Prince Harry and Meghan Markle had to give up a Grade II-listed house when they moved out of the U.K. to settle in the United States. Their home in Montecito, California, might not belong to the royal family but it has significantly better features compared to Frogmore Cottage.
For one thing, their California mansion has an outdoor swimming pool that allows the Sussex pair and their only son, Archie, to enjoy a dip in the water in the privacy of their backyard. The property also has its own playground, where Archie could spend hours of running around, sliding and climbing the frames. He could have many playdates and parties with his friends in this backyard once he begins school.
Next to the playground is a tennis court where Meghan likely spends her downtimes or she might have her friend, tennis pro Serena Williams, over a lot so they could play a competitive round of tennis.
The California mansion has a separate guest house that Prince Harry and Meghan turned into a private space for Doria Ragland, Meghan's mother. If Harry and Meghan still stayed in Frogmore, there wouldn't be a separate place for her mother-in-law. Reports said that Doria pretty much likes to live independently and doesn't want to encroach on Harry and Meghan's space.
In early September, Prince Harry and Meghan finally paid off the total cost of Frogmore Cottage renovation, which was done between 2018 to early 2019. The house had been a gift from the Queen after the pair got married.
The repairs and renovation, however, became a sore issue among British taxpayers after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex said they want to live half of their time in the United States. Some of their critics said that they have to return the money from the public funds used to fix Frogmore Cottage if they weren't going to live it in anyway.
The house in the Windsor grounds is still for Harry and Meghan's use if they are ever in London. But, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex haven't been back home from the states amid the pandemic crisis.
Prince Harry, however, plans to return to the U.K. in 2021 to be present at two major public events. He also said that he would have returned home earlier if there had been no travel restrictions.
Meanwhile, as the couple settled in the U.S., they found a house that sources said would be their "forever home." Prince Harry and Meghan bought the mansion with their own money and secured a loan from the bank for the mortgage. It was their first move to being financially independent from the royal family.
