Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s plans to divide their time between the UK and North America has sparked speculation over where they will live – and how they will pay for it.
The Duke and Duchess revealed they will spend a significant amount of time away from Britain as they step back from their ‘senior’ royal duties and look to become ‘financially independent.’
They have pledged to continue using their taxpayer funded Frogmore Cottage in Windsor for their base in England so that they ‘continue to support the monarchy’ and ‘always have a place to call home.’
There plans will also see them setting up a base in North America, whether that be in the US or Canada, where the couple recently enjoyed a six week break from royal duties.
It will mean they will also have to face issues over residency rights and rules on tax, as they will not automatically be granted citizenship.
They have pledged to continue using their taxpayer funded Frogmore Cottage (pictured) in Windsor for their base in England
The couple said they will seek permission for continued use of Frogmore cottage, which they moved in to nine months ago and which underwent a taxpayer funded £2.4million refurbishment from the Queen, through the Sovereign Grant.
But after announcing they would not be receiving the Sovereign Grant, it has been suggested that they could be forced to pay rent to keep hold of the cottage.
In a statement on their new website sussexroyal.com, they say: 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.’
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s bombshell announcement that they’ve stepped back from royal duties and will split their time between the United Kingdom and North America has been met with widespread speculation over where the couple will live in the west
Graham Smith, chief executive of the campaign group Republic, said: ‘It’s not just Frogmore Cottage – they’re going to be relying on the Metropolitan Police to provide security.
‘I certainly think they owe the taxpayer a refund. They have spent £2.4m on refurbishing their house on the taxpayer.
‘It was going to be their home and now they’ve decided to live elsewhere so we need that money back. They need to abandon their claim to that house.’
And former Lib Dem minister Norman Baker, one of hundreds of privy counsellors who advise the Queen, said the pair should repay the money.
Mr Baker – who lost his seat in 2015 – told The Mirror: ‘The taxpayer has spent millions on Frogmore Cottage for the couple on the understanding that Harry and Meghan intended to be working royals.
‘Now they have changed their minds, Harry should repay the money spent on the house to the taxpayer.
It is possible that the Sussexes will put down roots in Southern California so they can raise baby Archie near his maternal grandmother, Doria Ragland (pictured with Meghan)
Harry and Meghan would naturally be drawn to Toronto, the city where they enjoyed a secret courtship of five months before their relationship was revealed to the world in October 2016
‘As he is worth at least £20million and probably much more, and Meghan is a millionaire in her own right, they can easily afford to do so.
‘In general the royal family is far too large and expensive so it needs to be slimmed down.
‘In that sense Harry and Meghan’s decision to give up senior royal status is welcome.
‘We need others in the royal family to follow suit and reduce the massive cost to the taxpayer.’
They could decide to settle in California, and Los Angeles in particular, where Meghan’s mother Doria Ragland lives.
Meghan’s former home in Toronto’s Annex neighborhood is pictured
Meghan is said to consider LA home, she was born in Hollywood, and many of her friends are still based there.
Back in August, insiders claimed that the couple were house-hunting in the celebrity enclave of Malibu.
Doria is also not thought to want to relocate to the UK, so moving to the US to be closer to her could be an option.
Meghan has previously spoken of her love for LA, saying: ‘It’s a city of transients – people coming from all over the world, searching out the Hollywood dream.
‘Life in my LA is all about taking care of your mind and spirit just as much as your body.’
Meghan, who was born and raised in California, considered Toronto (pictured) her home town after filming seven seasons of Suits there
Back in August, insiders claimed that the couple were house-hunting in the celebrity enclave of Malibu (pictured)
A source also told the New York Post: ‘Meghan is, at heart, an LA girl, she cares about money, power and prestige.
‘Meghan really wants to live in California, it’s where she is from and where her mother lives,’ another source close to the couple said.
‘She likes the lifestyle and the privacy there. She has been getting advice on the move from close friends, including Oprah and the Clooneys, and they have encouraged her that she and Harry can step away from the royal family and follow their own path.’
The average three-bedroom house price on the California coastline can cost up to $7million.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle spent their first Christmas with baby Archie in a £10million waterfront mansion on Vancouver Island in Canada
The couple have recently returned from a six week break in Canada in a £10million waterfront mansion on Vancouver Island, sparking speculation they could live there.
Meghan lived in Toronto for six years while filming Suits and it is the city where they enjoyed a secret five-month courtship before their relationship was revealed to the world in October 2016.
The pair were set up on a blind date by a female friend, believed to be fashion designer Mischa Nonoo, and ‘met for a drink’ in a Toronto bar.
Meghan lived in a two-story home in Toronto’s Annex neighborhood. Her old pad is no longer available, however, having been sold to an anonymous buyer for $1.6million in January 2018.
Meghan’s best friend and bridesmaid Jessica Mulroney – who was rumored to have introduced her to Harry – lives in Toronto with her husband Ben and their three children.
There is also a chance they could choose New York City, where Meghan also has many friends.
She traveled to Manhattan last February for her baby shower and has previously mentioned her affection for Brooklyn, describing it as a great place to eat and drink.