Prince Harry and Meghan Markle plan to keep Frogmore Cottage - despite 'stepping back' as senior royals

Taxpayers paid £2.4 million to renovate the Grade-2 listed building, which the couple moved into just nine months ago.

Work on the property in Berkshire overran and it was reported that the couple made constant design changes, meaning the builders fell behind schedule.

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry dropped a bombshell statement on Wednesday night announcing that they are planning on ‘stepping back’ as senior royals and become financially independent royals.

The Queen and other members of the family were said to be left ‘hurt’ by Harry and Meghan's decision to issue a personal statement, which outlined their future lives as financially independent royals who will divide their time between the UK and North America.

Their new website sussexroyal.com says Harry and Meghan moved to Windsor for ‘various reasons’, and mentioned the fact that their previous residence of Nottingham Cottage on the grounds of Kensington Palace ‘could not accommodate their growing family’.

The website points out that the option of Apartment 1 in Kensington Palace was estimated to cost in excess of £4 million for mandated renovations including the removal of asbestos, and would not have been available for them to occupy until the fourth quarter of 2020.

‘As a result, Her Majesty The Queen offered the Duke and Duchess the use of Frogmore Cottage, which was already undergoing mandated renovations, and would be available to move in before the birth of their son.

‘The refurbishment cost equated to 50% of the originally suggested property for their proposed official residence at Kensington Palace.

‘It is for these reasons, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex chose Frogmore Cottage as their official residence,’ the website says.

Crucially, the website points out that Frogmore Cottage is owned by the Queen, therefore it will be up to her whether they will be permitted to use it as their UK home going forward.

The website says: ‘Frogmore Cottage will continue to be the property of Her Majesty the Queen.

‘The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will continue to use Frogmore Cottage - with the permission of Her Majesty The Queen - as their official residence as they continue to support the monarchy, and so that their family will always have a place to call home in the United Kingdom.’

Harry is not expected to be seen in public again until next Thursday, when he will do the draw for the Rugby League World Cup in 2021.

Meanwhile the Duchess of Sussex has returned to Canada, where the couple and baby Archie had spent an extended Christmas break.

Harry and Meghan had only recently arrived in the UK before releasing the bombshell news but the duchess is now back with baby son Archie who remained behind, reportedly looked after by a nanny and friends of the duchess.

A spokeswoman for the duchess said: ‘I can confirm she is in Canada.’