Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are moving out of Kensington Palace and into Frogmore Cottage. It appears that the cottage is currently divided into five different units, and was used to house royal employees. It’s believed that the space will be renovated in order to accommodate the couple and their future child, but the costs for the move don’t end there. New reports reveal that the cottage requires new security measures, which could add up to over $6.3 million, according to The Sun .
While Kensington Palace already has a strong security presence and system in place, Frogmore Cottage does not. Plus, there’s a public walkway around 650 feet from the house, along with a protective wall of only 6 feet tall that surrounds the perimeters. These factors, along with others, pose serious security issues. Princess Diana’s royal protection officer Ken Wharfe made the following remarks.
“There is no protection at Frogmore, there is no one living there. There are costs of at least two or three private protection officers and to make sure the estate is policed adequately by Thames Valley Police. There will have to be major reviews of the security surrounding that property, exposed on virtually every side…. It’s a mammoth task. The costs of fitting and maintaining security equipment, with further officers in the area, could cost further millions each year.”
It’s noted that “most of” the security costs will be paid by taxpayers, although the exact details are still fuzzy. The news is just being released, so it might take some time for there to be reactions from the British taxpayers.
Everything you need to know about Harry and Meghan’s new home Frogmore Cottage https://t.co/gJSO42Y0jA pic.twitter.com/wq2WlN2Cxq
— ITV News (@itvnews) November 24, 2018
Only time will tell whether the public will react negatively to this information. Royal fans may remember the outrage that was sparked by Princess Eugenie’s wedding which cost taxpayers millions due to security. Her decision to enjoy an open-carriage procession, along with a huge A-list guest list, is believed to have contributed to the giant bill. At the time, many people in the public were upset that the “minor” royal would require so much support from taxpayers, because she doesn’t have official royal duties.
Thrilled to hear Harry and Meghan are moving to the Home park. I used to live at Frogmore stables while working for the Queen (Frogmore cottage is down the road) Such a beautiful place and with so much history around it. https://t.co/MyVUltXfVs
— Darren McGrady (@DarrenMcGrady) November 24, 2018
On the other hand, Prince Harry and Meghan hold many royal responsibilities. At the same time, the reason for the move to Frogmore Cottage could sway public opinion. So far there’s been a lot of speculation that it’s due to tensions between Meghan and Kate Middleton or between Harry and William, although neither rumors have been substantiated.
