Advertisement

Why Princess Eugenie and husband Jack will want to live in Harry and Meghan's home

The couples have a private arrangement for Eugenie and Jack to rent the Sussexes home. (Getty/Time)
The couples have a private arrangement for Eugenie and Jack to rent the Sussexes home. (Getty/Time)

Princess Eugenie and her husband Jack Brooksbank have moved into Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s former home in Windsor.

Harry and Meghan were given Frogmore Cottage by the Queen as a wedding present when they tied the knot in May 2018.

But since they have moved to California, it has stood empty.

The two couples have now entered into a private agreement for Eugenie and Brooksbank to live there. The couple will be making a similar move to Harry and Meghan, trading an apartment in Kensington Palace for the countryside cottage.

Watch: Will Meghan Markle be in the Crown?

Eugenie and Brooksbank are expecting their first baby next year, and so the move comes in time for Christmas and to prepare for their little one.

But what is it about the Windsor address that has made Princess Eugenie want to move there?

A general view of Frogmore Cottage on the Home Park Estate, Windsor. PA Photo. Picture date: Tuesday January 14, 2020. It's the home of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Photo credit should read: Steve Parsons/PA Wire (Photo by Steve Parsons/PA Images via Getty Images)
Frogmore Cottage on the Home Park Estate, Windsor. (Steve Parsons/PA Images)

Close to Mum and Dad

Princess Eugenie is the daughter of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson.

Andrew and Ferguson divorced in 1992, but they now live together again - and the set up seems to work for them.

27th March 1948:  The Royal Lodge in the Great Park, at Windsor, Bucks, where King George VI retires to throw off the worries of State and live the life of a country gentleman.  (Photo by Harry Shepherd/Fox Photos/Getty Images)
The Royal Lodge in the Great Park, at Windsor, in 1948. (Harry Shepherd/Fox Photos)

Read more: Princess Diana's brother reveals The Crown asked to film at his family home - and he said no

The former couple live in the Royal Lodge, which is about four miles away from Frogmore Cottage.

Over the summer, Ferguson shared a picture of herself, Andrew, Eugenie, and her older daughter Beatrice - and praised their ‘united family’.

With a baby on the way for Eugenie and Jack, she will value being closer to her mum and dad.

Depending on lockdown rules, proud grandma-to-be Ferguson could be in their bubble for childcare support.

But even if that’s not allowed, mother and daughter would be able to go for walks together in the Windsor grounds.

Close to Granny

While Ferguson and Andrew are more likely to be on hand for any babysitting, the other advantage of Windsor for Eugenie is being close to Granny and Grandpa.

The Queen and Prince Philip are about a mile (as the crow flies) away in Windsor Castle, where they spent the first lockdown and where they moved back to in September after a summer in Balmoral.

Eugenie’s baby will be the Queen and the Duke’s ninth great-grandchild, so there’s nothing new there, but the Queen and Eugenie are thought to share a close bond.

ASCOT, ENGLAND - JUNE 22:  (L-R) John Warren,  Princess Eugenie of York, Prince Andrew, Duke of York, Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Beatrice of York are seen in the Parade Ring as they attend Royal Ascot 2017 at Ascot Racecourse on June 22, 2017 in Ascot, England.  (Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images)
John Warren, Princess Eugenie, Prince Andrew, Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Beatrice at Royal Ascot 2017. (Chris Jackson/Getty Images)
WINDSOR, UNITED KINGDOM - APRIL 18: (EMBARGOED FOR PUBLICATION IN UK NEWSPAPERS UNTIL 24 HOURS AFTER CREATE DATE AND TIME) Princess Eugenie and Queen Elizabeth II attend the traditional Royal Maundy Service at St George's Chapel on April 18, 2019 in Windsor, England. During the service The Queen distributed Maundy money to 93 men and 93 women, one for each of her 93 years. (Photo by Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)
Eugenie accompanied the Queen to the traditional Royal Maundy Service at St George's Chapel in 2019. (Max Mumby/Indigo)

Read more: The Crown: All the answers to every question you'll ask while watching season four

In 2016, Eugenie spoke affectionately about her grandparents for an ITV documentary celebrating the Queen at 90.

Talking about the annual summer break to Scotland, she said: “It's the most beautiful place on Earth.

“I think Granny is the most happy there, I think she really, really loves the Highlands... Walks, picnics, dogs—a lot of dogs, there's always dogs!—and people coming in and out all the time. Family-wise we're all there, so it's a lovely base for Granny and Grandpa to be—for us to come and see them up there, where you just have room to breathe and run.”

ASCOT, ENGLAND - JUNE 19:  Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Eugenie attend day 1 of Royal Ascot 2012 at Ascot Racecourse on June 19, 2012 in Ascot, United Kingdom. (Photo by Samir Hussein/WireImage)
The Queen looked happy to see Princess Eugenie at Royal Ascot in 2012. (Samir Hussein/WireImage)
ASCOT, UNITED KINGDOM - JUNE 18: (EMBARGOED FOR PUBLICATION IN UK NEWSPAPERS UNTIL 48 HOURS AFTER CREATE DATE AND TIME) Princess Eugenie and Queen Elizabeth II attend Day 1 of Royal Ascot at Ascot Racecourse on June 18, 2013 in Ascot, England. (Photo by Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)
Eugenie often seems very relaxed around her granny, despite her being Queen Elizabeth II, as seen here at Ascot in 2013. (Max Mumby/Indigo)

Ready for baby

When Harry and Meghan moved into Frogmore Cottage, they were expecting baby Archie and the home was renovated.

This means Eugenie and Brooksbank can rest easy that the house is baby proof and tick lots of things off their to do list.

The princess and her husband might be moving in lots of their own furniture in though, as it’s reported Harry and Meghan moved theirs out in the last few weeks.

It gives them the chance to put their own stamp on it too.

Watch: Is The Crown a true story?

Guaranteed visitors

When Harry and Meghan moved to the US, they said Frogmore Cottage would remain their UK home.

There is speculation that the offer to rent it to Eugenie and Jack shows they don’t want to come back, with their work in the US keeping them too busy for a trip across the pond.

But cousins Eugenie and Harry have always been close.

KLOSTERS, SWITZERLAND - JANUARY 03:  Klosters, Switzerland --- Prince William Helping His Cousin Princess Beatrice With The Collar Of Her Ski Suit As They Pose With Prince Harry And Princess Eugenie For A Photocall During Their Skiing Holiday.  (Photo by Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images)
William and Harry skiing with Beatrice and Eugenie as children in Klosters, Switzerland. (Tim Graham Photo Library)
LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM - JUNE 13: (EMBARGOED FOR PUBLICATION IN UK NEWSPAPERS UNTIL 48 HOURS AFTER CREATE DATE AND TIME) Prince Harry and Princess Eugenie stand on the balcony of Buckingham Palace during Trooping the Colour on June 13, 2015 in London, England. The ceremony is Queen Elizabeth II's annual birthday parade and dates back to the time of Charles II in the 17th Century, when the Colours of a regiment were used as a rallying point in battle. (Photo by Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)
Prince Harry and Princess Eugenie on the balcony of Buckingham Palace during Trooping the Colour in 2015. (Max Mumby/Indigo)

If Eugenie and Jack are still there when Prince Harry and Meghan do come back, it would be a great time for them to catch-up and for the children to get to know each other too.

After all, given the cottage was once five separate apartments, there’s probably more than enough room for both families to be there at once.