Meghan and Harry’s Take on Their Home

Reflecting on their life at the Cottage, Meghan remarked, “As far as people were concerned, we were living in a Palace. [But] we were living in a cottage. Kensington Palace sounds very regal; of course, it does say palace in the name. But Nottingham Cottage was small.”

Harry added with a laugh, “The whole thing was really small on a slight lean with low ceilings. Whoever lived there before must have been small.”

Meghan went on: “It was a chapter in our lives where I don’t think anyone could believe what it was actually like behind-the-scenes.”

The Duke recalled how shocked Oprah Winfrey was when she visited for tea, with her exclaiming, “No one would ever believe it.” Interestingly, William and Kate had also lived in Nottingham Cottage before their marriage, while waiting for renovations at Kensington Palace to be completed.

Harry’s Embarrassment Over His Home

In Spare, Harry admitted feeling uneasy about showing Meghan the modest cottage. “I was excited to welcome Meg to my home, but also embarrassed. Nott Cott was no palace,” he confessed. He even tried to reassure her by describing the house as “Palace adjacent,” referencing its proximity to Kensington Palace.

After the birth of their first child, Archie, in 2019, Harry and Meghan moved to Frogmore Cottage in Windsor. A year later, after stepping back from royal duties, they relocated permanently to Montecito, California.