Prince Harry and Meghan Markle recently discussed their time in Nottingham Cottage, their first home together, during the fourth episode of their Netflix series.

In the episode, Harry admitted that people believed they were living in a palace, but in reality, they were residing in a small cottage on palace grounds.

Meghan added that while Kensington Palace sounds regal, Nottingham Cottage was actually quite modest, with low ceilings and a slight lean to the building.

However, royal watchers quickly pointed out that Nottingham Cottage had notable occupants before the Sussexes moved in.

Historian Marlene Koenig, who has extensively researched European royalty, tweeted that the cottage was designed by Sir Christopher Wren and had been previously occupied by Harry’s brother, sister-in-law, and nephew, as well as his aunt and uncle, the late Duke and Duchess of Gloucester.

Fans also questioned Harry’s claim of not knowing who lived in Nottingham Cottage before him, considering that Prince William, the highest-ranking member of the royal family, had resided there with his wife and son for a significant period of time.

Social media users expressed their surprise at Harry’s complaints about the size of the cottage, given that William and Kate never voiced such concerns.

It is worth noting that the Sussexes lived in Nottingham Cottage while William and Kate, as newlyweds, awaited renovations to their Kensington Palace apartments.

The plan was for the apartments at Kensington Palace, located next door to William and Catherine, to be refurbished as their permanent residence.

However, reports emerged that Harry and Meghan did not want to live in such close proximity to William and his family.

They even suggested Windsor Castle as an alternative, but this was rightly rejected by the late Queen, as Windsor is typically reserved for monarchs.

Eventually, Frogmore Cottage was proposed and accepted by the couple.

Meghan mistakenly believed it to be Frogmore House, where she had previously done an engagement photo shoot.

Although Frogmore Cottage is spacious and beautiful, it is not as grand as Frogmore House.

Despite rejecting Kensington Palace, the Sussexes now have Frogmore Cottage as their permanent base.

However, it is located in Windsor, Surrey, which is quite a distance from the vibrant city of London.

The commute to London takes nearly an hour by car on a Sunday without traffic, or under one and a half hours by train.

It seems that Harry and Meghan’s decision to self-banish themselves to Windsor may have been a consequence of rejecting the glitz and excitement of London and the beautiful grounds of Kensington Palace.

It is worth mentioning that William and Kate, who also reside in Windsor at Adelaide Cottage, did not express any complaints.

They still maintain their apartments at Kensington Palace as their London base, while Harry and Meghan will have to make the journey back to Windsor whenever they visit the capital.

In the end, it appears that the Sussexes’ desire for a different living arrangement led them to settle for Frogmore Cottage, which, despite being a lovely home, is not as grand as some of the other options available to them.

As they rejected Kensington Palace, they must now face the consequences of their decision.