The Duke and Duchess of Sussex and Family, News and Events 7: Oct. 2022 -

[Ghost]

Originally Posted by Curryong

Frogmore is a four bedroom house with a nursery. It’s not a sprawling mansion.

The other properties like the KP apartment were considered ‘too lavish and grand’ because they knew what the British tabloids were capable of. I’ve already pointed to several of their complete lies about FC, and that was on top of constant criticisms of Meghan’s clothing, nail polish, speeches, hugging of people etc etc etc.

Those four bedrooms one nursery were huge as they made 5000 sqf.

[Granada]

Curryong, I guess we will have to disagree. I LIVE in a four bedroom home, it is NOTHING like the pictures posted here and on line of Frogmore Cottage.
Please review the terrific "aerial" picture that Ghost posted yesterday # 947.

It clearly shows that Frogmore Cottage IS a mansion.

Not that it matters anyway, it is a moot point. Frogmore Cottage has been taken from them.

[Biset]

Originally Posted by ACO

Oh I think this move will be the best for all parties in the long term.

I’m sure we will hear all about in the next edition of Spare.

[Royalist.in.NC]

Originally Posted by Hallo girl

So the reason they had the cottage was because THEY picked Frogmore as it was smaller and they were reluctant to attract negative publicity for picking a larger home.

I don’t see that Harry says that in his book about not taking grander properties because of the press. He indicates that they were very happy about the offer of Frogmore Cottage. And think about it. Since it was a “shell” they could gut it to remodel and pick whatever they wanted - likely a more modern style than they could have at some of the other properties. And like someone said (Marlene?) they were convinced at the time that their HIHO proposal would fly.

[TLLK]

Originally Posted by Lilyflo

I've always said that Meghan had appalling press coverage from some outlets but I don't know if it could have been any worse if they'd had a grander home. Other senior royals were pilloried by some papers for what was spent on their properties. There's a saying that you "might as well be hung for a sheep as a lamb" and whatever they'd settled on was going to be criticised so they could have chosen a grander place and ridden the storm as others had done before them.

We don't know why they didn't want something grander at the time but perhaps they preferred to have something smaller that they could manage without live-in staff?

I recall many sensational tabloid articles over the years regarding royal properties. There would be outrageous headlines but buried in the article would be the information about the required work that other long vacant royal properties required to bring them up to then current building and safety codes. It's simply all part of the the tabloids way to make money for their advertisers. So the Sussexes were bound to be the focus of these articles like so many other members of the BRF have been over the recent decades.

[Curryong]

Harry and Meghan spoke themselves about the KP apartment being very expensive to renovate as the reason they moved to FC. The sum of over 3 million pounds was mentioned.

And they were dragged over the coals by the British tabloids about everything to do with FC, from the supposed furnishings to the expense of the renovations and media lies about extravagant interiors. They knew they would get it even worse if they got a huge apartment at KP.

[TLLK]

Originally Posted by Ghost

I found this photo of the back of the cottage, it gives a better idea of the size of the house and its surroundings.


https://twitter.com/christinacann17/...969349/photo/1

This post is a great find Ghost! Thank you for sharing it with us. From viewing the few photos of the building, I clearly had no idea of how large Frogmore Cottage is as a home. The Sussexes did have a spacious and lovely home.

[Hallo girl]

Originally Posted by Royalist.in.NC

I don’t see that Harry says that in his book about not taking grander properties because of the press. He indicates that they were very happy about the offer of Frogmore Cottage. And think about it. Since it was a “shell” they could gut it to remodel and pick whatever they wanted - likely a more modern style than they could have at some of the other properties. And like someone said (Marlene?) they were convinced at the time that their HIHO proposal would fly.

No I have not read the book, I was responding to another poster who suggested that other properties were considered too lavish due to the British Tabloids.

My own opinion had always been that this would be a stepping stone house and in time they would receive the large country estate etc but reading an earlier post by I think GRANADA who suggested that as we now know the couple already had plans with regards HIHO so this house was all they required, as they would not want the responsibility of an estate if they were going to live abroad.
Another poster reminded us of the house and estate purchased by Charles quite some time ago that he had earmarked for one of his sons but that did not come to fruition either.

[TLLK]

Originally Posted by Curryong

Harry and Meghan spoke themselves about the KP apartment being very expensive to renovate as the reason they moved to FC. The sum of over 3 million pounds was mentioned.

And they were dragged over the coals by the British tabloids about everything to do with FC, from the supposed furnishings to the expense of the renovations and media lies about extravagant interiors. They knew they would get it even worse if they got a huge apartment at KP.

I recall that it was long speculated that the Sussexes would be offered Apartment 1 when the Gloucesters departed. Had they chosen to accept that as a residence, I do believe the estimated costs were focused upon the exterior work alone. Work that ultimately did end up being carried out to protect the structure. As I recall, Apartment 1 required a new roof among other necessary work. Centuries old buildings do require a great deal of upkeep even if no one resides there.


Here's an article from 2018 that shows the scaffolding and tarps covering the exterior for the work being done on Apartment 1. At the time, the speculation was that the Sussexes were going to move in as the Gloucesters were planning to move on. Since Apt 1 had been occupied for many years, it wasn't going require as much interior work as neighboring Apt. 1A had required.


https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-new...bours-12499373

[Curryong]

From Wiki

‘In 2020, Frogmore Cottage was described as a 5,089 sq ft (472.8 m2), four bedroom and nursery, four bathroom single-residence Grade-II listed house.[5] Before renovation, it had 10 bedrooms.’ End quote.

Never heard of a four bedroom house being described as a sprawling mansion.

As for the somewhat mythical Herefordshire estate, not too many details on it, but neither Prince wanted it. They were both single at the time, it was miles away from London, their friends, any polo club (they were both playing then) and neither had any fancy to be a squire on some run-down estate in a county where they had no links.

