Meghan Markle and Prince Harry hoped to live at Windsor Castle but were given Frogmore Cottage instead - new royal book claims

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry reportedly had their hearts seat on a lavish 'suite of apartments at Windsor Castle' after they married, and were instead given Frogmore Cottage a bombshell new book has claimed.

'When Harry and Meghan announced their wish to move out of Kensington Palace, the Queen offered them Frogmore Cottage as their new home' writes royal expert Katie Nicholl in the forthcoming bombshell book, The New Royals.

Nicholl continues 'This was not the suite of apartments at Windsor Castle they had hoped for. It was a generous gesture nonetheless, recalled Lady Elizabeth Anson, who died in 2020.

Lady Elizabeth Anson, who died in 2020 and was a close friend of the late Queen had said at the time 'The cottage was a big deal. The Queen's entrance into the gardens is right next to their cottage. She was giving up [her privacy] in gifting Harry and Meghan Frogmore cottage. She said 'I hope they'll respect it'.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex attend the Boston Red Sox vs New York Yankees baseball game at the London Stadium in support of the Invictus Games Foundation.
Peter Nicholls

The move by the Susseces was particularly significant because it signalled the end of Harry and William's 'double act', Nicholl notes, and was 'deeply disappointing' for the Queen.

Elsewhere Nicholl claims the late Queen was surprised that divorcee Meghan opted for a white wedding dress - and also told the Duchess off for chastising a kitchen worker who was preparing her a special meal.

Nicholl says: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding day was a great success, although the Queen had reservations about the pure white of Meghan's Givenchy dress, designed by Clare Waight Keller.

‘According to a source: “The Queen was surprised that Meghan wore pure white on her wedding day. Perhaps it's a generational thing, but she believes if you've been married before, you wear off-white on your wedding day, which is what the Duchess of Cornwall did.”

‘Keen to support anyone marrying into her family, however, the Queen did her best to get to know the new Duchess.’

She continued: ‘Meghan's direct approach had even come to the notice of the Queen. On one occasion in the run-up to the wedding, Meghan went to Windsor Castle for a menu-tasting and ended up having a tense exchange with a member of staff, according to one source.

‘“Meghan was at the castle to taste some of the dishes, and told one of the caterers she could taste egg,” said the source. ”She got quite upset, saying that the dish was meant to be vegan and macrobiotic, when suddenly the Queen walked in and said. 'Meghan, in this family we don't speak to people like that.'”