The disparity between Prince Harry and Prince William’s living arrangements reportedly surprised Meghan Markle and fueled tensions between the couples, a royal biographer has claimed.
Meghan Markle was “surprised” and felt Prince Harry “deserved more materially” after her first visit to Prince William and Kate Middleton’s apartment at Kensington Palace, according to royal biographer Rob Jobson. At the time, the Duke of Sussex was living in Nottingham Cottage, one of the smallest properties on the estate, which had just two bedrooms and one bathroom. In contrast, Prince William and Kate resided in the expansive 20-room Apartment 1A, their London home since their 2011 marriage.
Jobson writes in his new book on Kate, “It is understood that when Meghan and Harry had gone round to have drinks at William and Catherine’s apartment, while they were still living at Nottingham Cottage opposite, Meghan had been ‘taken aback’ at the disparity between the brothers”, told The Independent.
A close source revealed to the biographer, “I am not saying Meghan was jealous, but she was really surprised how lavishly Harry’s brother was living compared to where they were living. It was perhaps the beginning of all the tensions between the two couples.”
The relationship between the brothers and their spouses appeared to deteriorate further after Harry and Meghan stepped down as working royals in 2020. The couple relocated to the charming five-bedroom Frogmore Cottage but eventually bid farewell to the residence in the summer of 2023, marking their permanent departure from royal duties.
Jobson also claimed that Prince William “banned” Meghan from wearing Princess Diana’s jewelry at her 2018 wedding, despite Kate doing so in 2011. “Meghan understood that William was above her husband in the royal pecking order as the heir to the throne, but she thought Harry was also a royal prince, so he deserved more materially,” Jobson claimed. “She was piqued by the disparity.”
Prince Harry himself reflected on his feelings when he first brought Meghan to Nottingham Cottage in his 2023 memoir, Spare. “I was excited to welcome Meg to my home, but also embarrassed. Nott Cott was no palace,” he wrote.
These revelations highlight the underlying issues and perceived inequalities that may have contributed to the rift between the couples. As the Sussexes continue their life away from royal duties, the contrast in living arrangements remains a poignant symbol of the divisions within the royal family.