Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, was taken aback by the reality of her living arrangements when she first met Prince Harry.
According to a royal commentator, Markle had anticipated residing in a grand palace, but instead found herself confined to the Nottingham and Frogmore cottages, which she likened to a jail sentence.
Royal Family author Tom Bauer revealed that Markle had not realized that Harry did not possess great wealth and would not be living in a palace.
The couple did not feel the pressure to generate a substantial income while in the UK, as they did not possess a spacious abode overlooking the Pacific.
Markle had never envisioned herself residing in a modest English home, and for her, Frogmore felt like a prison.
However, since stepping back from their royal duties in March 2020, the couple has relocated to California, where they now own a lavish property in Montecito, just outside of Santa Barbara.
Their new home boasts nine bedrooms, a spa, gym, wine cellar, five-car garage, and spans across 5.4 acres of land.
This is a stark contrast to the more humble residences they occupied in the UK.
In addition to these luxurious amenities, their Montecito estate features a private pool, tennis court, tea house, rose garden, children’s cottage, and a two-bedroom guest house.
The couple now finds themselves rubbing shoulders with American celebrities such as Oprah Winfrey, Ellen DeGeneres, Orlando Bloom, and Katy Perry, as they all reside in the same neighborhood.
Following their departure from the royal fold, the couple initially settled in Canada before finally finding their new home during the midst of the coronavirus pandemic in July 2020.
In their upcoming Netflix documentary, set to be released in late 2022, the couple discusses their former residence, Nottingham Cottage, located in Kensington Palace.
Meghan humorously commented on the stark contrast between the grandeur associated with the name “Kensington Palace” and the reality of their humble abode, stating, “Kensington Palace sounds very regal, of course it does, it says palace in the name.
But Nottingham Cottage was so small.”
Harry chimed in, adding that the entire place had a slight lean and incredibly low ceilings, speculating that the previous occupants must have been quite short.
Meghan further revealed that Harry constantly bumped his head due to his tall stature.
Prior to their move across the pond, the couple resided in Frogmore Cottage in Windsor, which underwent a £2.4 million renovation before they made it their home.
The journey from their initial expectations of living in a palace to the reality of more modest accommodations has been a significant transition for Meghan Markle and Prince Harry.