Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s ‘practical’ yet tiny first home

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex may have a sprawling $21m estate in the US to call their own now, but their first home was a little different…

Meghan Markle settled into Nottingham Cottage with Prince Harry when their romance got serious, and it’s even where the couple got engaged, but what may surprise you is the humble surroundings of where they once lived.

Speaking to interior designer Tommy Kebbson of Kebbson & Co, who has analysed the couple’s interiors at the home, he says their style here is “sweet and practical”.

“The most important thing is that we love our own home, love and cherish individually, which is so lovely to see Meghan and Harry embrace their own individual style here,” says Tommy. 

“I think it’s really warming to see them embrace such a sweet and practical kitchen. I think their colour choice is lovely and timeless, it really speaks to a timeless English heritage combination and minimalist American.”

© Netflix

Nottingham Cottage’s kitchen

A rare photograph from inside the cottage abode, shared on Harry and Meghan’s Netflix series, shows the modest-sized kitchen complete with black and white tiled floor, white kitchen cupboards, blue wall tiles and light grey work surfaces. The side has various objects on display including a kettle, toaster and wicker basket. On the floor, there is a silver bin and a few metal dog bowls. 

In Harry’s memoir Spare, he made a shocking claim that his brother Prince William knocked him to the floor in a heated altercation in this very kitchen. 

Nottingham Cottage’s lounge

Another snap shared on their hit show was of Harry with one of Meghan’s dogs on the sofa of their small living space. There were two light-coloured sofas positioned close together on either wall and an array of cosy features. The sofas were dressed with cushions and throws and the lamp in the corner of the room gave it an inviting feel. The couple chose to add pictures to their walls, including a photo of a young Prince Harry.

© Photo: Netflix

Nottingham Cottage’s garden

In a very rare look at the garden area, Harry can be seen walking on a stone patio in front of a white picket fence, which is surrounded by shrubbery and freshly trimmed grass. A little different to the multiple acres he has now!

Nottingham Cottage’s doorways

Meghan standing in the doorway of the cottage shows how small it really is. The Sussexes admitted that friend Oprah Winfrey was surprised at their living quarters when she came for tea one day. “Oprah came over for tea, didn’t she?” said Harry to Meghan. “When she came over, she sat down, she said, ‘No one would ever believe it’,” presumably referring to the bijou size of the place.

Where do Prince Harry and Meghan Markle live now?

© Instagram

After moving stateside in 2020, the couple bagged themselves a stunning Montecito mansion, surrounded by celebrity neighbours. Although, they won’t see any neighbours from their land as their estate is so large! 

The garden is a favourite place for the family to spend time in, featuring an outdoor pool, playpark and an abundance of fruit trees.  

The Sussex kitchen looks like the one in our dreams. The couple have two kitchen islands in their home – meaning they have plenty of space to prepare food and bake with their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. We’re seeing more and more updates from Meghan thanks to her Instagram return and we are noticing that she’s in the kitchen a lot with the kids. 

Will the Sussexes ever return to the UK?

© Netflix

Whenever the subject of a UK return is floated to the Sussexes, the talk always comes back to security. Harry has a concern around the fact that his funding for security has stopped. Also, in an interview with The Cut, Meghan explained she thought that she wouldn’t be able to do school drop-off without it being a royal photo call with a press pen of people snapping pictures.

The Duchess then added: “Sorry, I have a problem with that. That doesn’t make me obsessed with privacy. That makes me a strong and good parent protecting my child.”