[Lilyflo]

Originally Posted by Curryong

Harry and Meghan spoke themselves about the KP apartment being very expensive to renovate as the reason they moved to FC. The sum of over 3 million pounds was mentioned.

And they were dragged over the coals by the British tabloids about everything to do with FC, from the supposed furnishings to the expense of the renovations and media lies about extravagant interiors. They knew they would get it even worse if they got a huge apartment at KP.

Considering that hardly any of the tabloid press coverage was fair or accurate, I'm not sure that they'd have had any worse press for a 5 million, 3 million or 2.4 million renovation. They were going to be deluged in nonsense and faux outrage whatever they did and Harry would have known that, so I don't accept for one minute that he chose Frogmore Cottage in order to reduce negative press coverage.

[Royalist.in.NC]

Well, if it was big enough for 10 bedrooms before renovation, that tells me something. So now it has other large rooms that aren’t bedrooms. My own four bedroom home is less than half the square footage of Frogmore Cottage. The aerial picture shared shows a beautiful large home.

It obviously doesn’t compare to their 13,599/12,805 (I’ve seen both sq ft published) Montecito mansion built in 2006.

[Curryong]

This article mentions that the apartment 1 at KP had to have asbestos removal, which upped the price of renovations to more than 4 million.

https://honey.nine.com.au/royals/meg...9-b39aac80b95b

[Toledo]

Originally Posted by Curryong

From Wiki

‘In 2020, Frogmore Cottage was described as a 5,089 sq ft (472.8 m2), four bedroom and nursery, four bathroom single-residence Grade-II listed house.[5] Before renovation, it had 10 bedrooms.’ End quote.

Never heard of a four bedroom house being described as a mansion.

As for the somewhat mythical Herefordshire estate, not too many details on it, but neither Prince wanted it. They were both single at the time, it was miles away from London, their friends, any polo club (they were both playing then) and neither had any fancy to be a squire on some run-down estate in a county where they had no links.

Just for comparison using USA's Realtor.com settings for a Montecito, California's 14 matches. I only included the ones closest details.
1. single family house
2. 4 + bedrooms and 4 + bathrooms
3. 5,089 sq ft (472.8 m2) or approximates

These are your three comparative choices out of current 14 properties if we moved Frogmore Cottage, plumbing, pipes mailbox and all, to the Duchy of Montecito

$10,950,000 / 9,126.83 million pounds- 4bed/4bath 4,696 sqft 436.27 meters

$16,900,000 / 14,086.15 million pounds- 4bed/5.5+bath 4,493 sqft 417.41 meters

$10,900,000 / 9,085.15 million pounds - 6bed/7.5+bath 6,698 sqft 622.26 meters

By my New York state and former Connecticut resident for over three decades comparison, Frogmore would be a good size mansion in some of the most expensive areas of both states or a NYC condo on a great location.

[Royalist.in.NC]

I hope it’s ok to post this picture: a precious 3 year old dressed up as Harry for World Book Day. Kudos to his mom (or dad) for such a creative idea!

https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/03...7747587129.jpg

[Curryong]

Originally Posted by Royalist.in.NC

Well, if it was big enough for 10 bedrooms before renovation, that tells me something. So now it has other large rooms that aren’t bedrooms. My own four bedroom home is less than half the square footage of Frogmore Cottage. The aerial picture shared shows a beautiful large home.

It obviously doesn’t compare to their 13,599/12,805 (I’ve seen both sq ft published) Montecito mansion built in 2006.

The junior chefs who occupied FC before the Sussexes got it said that the rooms, which included single room flatlets, were tiny. And Wikki states that in 2020 FC was a four bedroom, four bathroom home, with a nursery as well.

[ACO]

Frogmore Cottage is definitely a sizable home but it was hardly some 10 large bedrooms sprawling estate before. I very much recall them talking to people who lived there before the renovation. It was broken up into 4 or 5 separate homes. That would have been 2 bedrooms, kitchen, living space. It was for workers. Multifamily unit. The structure completely different. They said it was nice but standard size. Which makes sense in that set up.

I also would agree they probably liked Frogmore since it would have needed a complete renovation that they enjoyed being able to make it their own. The other properties (no matter how lavish) still have great limitations on what they could do with them.

But yes none of this matters now as they are gone. Though I guess the only other news that might come is if they invested more of their own money and paid upfront for additional years -- will there be some kind if reimbursement. I know that is the new media talking point, so I guess we will see when the financial report rolls around.

[Hallo girl]

Originally Posted by Curryong

This article mentions that the apartment 1 at KP had to have asbestos removal, which upped the price of renovations to more than 4 million.

https://honey.nine.com.au/royals/meg...9-b39aac80b95b

This is work that will be legally required to make the building safe so regardless of who lives/ works in there it will need to done. This would be the responsibility of the owners not the tenant.

[Hallo girl]

Originally Posted by Curryong

From Wiki

‘In 2020, Frogmore Cottage was described as a 5,089 sq ft (472.8 m2), four bedroom and nursery, four bathroom single-residence Grade-II listed house.[5] Before renovation, it had 10 bedrooms.’ End quote.

Never heard of a four bedroom house being described as a sprawling mansion.

As for the somewhat mythical Herefordshire estate, not too many details on it, but neither Prince wanted it. They were both single at the time, it was miles away from London, their friends, any polo club (they were both playing then) and neither had any fancy to be a squire on some run-down estate in a county where they had no links.

William owns it now anyway as it is owned by the Duchy of Cornwall.

I have no idea if it is run down or not but it is his anyway.

[Curryong]

The Duchy of Cornwall owns it. The estate was said to be run down at the time. And William didn’t jump at the chance to live there either.