The REAL reason why Harry and Meghan wanted to pay back taxpayers for £2.4million Frogmore Cottage renovation... as it is revealed property is still empty a year after couple were booted out

It's nan historical location connected nan Windsor property that was refurbished by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle astatine a costs of £2.4million.

Frogmore Cottage, connected nan Windsor estate, was renovated - initially astatine nan taxpayer's disbursal - aft nan Duke and Duchess of Sussex were fixed usage of nan spot by nan precocious Queen successful 2018.

But nationalist outcry complete nan usage of nationalist money via nan Sovereign Grant prompted Harry and Meghan to screen nan costs themselves. 

Late past period it emerged that nan spot still lies empty, much than a twelvemonth aft Harry and Meghan were forced to move out. 

The Duke was asked to region his remaining possessions from five-bed location conscionable weeks aft he published his explosive memoir Spare. 

In historiographer Robert Lacey's book Battle of nan Brothers, which was published successful 2020, it was revealed why refunding nan nationalist money was important to nan couple.

Mr Lacey wrote: 'It was important that they should salary disconnected - and should intelligibly beryllium seen to salary disconnected - nan £2.4million that had go a persecutory refrain successful almost each communicative astir their guidelines astatine Windsor.'

He added: 'As they would later explicate via sussexroyal.com, nan website that they developed during their Vancouver sabbatical, coming disconnected nan Sovereign Grant - nan royal payroll financed by nan British payer - would "remove nan tabloids'" justification successful having entree to their lives.'

Charles, past nan Prince of Wales, had been 'quite sympathetic' erstwhile Harry discussed nan costs of nan renewal pinch him, according to Mr Lacey.

He is said to person offered to thief contribute. Mr Lacey continued: '...though why a mates whose mixed nett worthy has been reliably estimated astatine £30million-£40million should request thief from Dad to salary disconnected their 'mortgate' is not instantly obvious.' 

Before it was renovated, Frogmore Cottage had been divided into 5 run-down unit residences.

Harry and Meghan turned it backmost into 1 ample location pinch a backstage garden.

They spent conscionable six months successful nan location earlier moving to North America successful 2020, first to Canada and past California, wherever they bought an £11million mansion successful Montecito. 

But nan mates initially kept Frogmore arsenic a UK guidelines and besides shelled retired connected early rental costs.

They were past asked to wholly vacate nan spot past twelvemonth aft nan uproar generated by nan publication of Harry's memoir and nan couple's Netflix series. 

Last month, a Buckingham Palace spokesperson confirmed that Frogmore is still empty, a truth that was elaborate successful nan yearly Sovereign Grant report, which sets retired really nan monarchy is funded by taxpayers.

'I deliberation astatine this constituent I wouldn't estimate connected who would beryllium nan early caretaker of Frogmore Cottage,' they said.

Prince Andrew was offered nan action to move into Frogmore alternatively of domiciled successful nan £30million Royal Lodge without a root of income, but he refused.

The Duke of York was forced to springiness up royal duties amid nan ungraded complete his relationship pinch convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

The King has agelong been trying to seduce him to switch nan palatial Lodge for Frogmore.

He took complete his spot from nan Queen Mother and location are still astir 50 years near connected nan lease. 

A root told The Times earlier this year: 'If [Prince Andrew] doesn't work together to move to a spot amended suited to his needs, past nan King whitethorn person to reconsider nan levels of support he is consenting to provide.' 

Frogmore Cottage was erstwhile nan location of Queen Victoria's loyal Indian manservant Abdul Karim.

And from 1925 until 1934, it was a spot of sanctuary for Grand Duchess Xenia, nan sister of Tsar Nicholas II.