How Meghan Markle and Prince Harry Are Preparing for Baby With Frogmore Cottage Renovations
Meghan Markle is just three months away from welcoming her and Prince Harry's first child. And while her work remains a focus-she just announced her first four patronages and will have made official visits to all of them by the end of next week-Meghan is equally occupied with preparing her and Harry's soon-to-be official home, Frogmore Cottage, for them and their little one. A royal source told ELLE.com that renovations are underway on the 10-bedroom cottage, a gift from the Queen.
The couple are very involved in the renovation process, and Meghan has been juggling her charitable work while overseeing it. “The hope is the renovation work at Frogmore Cottage will be complete before the baby arrives,” a royal source told ELLE.com.
The total cost of the building work is estimated to be between £2-3 million ($2,639,898 to $3,959,847), which is being covered by the Sovereign Grant. Meghan and Harry are paying for the interior design and personal flourishes themselves.
Excitement Builds
As the due date nears, the family is excited to welcome the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's first child into the couple's new home. Meghan’s mom Doria is expected to spend plenty of time with her new grandchild and visit Frogmore Cottage for extended periods, although a Royal source said there are no plans yet for her to move to England permanently.
Harry absolutely adores his mother in law though, and the family is “over the moon” about the upcoming birth, a source said. A friend of Meghan's additionally told ELLE.com that “she’ll be a fantastic mother. She is so wonderful with children, and they are both so excited.”
What Their Frogmore Cottage Home Will Be Like
Plans for Harry and Meghan’s Frogmore Cottage renovations include two conservatory extensions, extensive landscaping, permission for a bedroom to be built above a studio on the property, and several new fireplaces. All traditional floorboards, window frames and doors are to be maintained. Additionally, one of the attractions of Frogmore Cottage is that Meghan and Harry will be able play with their baby in the beautiful gardens, free from intrusion since the home is private property.
The house “holds a special place in Meghan and Harry's heart,” a source said, due to the fact their wedding reception and engagement photos were taken on the grounds of Frogmore House and their wedding was at the nearby Windsor Castle.
Design-wise, Meghan’s home in Toronto had a warm, neutral palette of whites, creams and grays, a preference she seems to be carrying over to her and Harry's Frogmore house.
The Designers Meghan Is Working With
Meghan is understood to have tapped Vicky Charles and Julia Corden of Charles and Co. for design inspiration in the house. Charles served as Soho House brand's head of design and worked previously on Soho Farmhouse's look, which is nearby Harry and Meghan's Cotswold home, where they spend time when they aren't working in London. Meghan had her bridal shower at Soho Farmhouse, and she and Harry have used it as a private refuge since the early days of their relationship.
A post shared by Soho Farmhouse (@sohofarmhouse) on Jan 25, 2019 at 8:55am PST
Charles has also worked with many celebrities, including the Beckhams, Gordon Ramsey, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher. She founded the company, Charles and Co., with James Corden’s wife Julia, who attended Harry and Meghan's wedding and evening reception with her husband.
Meghan and Harry are living at their Cotswold home and Harry's Nottingham Cottage in Kensington Palace right now. The Palace announced their upcoming move to Frogmore Cottage in November, writing that the two would move to their new home "early next year." Their office will remain at Kensington Palace.
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