The residential journey of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex reads like a map of their transformation from senior working royals to independent public figures in North America. Since their wedding at Windsor Castle in May 2018, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have called five distinct properties home across three countries, each reflecting a pivotal chapter in their evolving story.
Nottingham Cottage: The First Shared Roof
Before they walked down the aisle, the couple set up house at Nottingham Cottage, a modest two-bedroom grace-and-favour residence tucked within the grounds of Kensington Palace. Affectionately dubbed “Nott Cott,” the property had been Prince Harry’s bachelor pad since 2013. It was here, away from the grand state apartments, that the pair began building a shared domestic life while preparing for the expanded royal duties that lay ahead.
Frogmore Cottage: A Windsor Family Home
Following their wedding on May 19, 2018, Queen Elizabeth II granted the couple use of Frogmore Cottage on the Windsor Estate, a short drive from St George’s Chapel where they married. The Grade II-listed property underwent a significant, taxpayer-funded renovation—later repaid by the Sussexes—before they moved in during early 2019. Frogmore became the backdrop for the first months of their son Archie’s life after his birth in May 2019. It also served as their official UK base until the bombshell announcement in January 2020 that they would step back as senior royals.
Mille Fleurs: A Canadian Interlude
After completing their southern Africa tour in autumn 2019, the family decamped to Vancouver Island for a six-week break. They stayed at Mille Fleurs, a secluded waterfront estate in North Saanich. Surrounded by forest and ocean views, the private mansion offered a rare respite from the relentless British media scrutiny that had intensified during their tour. The Canadian sojourn foreshadowed the transatlantic move that would soon follow.
Tyler Perry’s Beverly Hills Mansion: A Hollywood Haven
When the Sussexes first arrived in the United States in March 2020, just as the COVID-19 pandemic locked down the world, they needed immediate shelter. Media mogul and actor Tyler Perry offered his sprawling Beverly Hills mansion as a temporary sanctuary. The gated property in one of Los Angeles’ most exclusive enclaves gave the couple breathing room to navigate their exit from royal life, secure private security, and begin plotting their philanthropic and commercial future through their newly formed Archewell organization.
Montecito: Putting Down Permanent Roots
In July 2020, the couple purchased their first-ever owned home: a $14.65 million estate in Montecito, the celebrity-favoured coastal enclave of Santa Barbara County. The 18,000-square-foot main residence sits on roughly five acres and boasts nine bedrooms, sixteen bathrooms, a library, office, wine cellar, gym, pool, tennis court, and a separate guest house. For Harry and Meghan, Montecito represents stability—a place to raise Archie and his younger sister Lilibet, born in June 2021, away from the institutional constraints of palace life while remaining within reach of the entertainment and tech industries that now fuel their professional endeavours.
A Trajectory Mapped in Real Estate
From a cosy palace cottage to a Californian compound, the Sussexes’ housing history mirrors their public narrative: courtship, royal duty, parenthood, rupture, reinvention. Each move marked a negotiation between tradition and autonomy
Source: caras.com.mx
