entirely appropriate to have a young family living there."
Harry shares his account of the meeting in his book Spare, admitting he originally thought the Queen was offering them Frogmore House - a huge mansion near Frogmore Cottage.
He claims the Queen said the cottage was "sort of hidden, tucked away".
Harry initially thought the Queen was offering them Frogmore House, where they had their wedding reception (Getty Images/Robert Harding World Imagery)
However it was actually the much smaller Frogmore Cottage on offer (PA)She also warned them it was a "bit of a building site" but told them to go and have a look around.
Recalling their first visit, Harry writes the house "spoke to them both" and described it as "charming" and "full of potential".
With the Queen's go-ahead they sat down with planners and builders to start turning it into their dream home.
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They moved into the stunning home shortly before Archie was born in 2019 and lived there until they moved to Canada and then to the US.
As part of their proposal when they quit their royal duties, the couple paid back the money used on the renovations - which had been tax-payer funded.
After starting their new lives in the US, the couple offered Frogmore to Harry's cousin Princess Eugenie and her husband Jack. The couple had just welcomed their first child, August.
Have you read Prince Harry's book Spare yet? What did you think? Have your say in the comment section below.
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