When Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announced they are stepping back as "senior members" of the royal family, with plans of becoming financially independent, they also revealed they would split their time between the United Kingdom and North America.

The shocking announcement also raised questions about where the royal couple will stay in England, now that they have decided to become financially independent from the British royal family. However, the couple made it clear in their statement that they would continue to occupy the Frogmore Cottage, their primary UK residence which underwent a massive renovation just before the birth of their son Archie.

"Frogmore Cottage will continue to be the property of Her Majesty the Queen. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will continue to use Frogmore Cottage – with the permission of Her Majesty The Queen – as their official residence as they continue to support the Monarchy, and so that their family will always have a place to call home in the United Kingdom," read the statement that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle issued on the Sussex Royal website.

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“After many months of reflection and internal discussions, we have chosen to make a transition this year in starting to carve out a progressive new role within this institution. We intend to step back as ‘senior’ members of the Royal Family and work to become financially independent, while continuing to fully support Her Majesty The Queen. It is with your encouragement, particularly over the last few years, that we feel prepared to make this adjustment. We now plan to balance our time between the United Kingdom and North America, continuing to honour our duty to The Queen, the Commonwealth, and our patronages. This geographic balance will enable us to raise our son with an appreciation for the royal tradition into which he was born, while also providing our family with the space to focus on the next chapter, including the launch of our new charitable entity. We look forward to sharing the full details of this exciting next step in due course, as we continue to collaborate with Her Majesty The Queen, The Prince of Wales, The Duke of Cambridge and all relevant parties. Until then, please accept our deepest thanks for your continued support.” - The Duke and Duchess of Sussex For more information, please visit sussexroyal.com (link in bio) Image © PA

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When Meghan, 38, joined the British royal family, she and her husband moved to Frogmore Cottage in Windsor, from their previous residence Nottingham Cottage. The two-bedroom cottage located on the grounds of Kensington Palace was home to the 35-year-old prince for several years and held special significance for the couple as it was where the prince proposed to the former "Suits" actress. However, it would not have been able to accommodate their growing family, as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex shared on their website.

As moving to Apartment 1, the 4-storey residence of Prince William and Kate Middleton would have required a lot of renovations with an estimated cost of 4 million pounds, the Queen Elizabeth II decided to offer her Frogmore Cottage to the newly-married couple as its renovation was expected to be completed before the birth of the couple's first child.

Prince Harry, Meghan Markle and Archie
An official christening photo released by Prince Harry and his wife Meghan, holding their baby son, Archie at Windsor Castle SUSSEXROYAL / Chris ALLERTON

According to royal accounts, the transformation of Frogmore cottage last year from five separate apartments into an official residence for the couple cost the taxpayers 2.4 million pounds. However, the couple paid for fixtures and fittings privately, reports Hello!.

"The refurbishment of Frogmore Cottage, the Grade-2 listed building in Windsor Home Park was funded by Her Majesty The Queen through the Sovereign Grant, reflecting the Monarchy's responsibility to maintain the upkeep of buildings with historical significance. Expenses related to fixtures, furnishings, and fittings at the official residence – which is owned by Her Majesty the Queen – were funded privately by The Duke and Duchess of Sussex," the couple shared on their website.

British Royal Family Prince Harry Meghan Markle Queen Elizabeth II