Harry and Meghan struck a deal with Buckingham Palace to pay no rent for Frogmore Cottage after they repaid £2.4 million of taxpayers’ money for its refurbishment, it has been reported.
According to the Mail on Sunday the Sussexes were due to pay a “commercial rate” for the five-bedroom home on the Windsor estate, costing them between £150,000 and £230,000 a year.
But the couple’s rental obligations were wiped clean after they paid for work to be completed on the house.
They will not renew their lease when it ends later this month, the newspaper reports.
A Palace spokesperson said: “The Duke and Duchess of Sussex made a contribution of £2.4 million to the Sovereign Grant which covered the refurbishment of Frogmore Cottage. They have fulfilled their financial obligations in relation to the property.
“In line with usual practice for the Sovereign Grant report, the accounting treatment was scrutinised and signed off by the National Audit Office and the Treasury. As with any such agreement between landlord and tenant, further details regarding the Sussexes’ tenancy arrangements would be a private matter.”
Buckingham Palace announced in November 2019 that the Sussexes would have Frogmore Cottage as their official residence.
The couple renovated the property and transformed it from a series of separate cottages into one large home.
When they quit their roles as senior royals and moved to California in 2020 they agreed to repay the money for the work done after expressing a desire to become “financially independent”.
In the wake of Megxit a Palace spokesman said the couple would continue to pay rent on Frogmore Cottage.
They paid five month’s rent but stopped after paying a £2.4 million lump sum in a deal that was not disclosed by the Palace.
Harry and Meghan have received invitations to attend the King’s Coronation on May 6 but have not confirmed whether they will be attending.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex: Prince Harry & Meghan Markle
However Buckingham Palace staff have been told to plan as if the couple are attending and they are being factored into all arrangements including cars, seating in Westminster Abbey and dining.
The couple have started using prince and princess titles for their children Archie, 3, and Lilibet, 21 months.
Harry and Meghan’s youngsters became a prince and princess on the accession of their grandfather the King six months ago, but the Sussexes publicly used Lili’s title for the first time earlier this month when announcing their daughter’s christening.
Archie and Lili are now listed on royal.uk’s line of succession page as Prince Archie of Sussex and Princess Lilibet of Sussex.
Previously they were Master Archie Mountbatten-Windsor and Miss Lilibet Mountbatten-Windsor.
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The siblings are sixth and seventh in line to the throne, having already moved up a place each after the death of the late Queen.
A spokesperson for Harry and Meghan said the decision to use the titles had been “settled for some time in alignment with Buckingham Palace”.
“The children’s titles have been a birthright since their grandfather became monarch.
“This matter has been settled for some time in alignment with Buckingham Palace,” the spokesperson said.
