Americans support Frogmore eviction for Prince Harry, Meghan Markle

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will soon lose their home in the U.K. at Frogmore Cottage after King Charles III told them to vacate the property in May, a decision which is backed by most Americans.

A poll of 1,500 adults conducted by Redfield & Wilton for Newsweek on March 20 revealed that 41 per cent of Americans support the move and 23 per cent were opposed to it. Meanwhile, 17 per cent said they do not care and 19 per cent said they do not know.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex barely lived in the cottage. They only lived there for a few months after they married because they had to embark on their official engagements. But it is their place of refuge whenever they return to the U.K. for royal events since it guarantees them Metropolitan Police protection because it is on the grounds of Windsor Castle.

The couple also celebrated many good memories at Frogmore Cottage including Lilibet's first birthday on June 4, 2022. It is also where they stayed when they attended the funeral events for Queen Elizabeth II in September.

But King Charles III has asked them to vacate the home for undisclosed reasons and they reportedly have until after his coronation on May 6 to pack all their belongings and ship them to their home in Montecito, Santa Barbara, California. A spokesperson for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle confirmed the news in a statement, "The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been requested to vacate their residence at Frogmore Cottage."

His Majesty reportedly wants to hand over the keys to the house to Prince Andrew but according to Marie Claire, his daughter Princess Eugenie and her family now live there instead and the Sussexes could not be happier since they share a close bond with her.

But the decision has left the public asking about the money the Sussexes spent in renovating the cottage before they moved in. They repaid the £2.4M taken out from the Sovereign Grant to spend on the fixes and also paid advance rent on the cottage for future use.

His Majesty's decision has left the couple "stunned" according to "Finding Freedom" co-author Omid Scobie and at least two royal family members "appalled." But the Sussexes have yet to publicly express their thoughts on the move.

Now with the eviction comes the question of security and accommodation for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle whenever they attend official royal events. At least they still get to stay at Frogmore Cottage if they decide to attend King Charles III's coronation, for which they have been invited but have yet to confirm their attendance.

TV commentator Shannon Felton Spence suggested that they live at Buckingham Palace where they are sure to have police protection. She called the move "economical" and also a way for His Majesty to connect with his grandchildren, Archie and Lilibet.

"The king doesn't have to worry about Buckingham Palace just sitting empty as he does with other properties. Buckingham Palace is always going to be maintained, it's always going to have staff. It's a very economical choice to say, 'Hey when you visit, you can stay here,'" she said.

She noted though that the palace comes with its own set of rules unlike in Frogmore Cottage. But having the Sussexes and their children stay there during visits to the U.K. "is not to keep an eye on them as much as it just is to keep them close."

King Charles III's decision to evict Prince Harry and Meghan Markle from Frogmore Cottage comes after the release of his son's memoir "Spare" on Jan. 10, 2023. In it, the duke shared a series of damaging revelations about the royals. But they have since remained mum on these claims and carried on with their public duties instead.