Meghan Markle's Palace Meltdown: Duchess Slammed 'Prison-Like' Kensington Life, Envied Kate and Compared Windsor to a Russian Steppe
Meghan Markle struggled to adapt to royal life after her 2018 wedding to Prince Harry.
Nov. 23 2025, Published 4:15 p.m. ET
A new royal biography is shedding fresh light on Meghan Markle's early struggles adapting to life inside the monarchy, including her dissatisfaction with the couple's first homes following their 2018 wedding, RadarOnline.com can report.
Kensington Palace
One of her biggest frustrations was the couple’s first home, Nottingham Cottage.
According to royal biographer Tom Quinn, the Duchess of Sussex found the modest Nottingham Cottage on the Kensington Palace grounds — assigned to her and Prince Harry after their marriage — deeply underwhelming.
The two-bedroom residence, long considered a cozy but humble space within the estate, quickly became a point of frustration for Meghan, now 44.
Quinn writes that Meghan was highly critical of the "small" cottage and at one stage described life at Kensington Palace as a "kind of prison".
While the residence has often been praised by insiders for its privacy and proximity to Kensington High Street, Quinn notes that once the "initial glamour" of royal life "wore off", the Duchess was left "horrified" by the daily routine of being driven to official engagements from the palace.
The 'Final Straw'
Royal biographer Tom Quinn writes that once the excitement of royal life faded, Meghan became 'horrified' at the daily routine.
Less than a year after their wedding, the couple relocated to Frogmore Cottage in Windsor — a wedding present from the late Queen Elizabeth II.
The five-bedroom property underwent extensive renovations for Harry, 41, and Meghan, with one builder telling Quinn it was being redesigned to resemble a "Californian condo". However, the move did little to quell Meghan's concerns.
Quinn writes that the relocation became the "final straw" for Meghan, who allegedly complained, "I don't want to retire to rural obscurity" while overseeing the renovation project.
An insider quoted in the book adds that Meghan soon realized the home's secluded setting made Kensington Palace seem vibrant by comparison, saying: "Meghan realised that living there would be like living in the Russian steppe. Its remoteness made Kensington seem like the centre of the universe."
'The Beginning of All Meghan's Troubles'
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Renovations transformed the property to resemble a 'Californian condo.'
Despite hopes that Windsor would provide a retreat from criticism and media scrutiny, Quinn writes that "their flight to Windsor did not mean an escape from the world's enquiring eye; instead, it revealed to that world a lack of foresight."
With Meghan pregnant and $3.1 million in public funds already committed to renovations — including a $65,000 soundproofing system, underfloor heating, and a copper bath — the couple had little choice but to remain.
Quinn argues that life at Nottingham Cottage "was the beginning of all Meghan's troubles," adding: "She felt it was so small that it must be a reflection on how the royal family were belittling her husband." Royal author Ingrid Seward echoed those sentiments, claiming Meghan was "incredibly envious" of Kate Middleton's much larger Apartment 1A in Kensington Palace. Seward added: "I think that Meghan must have been incredibly envious and then jealous of Kate… which Harry used to call 'my hovel.'"
