Meghan Markle is said to feel like a bird out of her cage after moving to the United States after leaving the royal household.
The Duchess of Sussex has been celebrating every moment of her newfound freedom in Montecito, surrounded by her husband Prince Harry and their two beloved children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, since jetting off to a brighter future in 2020.
The Hollywood celebrity’s early struggles adjusting to life within the monarchy, including her dissatisfaction with the couple’s first homes after their marriage in 2018, have been highlighted in a new royal biography.
Harry’s wife reportedly found the royal residence Nottingham Cottage on the grounds of Kensington Palace deeply disappointing. The house was awarded to the Sussexes after their lavish wedding in 2018.
The property, consisting of a two-bedroom residence, long considered a comfortable but humble space within the estate, quickly became a point of frustration for Meghan.
Royal author Tom Quinn writes that the Duchess was very critical of the “little” cottage, adding that she even described life at Kensington Palace as a “kind of prison.”
While the residence was often praised by insiders for its privacy and proximity to Kensington High Street, Quinn notes that once the “initial glamour” of royal life “dissipated”, the Duchess was “horrified” by the daily routine of being driven from the palace to official engagements.
A source cited in the book adds: “Meghan realized that living there would be like living in the Russian steppe. Its remoteness made Kensington the center of the universe.”
According to the royal expert, life at Nottingham Cottage “was the start of all of Meghan’s troubles”, adding: “She thought it was so small that it must be a reflection of how the royal family were belittling her husband.”
Meanwhile, another expert, Ingrid Seward, said: “I think Meghan must have been incredibly envious and then jealous of Kate… who Harry called ‘my hovel’.”
