Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are back in the United Kingdom, and that means they’re back to receiving ire from the public. According to Fox News , the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were spotted leaving a London hotel on Thursday, fueling speculation that the couple is not staying at Frogmore Cottage, which is their official residence in the country.
Some U.K. residents were infuriated by the idea that they would choose to stay in a hotel.
“Why isn’t she leaving from Frogmore Cottage they had the taxpayers pay for? Who’s paying for the Goring Hotel?” one person tweeted.
Other comments said that the move felt like an intentional backhand to the country, and some individuals alleged that they were at the hotel for the publicity.
“Why are #PrinceHarry and #MeghanMarkle staying at The Goring Hotel (£7,400/night) when we just paid for them to redecorate Frogmore cottage? I’m guessing b/c it works better for paparazzi photos?” read one such tweet.
In 2019, Harry and Meghan had Frogmore Cottage renovated using U.K. taxpayer funds. As part of their agreement to step back from the royal family, the couple has agreed to repay that sum, according to The Washington Post .
The above photos were published by The Sun , which also reported that Prince Harry left the hotel shortly after Meghan. The images showed the prince in a navy suit while his wife was wearing a tan overcoat as they exited The Goring, a five-star hotel that’s located near the grounds of Buckingham Palace.
An official at The Goring had no comment when asked by Fox News about whether Harry and Meghan were among their guests.
As speculation as to where they might be staying intensifies, several U.K. journalists who claim to have knowledge of the couple’s schedules say that they were only at The Goring for lunch.
When Harry and Meghan first made the announcement that they would be stepping back as senior members of the royal family, they made plans as to how Frogmore Cottage would be handled.
While the couple was living in Frogmore prior to their announcement, the cottage was always the property of Queen Elizabeth II . That hasn’t changed since the announcement, but Harry and Meghan have suggested that they would like to use the residence as their base of operations in the U.K.
In recent weeks, the Sussexes have been living in Canada as they plan out the final phase of their separation from the royal family.
